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She uses my silence to push further, which irks me even more. “It’s felt really off for a while now. My parents and I are worried. I’m asking you for a favor, Dmitri. Is it possible your father’s involved?”
My cutting glare is enough to make her wince and reconsider her last words.
We don’t discuss him.
Ever.
Sure, my estranged father is high in the hierarchy of the Russian Bratva but simply because her sister won’t reply to her texts doesn’t mean he’s involved. Besides I keep him plenty busy as I wreak havoc on any type of business, legal or illegal he tries to start up here in New York. I will never forgive him for what he did to my mother. But neither will I let my best friend try to drag my family affairs into the mix of her own.
I also wasn’t going to tell Layla that I’d stumbled across her sister only a week ago. So be it if Elanee still wanted to hold a grudge against me. Elanee didn’t want to be found, so who was I to drag her out of hiding.
At least that’s what I convince myself. Was my pride wounded? Possibly. At least she hadn’t thrown a drink in my face this time. Progress.
None of that involves my father.
“I said no. Deal with your own family affairs,” I growl out now majorly pissed as I look at my whisky, certain the mention of my father will spoil its taste.
“Dmitri, please. I haven’t seen her for five years either. I know you can find out this type of information. It just feels off. She returned in a private jet with some scary looking men.”
My eyebrows furrow. That’s new information to me. “How do you know that?”
“One of my girlfriends works at the airport and saw them. She thought it was me who landed and asked me what I was doing there. She’s obviously mistaken our identities.”
Easy to do considering they were identical twins.
I could always tell the difference though.
She grinds her teeth and repeats more forcefully this time, “I know you care about my sister.”
“I don’t care about much,” I remind her.
“But you do care about her,” Layla pleads. “She won’t answer my calls or meet with me. My family is really worried, Dmitri.”
The last time I spoke to Elanee she reminded me yet again why she hated me so much. The time before that she threw a drink in my face and said that she despised everything about me before flying to Russia to pursue her ballet dancing. Even five years later it’s bitter to swallow and I don’t think Layla understands the gravity of bad blood her sister and I share. I am not the answer.
As if reading my inner thoughts and obvious reluctance, Layla’s attitude changes and she folds her arms in front of her chest. She’s giving me one of her, I will pummel your ass right now looks.
Layla was the closest thing I had to a friend and it wasn’t unusual for us to spar in the boxing ring either. She was like the sibling I’d never had. But when it comes to strength, power, influence and almost everything—I overthrow her.
She knows this and yet still sizes me up as if she’s ready to take me down. I try not to smirk because it’s part of the reason why I like her.
“Fine,” I grit out. Partially because I’m mixed with curiosity and a hindering sensation to make sure Elanee is safe. Not that I’ll ever admit it. “It shouldn’t take me any more than an hour to find and see her.”
She frowns as she looks at her wristwatch. “It’s two in the morning!”
“I think you of all people know how convincing I can be.”
Though in truth I had no idea how this conversation was going to go. I internally wince at the memory and disgusted expression she held for me only a week ago. If I show up on her front door now. Won’t it be the same?
But having Layla Lane on my ass is also very annoying.
It doesn’t take long for my best hacker, Claus, to find Elanee’s details. Although I’d taken over running my grandfathers’ IT company, Creighton Technologies, it didn’t narrow my business pursuits, including legal and illegal. I hired the right people to ensure my illegal dealings were never brought to the surface. All of my illegal dealings were self-serving and focused on one purpose. To slowly ruin my father.
Looking up at her apartment complex, I’m not overly impressed. She could do so much better than a place like this, and I’m not entirely sure why she chose an outer suburb in the first place. It's a mystery that adds to the intrigue of this situation. Her parents have more wealth than they know what to do with but Elanee herself always strived to handle herself financially. If she came on a private jet, surely, she’d have more than this to show for it?
If I want answers the only way to do that was breaking in because I’m certain Elanee won’t let me in.
I take one more inhale of my smoke and stomp it out. I don’t usually smoke, but tonight I certainly needed something to take off the edge. I could be a gentleman and use the front entrance to break in and bust down her door, but the little patio at the back with potted plants seems far more tempting.
