Page 112 of Sinful Lord

But that puts me in another awkward situation. No one who might harm Melina can be allowed to kill me. That honor must be saved for Maksim, and Maksim only.

Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.

“You’re early,” I note, turning down the alley to find the grizzled Russian still leaning against the alley wall.

The old man grunts as he pushes himself off his post.

“And you’re right on time,” he huffs, looking down at his watch. “Which means you’re late.”

“No. It means I’m right on time,” I roll my eyes. “Let’s get going.”

“In a rush?”

“Yes. And you should be too. Melina’s still in trouble, and I’m no closer to finding her. Are you?”

“Fuck,” Maksim curses. “I’m not. But I did find something you might have missed.”

That stops me in my tracks.

“What?” I ask, turning back to the old Russian.

“I found out where she was staying,” he says, nodding towards me with a begrudging respect. “Thanks to the info on the hard drive you gave me.”

His respect is misplaced.

Still, I have to physically hide my relief.

Obviously, Maksim doesn’t know anything I don’t already know. But I guess he was able to track down Melina’s apartment from the breadcrumbs I afforded him.

Good thing we got out of there.

“Where she was staying?” I ask, playing dumb.

We continue walking. When we turn out of the alleyway, my sights set on our destination. A club run by the slum lord we’re supposed to meet.

“The apartment had recently been cleared out,” Maksim grumbles. “It looked like I had just missed whoever had wiped the place clean.”

“Shit.”

“Shit’s right. This meeting better put us on the right path, because if it doesn’t, every single last member of the Kilpatrick crime family, as well as all of their soldiers and allies, are going to descend on this god-forsaken city and raze it to the ground until we find our girl.”

“I’m surprised they’re not already here.”

Maksim curses under his breath as we slow to a halt not far from the club’s guarded backdoor. Two bouncers stand watch. They don’t acknowledge us.

“They were on their way,” Maksim explains. “But… circumstances bound them to America. If they weren’t trapped, they would already be here, dissecting every inch of this city.”

I feel my brow furrow.

“The almighty Kilpatricks have been trapped in their own country?” I ask, filled with genuine surprise. “How is that even possible.”

“It’s a long story,” Maksim rumbles, watching me with a suspicious side-eye. “I’m surprised you haven’t already heard.”

“I’ve been busy,” I defect. “Only one thing matters right now.”

“Ah yes, finding the girl you let loose.”

“It wasn’t supposed to go like this.”