Page 182 of Nothing More

Toly closed his eyes and massaged at the headache that had sprouted between his brows. Why did that still get under his skin? Why was it necessary, when he had Raven, and the club?

“Would it be so bad?” he asked. “If Andrei found out.”

Misha’s tone turned cold. “I was never his first choice for this operation. This would be a sign of weakness.” He didn’t need to explain further; Toly understood all too well: a sign of weakness would lead to doubt. Would lead to Andrei keeping his daughter back in Moscow, delaying the marriage before he eventually called it off. It would mean giving his nephews, his blood, more power in America, and Misha was strong, and smart, but those three hyenas could push him out. Or kill him.

Misha added, “When this is done, who do you want in charge of Kozlov? Me, or Ilya?”

The answer was so obvious it wasn’t worth voicing. “When’s the meeting?”

“Tomorrow night. Two. McLaughlin Cannery. You know it?”

“Yeah.” Toly sucked down the last of his smoke, cherry flaring red and hot just below his nose, making him cross-eyed. “I’ll be there.”

He’d tucked his phone away and lit another smoke by the time Raven returned. Her steps were light, nearly bouncy, and she was smiling, face wreathed in satisfaction.

It put his hackles back up again. “Everything alright?” he asked.

She nodded, and smiled at him, and didn’t do that worried thing with her face that meant she could read the tension in him. Whatever Ian had had to say, it had put her in a very good mood. “Yes. Alec’s home. He’s pleased. He wanted to pass along some more info about the gala.”

“Right. That.”

Her smile turned wicked as she minced her way across the carpet toward him. “You know, there’s been all this drama about who I’m going to take as my date.” She looped her arms around his neck, and he had to shift his hand to keep his cig from burning her sweater. “Really,” she said, like a whispered confession, “I just want to takeyou.” She leaned in close, so their noses brushed.

Though his belly still churned with nerves, he snorted. “Not gonna happen.”

“Oh, come on.” She pretended to pout. “Don’t you want to look all clean and dashing in front of New York’s elite? You can be my boy toy.”

“Hard pass.”

She chuckled, and then her grin slowly faded. In a serious voice, she said, “I do wish I could trot you out – not,” she added, when he made a face, “the way you’re thinking. Not like a show pony. Just.” She shrugged, gaze flicking off to the side. “I’ve been to loads of parties, and dinners, and the like. But I’ve never gotten to take anyone I gave a damn about.”

Up close, her eyes were the crisp blue of cornflowers, impossibly clear and pure in color. The look in them tugged at something deep in his gut, because he wanted to give that to her: his presence. The chance to take along a date she loved, and not some posh idiot who was nothing more than a societal connection.

“Maybe next time,” he murmured, for the pleasure of watching her smile, slow and true.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said, and kissed him.

~*~

The next morning during breakfast, Raven received a text from Melissa:

Found Antonina. Morozov in the wind. Will call later.

Raven slipped her phone away, and glanced down the table at Toly, bent over his eggs while Cass chatted his ear off about a video game she wanted to try. Her own eggs felt heavy in her stomach, but she chased them with more coffee and told herself everything would be fine. The police would find Misha, charge him, and that would be the end of it.

When Toly glanced her way, she smiled. “Maverick says there’s walking trails in the forest.”

Toly lifted a skeptical brow. “You want to go walking in the woods?”

“It worked out alright last time.”

“Ugh, gross,” Cass and Tenny said in unison, and gave one another a startled look.

“Lovely,” Raven deadpanned. “Now there’s two of you.”

~*~

She had the first inkling something wasn’t quite right on said nature walk. Cassandra had wanted to come along, and it was just the three of them, hoods pulled up against the fine drizzle, Cassandra with a massive pair of borrowed binoculars bouncing against her chest in case she spotted any noteworthy wildlife.