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I dial Boris, the one who’s been watching Lia, and he picks up after one ring, speaking in gruff Russian, “Boss.”
“Anything out of the ordinary today?” I ask in the same language.
“It was the usual.” He pauses. “She stopped by a lingerie shop before going home.”
I can’t help the brow that raises or the erection that presses against my pants at the thought of her in lingerie. My Lenochka was buying lingerie.
That’s…interesting.
She’s always worn plain underwear and has never gone out of her way to be presentable for me. Not that I care, but the fact that she’s putting an effort into it now is intriguing me more than it should.
“Anything else, Boris?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary, Boss.”
I hang up, tapping my finger against my thigh. Lia bought lingerie and I wasn’t there to unwrap it—and her. Sergei and Igor have the worst timing ever.
“Sir.”
I lift my head at Kolya’s voice. Yan is smoking and I didn’t even notice when he lit the cigarette. I sigh. “Put it out, Yan.”
“It’s almost finished.” He pauses, then adds as an afterthought, “Sir.”
“Yan.” Kolya elbows him.
“Fine. Whatever.” Yan takes one last drag and throws it out the window, grumbling. “What do you want to talk about, Kolya? By all means, we’re all ears.”
My senior guard ignores him, focusing on me. “Sergei and Igor’s patience can only go on for so long.”
“I know.” I stare at the city lights through the window.
“If you know, why don’t you act on it?”
“Kolya, you bastard! Are you suggesting he hurt Lia?” Yan sounds disapproving. “She did nothing.”
“Whether I hurt her or not is neither of your concern. And since when are you her advocate, Yan?” My tone is more biting than usual.
“She’s…innocent, Boss. She did nothing to deserve…” he trails off.
“Me?” I finish for him.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
And in a way, he’s right, but being innocent doesn’t exempt her of her fate. However, people like Yan will still try to alleviate their conscience. I never had that—a conscience, that is—so I don’t worry about it.
The car stops in Lia’s parking lot, but I don’t step out right away. Instead, I fixate on both of my guards. “I need more men on Lazlo Luciano, as many as possible.”
“We’re already watching him,” Kolya says.
“It’s not enough. I need a full report of his daily habits, of the places he frequents, and even his waking and bedtime. I want to know his meals and his lifestyle and have the hackers dig into his and his wife’s phones and laptops. Don’t let his underboss get suspicious, because he’s more paranoid than Lazlo and would react at the smallest trigger. I want no mistakes.”
“But why?” Yan cranes his head back toward me. “What would that information give us?”
“I’m forming another plan.” And with that, I’m out of the car.
It doesn’t take me long to reach Lia’s apartment. I’m fully prepared for the darkness and finding her asleep. I didn’t ask Boris if she had dinner and I didn’t have the time to check the surveillance cameras during the meeting with Sergei and Igor.
