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"He was widowed. At the time of his death, he shacked up with a hooker who worked 9th street. He had a type." He throws out.
"What do you mean?"
"The wife was a working girl who OD'd five years ago. Elena Petrova. Russian. They had a couple of kids, most of them were in and out of foster care aging out. A daughter and two sons."
"Names?" I ask.
"Sergei was the eldest, Alexander the middle, and Tatiana was the baby. She was adopted."
"Thanks Mick."
"Right."
It was making sense now. Sergei must be Sergei Novikov currently jumped on the East Coast distribution for the cartel that murdered my father. Vince is his dad, and my boyfriend Alex is the brother of Sergei and the son of Vince. Father messes up the deal somehow. Selling product, probably forcing his son to cover his tracks by jacking up prices to protect his dear old dad."
CHAPTER 19
Alex
Ireturn to the house and Kase's car is still gone. I head up to the room to get in the shower. When I get out, Kase is there waiting for me. He's carrying a bottle of my favorite champagne and flowers.
"I'm sorry, babe." He says. I drop the towel and show him how happy I am to see him. "Later, later he says excitedly. First, I want us to go for a walk and talk and get on the same page again. I miss us. Don't you?"
"I do. I really, really do. What about Orla?” He takes a breath.
"I'm sending her back to her family, that's over. In a few days, this will be a distant memory."
"Just wait for me to get dressed." I say.
We get outside when he takes my hand, and we walk the length of the estate. It's just like when we first met. Just the two of us. He points to a patch of wildflowers in the clearing between some trees. I want to pick some for the house.
"I'll help." I say and bend down to start. He’s right behind me, grinding my ass into his crotch and stand up and lean against him. He caresses my chest and then grabs my neck and caresses my chin before tilting my head back. I feel a scratch across my throat and reach up. Blood pours from my throat and then the darkness comes.
CHAPTER 20
Orla
Iwatch as Kase and Alex walk on the lawn hand in hand. Alex looks so happy, and I feel defeated. I risked everything to trust Kase, hoping that the truth will inspire some act of grace or compassion from him but it meant nothing. I stand at the window and watch them go into the woods beyond the house where I begin to cry. Maybe if I head to their bedroom, I'll find car keys. If I can steal a car and get a head start, I stand a chance. I turn away from the window, but not before I see Kase emerge from the woods alone. He takes out his phone and moments later, his men are heading into the clearing. Kase comes into the house. I watch as the guys carry a lifeless Alex out of the woods and hurry away with his body. His car starts up shortly after and takes off.
I'm lying in bed watching TV for the first time in months when there's a knock at the door. Thinking that it's my dinner, I get up to unlock the door and Kase stands outside with my tray.
"Can I come in?" He asks. His eyes are heavy with grief.
"Are you ok?" I ask.
"After everything you've been through, how do you still find it inside yourself to be kind to me?" He asks. I don't have an answer.
"I don't know." I reply honestly.
"You don't have to worry about Alex anymore." He says and turns to leave.
"Kase." He turns back. "Thank you."
He nods and closes the door quietly behind him. I take the tray and settle back in front of the TV. Not bothering to lock the door. Uncovering the dishes to find chocolate mousse for dessert. I smile and have that first. I flick mindlessly through the channels, looking for something not heavy to watch, but a local news bulletin halts my channel surfing.
"The body of a man believed to be in his mid to late twenties was uncovered in the burned-out wreck of a car on the verge of the Shawnee River in Upstate New York. The man has yet to be identified and no foul play is suspected. Authorities believe that the young man may have swerved to avoid an animal causing his vehicle to careen off the bridge above and exploding on impact." In other news...
I turn off the TV and stare out of the open window. I leave my food and get up to sit and watch the stars in a moonless sky.
