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“I think that’s what she wants, so I’m going to make it happen.” I head to the door.
“We’ll let you know if we hear anything on Babichev or Emerson,” Niko says.
“Thanks.” I go up the stairs and grab a pizza on the way out. In the car, I share it with Artyom who is the only man I know who can eat and drive smoothly at the same time in New York city.
“Niko has the best pizza in New York,” Artyom says around a mouthful of pizza. “Where to, Boss?”
I sigh as I think about going to my own place. I want to take a breath. Regroup. I need to get my mind and body back in shape. That’s partly what today was about. I took care of business. I got a haircut so I didn’t look like a fucking wild man. Between that and the shiner and new scar, maybe Babichev won’t recognize me.
Finally, I met with Niko and Donovan. Oh, and Lucy. Can’t forget her. I’m ready for a drink and maybe a long soak in the hot tub. But no. Kate fucked that all up.
“We need to get back north.” I settle in for the four-hour drive. It will give me time to rest and figure out how to deal with Kate. Make no mistake, when I’m done with her, she will never disobey me again.
It’s nearly ten at night when Artyom pulls into the long drive of my cabin retreat.
Artyom parks in front. “I’ll let you out and then park the car.”
“Thanks.” I exit and trot up the steps and through the front door. Initially, the place is quiet. No one in sight. Good. They did as I asked.
But quickly, Robbie and several others of my men appear, guns ready in case someone else besides me or my men have entered.
“You’re back already?” Robbie asked, holstering his gun. The other men follow suit.
“There’s an issue here I need to deal with. Where is Kate?”
Robbie nods upward toward the loft. “In her room. She’s stowed away, apparently. Cherry has tried to coax her out, but no luck.”
Oh, she got out, alright. But the fact that none of my men have seen her suggests that Cherry got her a phone or while unsupervised, Kate found one. Cherry is devoted to Robbie, and I can’t see her doing anything that would jeopardize his job with me, so it had to be the latter.
“Make sure everything is locked up. Extra lookout around the property tonight.” For all I knew, Kate tried to call others for help. I take the stairs up to the second floor and stride down to her room.
I’m trying to control the anger seething in me. I don’t want to scare her. Well, that’s not true. I do want to scare her. But I want her to recognize the danger she’s in and be afraid of Dimitri, not me. And yet, being afraid of me could work to my advantage.
I try the doorknob to her room and find it locked. “Open the door, Kate.”
“No. Where’s Lucy?”
Fucking hell. “You will not lock me out of a room in my own house.” I reach over the door jamb and grab the emergency pin to unlock the door. As I push the device into the doorknob, I hear movement. Another door shutting. She must be hiding in the bathroom.
I shove open the door and head to the adjoining bath, taking a quick peek under the bed just in case. “Get out here, Kate. I’m not in the mood for your games.”
“Games? Killing people isn’t games.” Her voice comes from inside the bathroom.
Shit. Fuck. Hell. I try the doorknob to the bathroom, not surprised to find it locked. “Would you rather I let Fiori sell you to some fucking rapist?” I’m nearly ready to bust down the door but remember I have the pin.
“Where is Lucy? Did you kill Lucy? What about Donovan?”
“Lucy sent me.”
“I don’t believe you.”
I push the pin into the doorknob and shove the door open. “Fucking hell, Kate. Get your ass out of here.”
She’s cowering in the shower. Anyone else, my enemy, the sight would fill me with unspeakable power. But it’s not anyone else. It’s Kate. And seeing her terrified of me makes something in my chest crack. I fight against the feeling.
“You broke the rules. Rules that are meant to protect you.”
She watches me with fear in her eyes, and now it angers me.
