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“Nah.” I shrug like it’s all no big deal, hoping I’m not sweating through my t-shirt. “It was an accident while he was teaching me how to shoot a gun.”
She nods slowly, still hovering around the bed. She obviously wants to know more. I guess it couldn’t hurt to be a little friendly.
“You can sit down,” I say, gesturing to a spot beside me on the bed.
She props herself on the edge as if prepared to jump up at any given moment. The way her eyes keep on dancing towards the door, I know she’s worried about someone coming in here and seeing us talking. Not that anyone specifically banned us from hanging, but I’d say spending time with the captive is probably an unwritten do-not-cross rule. Then again, am I still a captive anymore?
I have to admit, it’s nice getting to talk with someone my age who isn’t completely entrenched in the Kozlov world, so I offer her an olive branch.
“How about this,” I suggest. “Do my hair, and we can talk while you’re technically working. If someone comes into the room, they won’t think anything of it.” I stand and move towards the vanity on the far side of the room.
She smiles. “Good idea.” Piper comes up behind me and releases my dark strands from the messy bun it’s been in all day. She divides my hair into sections, meticulously brushing through each segment until it’s shiny and soft.
“I know this is not my business,” she says, eyes trained on the curling iron twisting a strand of hair, “but why are you here? In this home, I mean. Natalia calls you the Kozlovs’ guest, but it doesn’t feel that way.”
I consider how to answer her question without revealing too much. “Sort of. I don’t exactly want to be here, but it’s best if I stay for now. I’m safe here.”
The truth of my words hits me in the solar plexus—it’s ridiculous, but I’m safer here than anywhere else.
“Safe?” She laughs. “In the home of a mafia kingpin. I won’t ask who your enemies are.”
“It’s complicated,” I agree, not wanting to divulge anymore.
Her eyebrows shoot up to her dark bangs. “Weird. These guys do not act like normal Russian gangsters.”
I giggle at that. “And what do you know about Russian gangsters?” I tease, because there is nothing dark about Piper. She used to work for royalty for chrissake.
“Nothing!” Piper nearly jumps out of her skin, and the curling iron in her hand swings precariously close to my ear. “Sorry,” she says, wincing. “I’m all done, anyway. What do you think?”
My hair hangs in soft waves around my shoulders. Princess hair is what I would have called it at one time in my life, but I’ll admit it’s a huge improvement from my usual messy top knots. I grin at her in the mirror. “I could get used to having you around.”
Piper flashes me a warm smile in return. “Anyway, I just came to check on you.” She shrugs and lays the curling iron down on the desk in front of me.
“Thanks. That’s kind of you, but I’m really okay.” And I am, strangely. It doesn’t quite make sense. I’ve literally agreed to work for the Kozlov Bratva and to put myself in a situation which I know will be dangerous. Hell, maybe even life threatening, but if it’s that important to Andrei, and it leads to Oleg’s demise, I’m in.
Although I do wonder about Andrei’s connection to Oleg’s daughter, Kira. What part does she play in all of this? Now that I’m committed to this mission, he owes me some answers.
“I’m glad.” Piper’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “I didn’t mean to cross any lines, I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I’m still finding my footing here, too.”
“It’s nice to know you have my back.” I turn in my seat to face her. “Also, I didn’t know you speak Russian. When did you learn it?”
Piper freezes. Her body remains rigid as she shakes her head. “I don’t speak Russian.”
“Oh. But how did you understand the conversation between Andrei and Yulian? I’ve never heard them speak anything but Russian together?” Amongst themselves and their closest staff, the brothers often speak their native tongue, perhaps to deter nosy Nellies like Piper.
“They were speaking English.”
I shrug. Weird. “Well, thanks for coming by. It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”
She nods. “For me, too. Oh, and Georgia. Maybe you could not mention the eavesdropping to anyone. It was very unprofessional of me.”
“Yeah sure,” I say. But as she walks out of the room, I definitely get the feeling something is not as it seems.
Chapter22
ANDREI
I don’t see Georgia that night. As much as I want her in my bed—underneath me, on top of me, any which way I can have her—duty calls. A shipment of cocaine went missing in transit and the Sicilians were the likely culprit. Our retaliation is swift and brutal, delivered in one bloody night in the gritty streets of South Brooklyn.
