What the hell could be more important than my invitation to come?
Misha knew I wouldn’t kill him for the disrespect, especially after losing his father. Now, Misha was all I had of my uncle.
Damn you, cousin. At least tell me what’s going on.
Perhaps, Sasha’s dead body hanging out in the square might’ve caused a bit hysteria. Now, someone was looking into Emily’s prints.
Why? If you want to know more about her, come to me. Let’s talk.
I hated mysterious shadows working behind my back.
They better hide.
I didn’t return to my bedroom. Instead, I paced in the living room, pissed at the world and mad at the moon.
Ten minutes later, I stood in front of my limo driver. He’d been ordered through a service. From now on, I would have my men drive us. Never before had I dealt with these sorts of things. Having Emily with me made me more cautious.
He sat in his chair shaking as me and my guards stood in front of him.
I smiled. “How are you today?”
“I-I’m fine.” He glanced between the guards and me. “H-have I done something wrong?”
“Have you?”
“I...no.”
“What do you know about science?”
“Science?” He opened his mouth and closed it. “I just drive—”
“You lift fingerprints too.”
The driver pissed himself. It darkened his trousers and dripped along the chair.
I stepped back to get away from the rising stench. “So, you know what I’m talking about?”
“I...” He raised his hands in the air. “They offered me a lot of money...a-and...they—”
“Who are they?”
“These two guys.”
“What did they look like?”
The guy spat out the words. “French. Uh. Parisian, maybe. Black hair. Wait, one had dark sandy blond hair. They both had suits. I thought they might have been official. With the government.”
“Did they have badges?”
“No, but they had guns.”
“We do too.”
The driver’s hands shook. “They said they would protect me if—”
“And are they protecting you now?” I looked around. “Where are they?”
“Please,” he begged. “Please, don’t kill me.”
“Did they have names?”
“They didn’t tell me.”
“What did they want?”
“Anything the woman had touched. There was a handkerchief and a glass of wine she’d left. I gave it to them.”
I nodded. “Anything else?”
“They kept asking me if I saw a man called ‘the mouse’ or maybe if you mentioned him. They were really interested in some guy named ‘the mouse.’ They said I would get more money, if I had a description.”
So, they’re not Bratva. All in the brotherhood know who the mouse is. Who’s this? Could it be Jean-Pierre and his cousins? No. Too low and not that stupid.
“What did you tell them?” I asked.
“I-I said that I saw a lot of men, but I didn’t know if any of them were the mouse.”
“Do you have kids?” I asked.
“H-huh?” He looked at my men as if he could get help.
“Do you have kids?”
“N-no.”
I eyed him. “A wife or girlfriend?”
“N-no—”
“Kill him.” I left the room.
“Wait. Please. Oh! No!” He screamed as they cut his throat. Usually, I would’ve remained and watched, but there were other things to do.
More men. I need more of them here. Who could’ve gone after the limo driver? Interpol? No. They would’ve lifted the prints themselves.
I headed down the hallway and opened the door.
Apparently, the man’s screams had carried through the suite.
When I entered the bedroom, my mouse sat up in bed.
I set my phone down by the night table. “I’m sorry, mysh, did he wake you?”
“Yes. Who was that screaming?”
“Our driver.” I undid my robe and got back in bed.
“And why was he screaming?”
“Because they were killing him.” I lay down and gathered her in my arms. Emily nuzzled against my chest. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of her against me. “Someone wanted to know information about you. They lifted your prints from the limo and sent it to the FBI.”
Her body stiffened. “What did they look like?”
“French guys, but that doesn’t matter. If someone discovered I was here, it would make sense to grab locals to do the job.”
“And if it’s the Corsican? Your ‘perfumed pansies’?”
“Then that would be a death wish on their part.”
“Hmmm.” She lay down next to me, surrounding my body in her warmth. “Well...if they want to meet me, then surely there’s always an open invitation.”
A dark chuckle left me.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“So many people are trying to bother you...get to know you...figure out your weaknesses or whatever.” I landed a kiss on her forehead. “But little do they know, I’m not protecting you from them. Most of the time, I’m protecting them from you.”
“Don’t save them. It’s more fun that way.”
It would be...but I’m too scared to let anything happen to you.
Chapter 12
Emily
That morning, I woke up encased within Kazimir. Those massive arms had caged me to his body. Somehow, those bulging thighs and longs legs were entangled with mine, so much that we probably looked like a human pretzel.
I lounged in his warmth, holding him tighter.
The sound of his steady breathing lulled me into staying sprawled across his chest.
I don’t think I can ever wake up without him.
I walked my fingers down his thick side. He was so big and bulky. There wasn’t anything soft about his waist, and I delighted in those taut muscles.
Being in his arms felt like home, and I’d never really had a home in my life. Just a makeshift family and a building holding dark secrets from the past.
I breathed him in. This felt like the smartest decision I’d ever made. Forever, my life would always be divided into two parts—before Kazimir and after Kazimir.
This felt like love in the purest form, and I reveled in that too. I was too quenched to fear any consequences that could come.
All I knew was that I loved Kaz and I could never let him go.
I can’t believe he took me to Paris. But what about my men?
Upon jumping on Kazimir’s plane, I hadn’t thought about them at all. I was too preoccupied with the lion.
I’m sure he did that on purpose.
Deciding I should check in with everyone back in Moscow, I moved his arm and grabbed my phone.
He groaned, grabbed my waist, and pulled me back to him, slipping my body across the bed with ease. “Where are you going?”
“To check my phone.” I yawned.
“Expecting a call?”
“Yes, from all my lovers.”
He turned me around to face him.
I smiled.
“Are you trying to start a new war, mysh?”