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“My reputation precedes me,” he drawled.
“Let’s just say you were…described adequately enough for me to be able to recognize you.”
Volkov returned his attention to the seven Kingston men. “Was the man who administers his own vigilante justice to rapists, kidnappers, and murderers who have escaped lawful punishment alsoadequatelydescribed to you? Or two other men, both Special Forces, who were trained to kill with their bare hands? Another who is a lethal sniper? The genius who doesn’t emotionally relate to anyone but his family and the woman he loves and has no problem killing for either? Possibly the accountant? Or maybe the nerd who is a world-class hacker?”
Mia knew from reading their bios on the Kingston company website that the two who had been Special Forces were Max, and his cousin, Adam. Darius was the trained sniper. Malachi was the genius who had patented several innovations in engineering. Felix was the accountant. And she already knew Casper was the tech wizard.
Which left Sinclair as the brother who dealt out his own form of vigilante justice?
That seemed hard to believe, looking at his impeccable and businesslike appearance in a three-piece suit.
“Tell me, which of these men do you think is going to be the most useful in solving the problem of you having walked in on a murder being committed?” Nikola Volkov prompted lightly.
Mia felt the color leave her cheeks. “I don’t want any of them to put themselves in danger because of me,” she protested.
“They would all kill for each other and any of their wives and families,” the Russian stated evenly. “And now they will kill for you too, if it becomes necessary.”
Mia’s eyes widened in alarm. “Why?”
“Because you belong to Darius.”
Her cheeks instantly heated. “I do not!”
“The beard-burn on your neck and shoulder says otherwise.”
Mia hastily tugged up the T-shirt from where it had slipped down her arm. “I don’t want anyone killed for me.”
Volkov shrugged those broad shoulders. “For them, it isn’t a choice. Family is everything.” That silver gaze narrowed. “Something neither you nor I knew anything about.”
“I was told you’re married, with children.”
“I am, and they are my world.” Volkov’s expression softened slightly. Which meant he almost looked normal. But not if you were close enough to be aware, as Mia was, of the tension in his shoulders and the tight clenching of his jaw. “But family love and loyalty isn’t something you or I knew growing up.”
Mia eyed him warily. “What do you know about my childhood?”
He shrugged. “I never enter a situation without knowing all the facts. In this case, I made it my business to know everything about you after Darius Kingston asked me for information regarding who might have had Giles Fletcher killed and why. Because you were present in Fletcher’s apartment soon after the murder and you surprised the men who did it.”
“Darius now knows they were working on behalf of the Bart family.”
“But does he know why?”
“I don’t think so.” She glanced across the room to where Darius was still in conversation with two of his brothers. Unfortunately, none of them were looking in her direction, meaning she couldn’t indicate she needed help talking to this scary Russian.
“He will come immediately to your side once he becomes aware of your presence,” Volkov assured.
Mia sincerely hoped so. In the meantime, she had to politely listen to this arrogant Russian.
“I too grew up without a family,” he continued harshly. “But not in an orphanage. I lived and survived on the streets of Moscow.”
Mia repressed a shudder, having read newspaper articles and seen programs on the television regarding how orphaned or abandoned children grew up in the harshness of Russian orphanages or on the streets of their cities.
“I was sixteen when I stowed aboard a ship to England,” Volkov continued abruptly. “I was taken in by Dimitri Markovic, who was then head of the Russianbratvain London. His son became my best friend. He is now thepakhan.”
“And you’re his second.”
He gave an acknowledging nod. “Your own story is equally as…intriguing.”
Mia gave a humorless laugh. “You think my being found abandoned as a baby and then spending the next eighteen years of my life in an orphanage isintriguing.”
