Page 161 of Dance of Devils

I wrinkle my nose. “Gross.”

“I agree. So does his uncle.” He smirks. “James has been…removedfrom New York City and sent to work for his other uncle, in a slightly different industry.”

I frown. “Which is…?”

“The shale oil fields of Northern Yukon, just inside the Arctic Circle.” He smiles widely. “I happen to know a few individuals up there who wouldloveto break up the boredom of daily life by beating a child molester to death.”

The sensation that slowly melts through me is one of purerelief, like a weight has been lifted from my chest, or the shadow that’s been looming over me has suddenly been banished by the sun.

My eyes search Kir’s as I shake my head and press my hands to his chest.

“You did that for me?”

His brow furrows as he takes one of my hands and brings it to his lips. “I will destroy every monster you’ve ever known,” he murmurs. “Without hesitation.”

My heart surges and I melt against him.

“Thank you,” I whisper, before his lips find mine.

38

KIR

“I don’t thinkthis is the dolphin one.”

I chuckle softly as I glance at Brooklyn, then back to the gala we’ve just entered, then to her again. She’sfarmore interesting than…whatever this is for.

Interesting andgorgeous. The dress fits her perfectly and makes her look like a goddamn queen. It’s actually a shame to cover the top half of her beautiful face—especially her eyes—with the Venetian mask, even if it is part of the dress code for the evening.

I check out some of the displays up on the walls meant to encourage donations, and suddenly remember what tonight is in aid of.

“The Free Them Foundation,” Brooklyn reads. “Notdolphins.”

“Yes. They work to stop child exploitation and trafficking.”

Her mouth twists as she glances up at me. “That’s awful. I mean, awful that organizations like this have to exist, obviously.”

I nod. “There are some real monsters in the world. But these people are doing a lot to stop them.” I lower my voice as I lean close to her ear. “It’s heavily funded by the Kashenko Bratva. And while they publicize the moreabove-boardheroics to combat trafficking, there’s another arm of the organization that operates much more…off the radar.”

Viktor Komarov and his wife Fiona run the Free Them Foundation, with a lot of help from his son Lukas, and Lukas' wife, Lizbet. And yes, while the organization does do a lot to help local law enforcement, pass legislation, and rescue children from horrific situations, the Kashenko Bratva takes care of a lot of the more…unseenaspects of stopping the monsters who would harm children.

Such as hunting said monsters down like dogs and gutting them.

I make a note to have averylarge check cut to the organization tomorrow.

“I wasn’t sure I’d see you here, old friend.”

I smile as I turn and lock eyes with Yuri Volkov, head of the Volkov Bratva, which sits at the Bratva High Council along with the Viktor. The High Council is an underworld legislative body that works similarly to the Iron Table, at whichIsit. Yuri and I don’t currently do any business together, but we have, and we’ve always kept a good relationship.

“Yuri,” I smile, taking his hand and shaking it firmly. “It’s been a long time.”

“Toolong,” he chuckles, turning to the beautiful woman standing next to him, who doesn’t actually need an introduction given that her face is literally on a billboard in Times Square for Louis Vuitton at the moment.

“I’m sure you remember my wife?—”

“River Finn!” Brooklyn blurts out before her hand flies to her mouth. “Shit, I’m sorry, that was so rude of me.”

But River, Yuri’s wife, who is indeed a famous fashion model, just shakes her head. “Oh, please, not at all!” she laughs, before turning and giving me a quick hug. “Good to see you again, Kir.”