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“Hell fucking no.” Valik shook his head. “These are dangerous men, Nova. I’m not leaving you alone for one second.”
I sighed and rubbed the middle of my forehead. He was right, like always. It wasn’t that I didn’t know they were dangerous, but more like I had grown hardened to that danger. Kaviathin didn’t frighten me anymore. Neither did Althazair. But that didn’t mean that they still couldn’t kill me. “Fine, but let me do the talking. You just stand there and look all mean and muscular like always.”
Valik’s face lit up and he straightened his tie. “I think I can manage that. Well, let’s get this over with.” He jumped out and came around to help me out of the backseat.
We walked up the steps to the restaurant, a sense of dread hanging over my head. I should have just let it go, but I couldn’t. I had to know if Kaviathin was the one who had killed Ryzen.
The server who had served Sophie and me lunch the last time we were there rushed over when we walked in. A genuine smile spread across his face. “Miss La Roux, so lovely to see you again so soon.” He looked over my shoulder, not batting an eye at Valik’s lethal stare. “No Sophie today?”
“No.” I glanced around the room, not seeing Kaviathin. “Actually, I’m here to see Kaviathin Voledetti.”
“Of course he is expectingyou.” His gaze slid to Valik, then back to mine.
“Great, lead the way,” Valik said and placed his hand on my shoulder.
Instead of taking us to the dining area we typically sat in, he led us up a rounded staircase to the second level. Weird, I hadn’t even realized there was another level to this place. When we got to the top, there were three muscular tattooed men in black suits standing in front of a massive wooden door. They looked me up and down, then narrowed their eyes at Valik.
“If you don’t mind, Miss La Roux, these gentlemen will need to search you and your guest.” The server waved in a sweeping motion, and I stepped forward. OK, not what I had been expecting, but what the hell? “You may place your weapons in a bin, and they will be returned when you leave.”
“I have a gun in my purse and a switchblade in my pocket. And my friend here”—I pointed over my shoulder—“is also very well armed.” The guards raised their eyebrows, and I shrugged. “Can never be too careful in the city, boys.” I held up my hands so that they could see I meant no harm, then reached into my purse and laid my gun in the bin, then my knife. It was hard to believe that this was my life now. Nova La Roux, dildo maker and gun-wielding queen.
Valik came around me and reached into his holster on his left, then right side, then put both guns in the bin. He reached down and yanked out a small gun from his right ankle, then a dagger from his other side. Last, he reached into the inside pocket of his blazer and pulled out a little yellow stick that looked like ChapStick.
I furrowed my brow, my expression matching the men across from us, but Valik’s face showed absolutely no emotion. One man stepped forward and patted us down, then nodded at the other two.
“Don’t touch that one.” Valik’s tone was lethal as he pointed to the yellow stick.
The guards all looked at each other, shrugging their shoulders, as they opened the wooden door and let us pass. The server led us through a dining area, but this one was way nicer than downstairs, if you could even believe that. Red velvet seats, polished wooden tables, and golden chandeliers covered the area. It smelled like delicious Italian food mixed with flowers, and I was suddenly very, very hungry.
We passed a bar on our way. Next to it, a man was playing a piano while another crooned out a song in Italian. I almost stumbled when Althazair spun around in his bar seat, winking at me as I passed. Valik’s hand pressed on my lower back, letting me know he was right behind me.
Kaviathin stood from his table when we arrived, handing the server a hundred-dollar bill and whispering something into his ear.
I glanced around the room at all the filled tables. There were several people here I had seen at the gala, mostly uptight businessmen, but what surprised me the most was Lexi Poppins at a table with two other women.
That was interesting. I wondered what Cian would think about all this. The rock in my stomach grew as I realized I would definitely have to tell him I’d come here.
“Please, have a seat.” Kaviathin pointed at the chair across from him and I sat down. I could feel the heat rolling off Valik, still behind me, and I glanced up at him. His face was completely neutral, but I could tell he was angry. Maybe it was because Kaviathin wouldn’t let him see Milliani. But that wasn’t why we were here.
Kaviathin poured two glasses of wine and passed one over to me. He raised his glass up, and I did the same. “Salute.” We clinked our glasses together and took a drink.
My heart was racing, and I tried to steady my hand as I lowered my glass. He didn’t miss a thing, watching my trembling fingers. It wasn’t fear, though, that had me reacting this way. It was pure nerves.
“How is Milliani doing?”
He clenched his jaw, opened and then shut his mouth for a second. “Good. Getting some much-needed rest.” He glared at Valik, his eyes softening a bit when they met mine again. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company today?”
“Did you do it?” I said in one rushed breath, and he arched his eyebrow at me.That’s right, let’s just skip the small talk and pleasantries that were all false anyway and get right to the point.“Were you the one who killed Ryzen?”
He tapped his fingers on the table, staring deep into my eyes. For what? I couldn’t tell you. He knew I wasn’t wearing a wire. Hell, if he had thought for one second I was going to do something as stupid as try to set him up, he would have shot me before I had even gotten to the table.
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head no. I couldn’t decipher the look on his face, but what I didn’t see was deceitfulness. I felt like I wanted to punch something, so I picked up my glass and chugged the rest of my wine. That was not the answer I had been expecting.
“But the way he was killed, that seemed like something you might have done…” My voice trailed off as he narrowed his eyes at me, and Valik shifted behind me.
“Nova, you have me confused with my father yet again.” Kaviathin smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I can assure you I had nothing to do with that incident. Unfortunately.”
“Fuck,” I muttered and pressed my finger to my lips. “But who then?”
