Page 22 of Kings & Queen

She took a deep breath and nodded. “He was Russian. He spoke to me several times, but I pretended like I didn’t understand him. He also had a series of tattoos across his knuckles, almost like rings with symbols on them. Russian prison tattoos. I searched online,” she admitted.

“And did either the unmasked man or the masked man from your childhood speak Russian or have tattoos?”

“No tattoos. I never really thought of it, but now that you mention it, I remember the rules were given to me in Russian on that first day.”

“Okay, this is good. Now, what else makes you believe that this man was connected to the Mask?”

“The things he said. The fact that he told me ‘Did you think he wouldn’t come for you,’ the reference to my worth and value because I was no longer a virgin, and how that devalued my price. Then he mentioned pictures. The Collector, that was his thing. Mementos, is what he called them.”

“And I guess, coupled with the fact the Mask wasn’t there that night, that makes it a possibility,” I mused aloud.

I had already concluded that from every angle, the Mask was either her grandfather or someone he hired. It wasn’t outside the realm of possibility that Kinsley was viewed as a commodity for him.

Knowing that high-ranking members of organized crime regimes frequently traded women as property made it real. Arranged marriages were a given in that realm, and strengthening families to increase power and privilege was a necessary evil. Her family was ruthless. There were no two ways about that. Her grandfather had been connected to the mob since he was a teenager himself.

Even the timing of the recent kidnapping was right. It coincided with his release. The reason he wore a mask could have been to disguise the resemblance to her father. I’d need to discuss it with Sebastian at length first to ensure I wasn’t drawing conclusions unnecessarily and then update Alek, Nik, and Ivan.

“You have done beautifully with how open and honest you’re being. But we need to turn the conversation a bit because we need to make plans for you to disappear.”

Her face clouded over. “Okay, did Sebastian find someone who can help?”

“He did. The reality is, though, this will be a permanent thing. Once you agree to his terms, there’s no going back. There’s only one chance at this. You’ll be walking away from everything and everyone you know and love.”

“I know, but there isn’t another way.”

I hated this part. She was so young, and despite everything she had been through, she wasn’t built to be alone. I knew she mentioned Owen had taught her survival skills; they had spent years living off grid. She said she knew how to fish, hunt, and even knew how to field-dress animals. She obviously knew how to kill and wasn’t afraid to, but none of this made it any easier.

We finished up, and she hugged me and headed off to the kitchen to bake. She’d made herself at home here, and I loved that we could provide her with that, even if only for a short amount of time. I went to find Sebastian to discuss how to proceed with the Kings.

“What’s up, Counselor? You’ve got that strained look. Do I need to schedule you with one of the girls at the club? Say the word, and I’ve got you covered.”

“Maybe. But first, we need to discuss the guys. I’m torn. Do we tell them now or wait?”

“You’re asking my opinion?” He paused and then added, “I say we wait until they’re in the air. The way Alek and Nik have talked about Ivan and his attitude,I’d be afraid he wouldn’t come home. Has Kinsley shared what happened between them?” Sebastian grew serious; he was worried about Ivan too.

“She has, but I’m not at liberty to discuss it. But you’re right, he’d probably choose to stay in Seattle if he knew. As much as I hate keeping it from them any longer, we’ll wait.”

“It’s only a few more days, anyway. Alek and Nik are going to be so excited, any amount of irritation they have will have dissipated the minute they land.”

My mind turned to Kinsley and Ivan’s last encounter together. It sucked having the knowledge I had. It was a literal double-edged sword. I knew the real reason Ivan was struggling but couldn’t share it with the guys. I also had answers for Kinsley about the exact reason Ivan was so upset. I knew personally how deep the scars were that he carried, but I couldn’t share it with her either.

“Bash, I’m going to take you up on that suggestion from earlier. Make it with someone who craves the harsher things, please,” I said, feeling antsy.

“Not a problem. I’ve got you, Brother.”

Chapter 12

Aleksandr

I Know, Brother, Me Too

A Few Days Later

The jet’s plush leather seat comforted me as I sat and glanced around at my brothers, who were similarly settling in for the long flight from Seattle to London. The house was packed up, our lives condensed into suitcases and memories, and we were finally heading home. Everything we couldn’t take with us was due to be shipped over.

Our parents had arranged their departure at the same time as ours, and they were sitting cozy in the corner, having a chat. I leaned back, closing my eyes for a moment, trying to find a sense of calm in the chaos that had become my life.

Just as I reflected on the amount of effort I’d put into looking for Kinsley, my phone buzzed in my pocket. It startled me back to the present. Fishing it out, I saw Sebastian’s name flash on the screen. A grin tugged at my lips as I swiped to answer, bringing the phone to my ear.