Page 23 of Devious Corruption

The feeling is mutual, of course.

Vas’s phone goes off and he takes his call, while I tap onto the GPS program I have synced into Maxine’s phone. She’s home and has been there since eight o’clock tonight. The only other place she’s been today was work, and the coffee shop at the corner of her building on her way home.

The urge to know what she’s up to at home right now is strong, but I haven’t given the order to have any surveillance put inside her apartment. I know her bothers are up to something stupid and dangerous, and I know it’s going to put her in the cross hairs, but until I know for certain I won’t completely invade her privacy.

Tracking her isn’t so much an invasion as a safety measure. Maxine spends time with my sister, and I won’t allow any danger to come close to Nicolette. I’ve gone to great pains to keep her separated from the dark shadows my life casts. It’s for Nicolette’s safety.

“That was Dmitri.” Vasa drops his phone on the table. “He followed the twins to a club on the Gold Coast. They were taken into the back as soon as they announced themselves, Dmitri wasn’t able to get close enough to see who they were meeting, but they did see plenty of security in the club.”

“What sort?”

“The Armenian sort.” He frowns. “I think you’re right.Their making a move into the city, and those two dumbasses are getting involved with something they won’t be able to handle.”

Which will put Maxine in danger.

“When did you say you’ll get a name from her?” Vas questions, though I can tell from the lightness of his tone he has no confidence I’ll be getting anything from her.

“Friday.” I pour myself another drink, throw it down my throat and slam the glass down on the table.

“Are you going to be able to wait that long?” Vas’s almost laughing, the grin on his fucking face is so wide.

“I said Friday. I’ll give her until then.”

“Why not just pick up the twins? They’ll piss themselves as soon as they see us, then they’ll spill everything they know.”

“That’s true.” I nod. “But if they are trying to get into business with Levon, they’ll be watched. Why do you think they didn’t come to meet me, instead sending their sister?”

“Because they’re pussies and thought you were going to blow their heads off.”

“That’s what I thought at first, and there is something to that. But if they’re being watched, or even think they are, them showing up at my penthouse would be a bad look, yes?”

“And if we pick them up and the Armenians see, it would compromise them.”

I nod. “Right. We wouldn’t be able to get anything elseout of the little idiots other than some names and confirmation for what we already suspect.”

“Okay, so we get the information from the girl and then what?”

“Maxine.” I correct. “I’ll get the information from Maxine and then figure out what our next play will be.”

He nods. “And until then?”

I check my phone when the tracking app dings a notification. Maxine has left her apartment.

“Until then, we just wait and watch.”

The restaurant is packed when I arrive for Nicolette’s party.

Swiping my hair back from my face and re-clipping it into the claw clip, I climb up the stairs beneath the long maroon awning that covers the stairs and the sidewalk protecting the valet helping customers into their cars.

Once I’m inside the restaurant, a lead ball sinks to the pit of my stomach. This place is gorgeous with dim lighting, black marble flooring, and a large crystal chandelier dangling in the center of the entrance way. A sense of high class hangs heavy in the air.

Thank god I had this dress in my closet. It hugs my curves, accentuating my hips in smooth satin with theperfect amount of enough stretch to keep it from suffocating me.

“Hi, I’m here for Nicolette Yakovlev’s party.” I say to the pretty woman standing behind the hostess podium.

Parking was brutal. Nicolette’s warning had been right. I’m twenty minutes late, but well within the window of fashionably late.

“Your name?” The hostess asks while tapping on the iPad mounted in front of her.