Page 102 of Break Me

All while not allowing for any sign of life. There wasn’t a single thing in the huge floor plan the color of green. Nothing. And there certainly weren’t any plants. While there were perfectly positioned bottles of wine on the counter complete with two crystal balloon wineglasses, there was barely any sign the condo was lived in.

I’d yet to check the closet and kitchen cabinets, but I could swear this was the sales office for the massive tower.

Emily’s little pink backpack caught my eye. I’d forgotten she’d been carrying it when she’d been taken. I didn’t remember grabbing it from the getaway car, which meant someone else had done so. Huffing, I was happy we hadn’t lost that like I would imagine we’d lost her innocence. Although she hadn’t mentioned anything since we’d left the coffee shop. Maybe it was true kids were resilient.

I found the powerful, oh-so strong Russian staring down at his phone while standing in front of a triple window. His body was stiff and while he’d tossed his jacket over the back of the couch, he was still wearing what was left of his suit, including his tie.

At least his shoulder holster was nowhere to be seen and he’d managed to shield his weapon from Emily. A tiny thing to be grateful for. She’d asked to see him again just before falling asleep. The fact she’d trusted him after what she’d gone through spoke volumes.

The man was as tense as I felt.

At least he had a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

Instantly, he sensed my approach, his body tensing. I was able to see the intense expression on his face, the very anxious look in the eyes that had constantly searched for me while talking with the police. I’d yet to ask him what he’d said to them, thrilled that the two individuals who’d hurt my daughter had been taken away in the back of two squad cars.

Yet I had a feeling that as with everything and everyone else in this town, he owned them. It was something else that I should hate, but I just didn’t.

When I approached, he turned slightly. He seemed surprised when I wrapped my hand around his glass, slowly taking it from him. The slight touch of his fingers was incredible. I wasn’t a big bourbon drinker, but I had to admit the first sip went down easier than I’d thought.

The second was even better, allowing me to taste the smooth notes of the obviously expensive liquor. The third, while more of a gulp allowed me to stop shivering. Only when I returned the dense crystal did I realize I’d almost drained the entire glass.

I was obviously still in some level of la-la-land since I giggled, marking the second time I’d done so around him. He smiled in return, the slight action nothing more than his way of breathing a sigh of relief.

“You had me followed,” I said with a mild hint of rebellion in my voice.

“And he failed me.”

“Don’t be too hard on him. We were stuck in a traffic jam.”

“Uh-huh. He was told not to allow you out of his sight. Is Emily resting?” he asked, his deep voice resonating in every nook and cranny within my body.

“She is. My guess is she’ll be out all night. She crashed. But… she’s missing her teddy bear. She never goes to sleep without it. And my creative skills at making up a story were pretty piss poor tonight.”

“From what I witnessed, you were wonderful, brilliant even. As far as the teddy bear, we’ll take care of that in the morning.” He nodded as if he’d decided our fate before walking to a bar on the other side of the room. I studied him while he made drinks, deciding since I’d finished his that I needed another of the exact same libation.

“What happens now?”

He took his time answering and I had a feeling more than just the answer was weighing heavily on his mind. “Tomorrow, I find out who the hell hired those people.”

“Are you certain you’re going to be allowed to talk to them?”

The way he slowly turned his head had me throwing up my hands as if in surrender.

“I forget you’re the great Alexsey Dmitriyev, king of Vegas.”

“You’re close,” he said, laughing. “They call us the Casino Kings.”

“Where’s your crown? I bet you’d look sexy in one.” Maybe I just needed to banter a little, although nothing about the day held any reason to laugh.

“My guess is you’d tell me it would be a crown of thorns.”

“Well, if the shoe fits,” I teased. The way he was looking at me was somewhat disturbing. “What is it?”

He took a few seconds, rubbing his jaw, completely contemplative. “I need to ask you a question and I require an honest answer.”

My hackles were immediately raised. So was my irritation. “What would make you think I haven’t been honest with you?”

“Nothing. Yet. Did you have anything to do with hiring someone to take photographs of us inside the restaurant and in the parking lot?”