Page 23 of One Dark Kiss (Grimm Bargains #2)

TWENTY-TWO

Rosalie

I finish the sandwich Ella has brought me for dinner and crumple up the paper to toss in the garbage can in my office.

It s embarrassing to admit that I couldn t find enough money to buy pizza, and I m afraid she knows it.

Worse yet, she isn t rolling in money right now, either.

Thanks for the food. You shouldn t be spending your funds on me.

I feel a little hypocritical considering my belly is now full with turkey, Swiss cheese, and excellent sourdough.

She waves a hand, sacked out in one of my guest chairs, quietly drinking a soda with a straw.

I set up and manage the website for Hal s Deli, and they pay me in food.

It s all good. Per her usual arrangement, she looks adorable in a blue jumpsuit only women about five feet tall can get away with wearing.

Her blond hair is back in a ponytail, and her smooth skin lacks makeup. Not that she needs it.

I nod at the bag holding the security disc of the Fairfax mansion that hopefully will show the day of the murder. I need you to fix that.

I ll do my best.

While I know she s brilliant and tough, she sometimes looks so fragile I m not sure what to do.

I feel a clock counting down for her, and part of that is her plan.

I ve read through TimeGem s formation documents, updated bylaws, employee handbooks, and tax returns that I don t want to know how you acquired.

I ve also gone through your father s last will line by line.

Her shoulders slump. Anything helpful?

No. I owe her honesty—as well as free legal advice. The will leaves everything to your stepmother. Most folks don t understand that anybody can disinherit their kids ... but usually not their spouse, absent an agreement like a prenup. There was no prenup in this case, that I ve found.

She sighs. The will is a fake, but I can t find the real one. I know, without question, that my father would not have left me out of the will. I think he granted me the corporation and left Sylveria with financial security.

That sounds about right to me. If there was another will, I m sure she destroyed it, I say thoughtfully. But if we can find the attorney who drafted it, they ll have a dated copy.

She nods. I know. I ve hacked into most of the big law firms in Silicon Valley and am now spiraling outward to other big cities in California. It s taking some time.

Hacking is also illegal. I haven t brushed up on the most recent criminal statutes and guess I should start.

Please. They can t catch me.

I take a sip of my soda. Says every convicted hacker ever. I tilt my head. If she had a falsified will created, why do you think she left you a trust in it?

Because it takes some suspicion off her. Everybody who knew my father wouldn t have believed he left me with nothing. But the trust just took care of my schooling until I finished college. My stepmother isn t stupid. Ella sounds more thoughtful than angry, which is good.

I nod. As I understand your plan, you re trying to find a valid will. In the meantime, you re hacking into the TimeGem Moments server. At least, you re trying to do so.

Now her eyes gleam. Yep. Sylveria is actually pretty good at charging the diamonds that help power the servers, but our true connection is with citrines, and she can t touch those.

They re mine. If I can get into the system, I might be able to attack the diamonds, leaving TimeGem completely vulnerable and in need of the citrines.

As a plan, it s good. And criminal. They have to know you re coming.

She nods. I know. But there s hints of a fifth player making a move soon, and I m covering my ass by adding to the rumors.

My eyebrows rise. So is there really a new social media company gaining traction?

Definitely. There are ghost rumbles across all four companies, meaning someone is conducting research, and we ve all been hit with attacks and several viruses. So far, nobody has traced the accounts back to a source.

Fascinating. I m worried about your safety.

I ve moved my computer base several times, and very few people know where I live. Plus, any time I m out with Alana, bodyguards are everywhere. Something tells me good ole Alexei isn t too far from ordering guards on you.

I roll my eyes. Please. I m his lawyer. He s probably already moved on to another woman. The thought shouldn t hurt, yet my chest aches. I need to wake up and get a clue.

Ella stands. When I finally find the real will, we ll want to move fast with filing suit.

Of course. I have the documents ready to go, including the preliminary injunction to freeze TimeGem s activities until a trial conclusion.

Her sneakers are silent on my antique rug as she heads to the door.

Ella?

She turns.

When you attack the servers, you re not infecting the diamonds with a virus that ll kill Sylveria, are you? It s a question a criminal defense attorney should never ask. But she s my best friend.

Her delicate jaw hardens. No. I want to win this one in the courtroom. She winks. Besides, I ll only kill for you or Alana.

A chill skates down my spine because I know she s telling the truth. I take a deep breath. Ditto. So am I. Perhaps I can understand the family structure of the mafia.

She quietly exits, and I return to drafting a document for a sale of a car dealership that I ve been ignoring for too long. The parties are both currently in the Bahamas, but they ll return soon.

After a couple of hours. I m done.

I ve had it with waiting for Alexei, and I m just about to leave my office when Lillian Sokolov appears in my doorway.

My paralegal rushes up the hallway. I m sorry. I didn t see anybody come in.

That s okay. It s after seven, Eloise. Go ahead and go home. I cock my head and stare at Alexei s stepmother. What, no kidnapping today?

Her smile doesn t reach her sad eyes. She s dressed in a too tight but lovely pink Chanel suit with Manolo Blahniks and enough diamonds to choke a horse. Her hair looks limp today. I said I was sorry about that. I really am, but it was kind of fun to be the bad guy.

That s surprisingly understandable to me. You didn t need to get so pretty on my account. I push an unopened stack of bills away. I don t get paid until Friday.

Lillian takes a seat across from me. I want to avoid another trial for Alexei if possible, she says, crossing her legs. Tell him if he pleads guilty and serves ten years, I ll turn Hologrid Hub over to him when he s out.

I don t believe you. Has Hendrix sent her here with this silly offer?

She blinks. I m telling the truth. I m unable to charge the amethyst crystals strong enough for our servers. And sweet Hendrix? He works hard, and we re keeping running, but he s not going to get any better.

I steel myself against her pleading look. You mean while Alexei is alive.

Maybe, maybe not. She shakes her head. There s no guarantee that the death of either of them will lead to more strength for the remaining one. It may work, it may not. But it s not worth it. She sets her bag down on the floor and leans back. Do we have a deal?

I m sure we do not, I say. There s no way Alexei is returning to prison. If you want to reach an agreement with him about the company, why don t you just do it above board? If Hendrix isn t charging the crystal strongly enough, I m sure Alexei would love to get involved again.

She tsks her tongue. Alexei is dangerous and will kill both my son and me if he remains on the outside. It s who he is. Be a smart girl and at least see that much.

I do know that he can kill, but I don t think he would just murder them for power and money, although the crystals might be another draw.

I ve seen the craving in his eyes when he s talked about them, though I ve pretended I haven t.

I m well aware of how badly Alana needs to charge the aquamarines, even though she seems to be turning some of that over to her cousin.

I can t help but wonder if she s able to charge garnets with Thorn, but that s a question for another day.

Lillian takes a deep breath. I ve made a good offer. Don t make me testify against him again. That was grueling the first time.

This is an insane offer, I mutter. No way will he agree to return to prison.

Her chin lifts. He killed David Fairfax, Rosalie. The evidence convicted him, and nobody bribed the judge or prosecuting attorney. Not for Alexei s case, anyway. He s handsome, but the jury will see the killer lurking beneath the surface.

I need to read over her testimony again. It had been disastrous the first time.

Please talk him into taking Hendrix s deal. She stands, grasps her purse, and plunks it on my desk. It s not right, but Hendrix is buying the loan for your home.

The mortgage I took out? I ask.

Yes.

What a jerk. That s fine, but I m almost current with payments. So he can own a loan all he wants, but I will pay and keep my home. How am I going to get caught up?

She winces. I m sorry, but Hendrix believes there are a couple of acceleration clauses in the original contract.

That s true. I had really needed the money, and I hadn t qualified for the best of loans. This could be considered blackmail or extortion, I say quietly. If you think I won t have Hendrix arrested and charged, you have not read me correctly.

She shakes her head. Just think of you and all those old men out on the street.

If I were you, I would convince Alexei to take the deal.

Ten years of his life, and then the company s his.

Which would give Hendrix a decade to raid all of the company funds and quite possibly put a hit out on Alexei in prison.

I don t know a lot about hits or how they work, but I m afraid Hendrix is capable of it.

Lillian grabs her purse, and it opens, spilling contents across my desk. Darn it, she says, reaching for two gold-plated lipsticks and a small pill bottle.

I read the label. You re on prenatal vitamins?

She shoves everything back into the bag and steps back, pushing her hair out of her face. Her very red with a hot-looking-blush face. That s really none of your business.

I think of the interaction between her and her attorney in court earlier. I guess I should say congratulations? I look at her. Are you sure?

I m only forty-five, she says, and she stops talking as if not quite sure what to say.

Wow. She truly does look older. Losing her son must be why.

Obviously she wants to keep the pregnancy a secret.

The baby isn t related to Alexei, so he or she won t have an affinity with the amethyst crystals that run in his blood.

Perhaps she really does want to be free of the company to start over somewhere else.

I ll extend your offer to Alexei, but I believe his answer will be no, I say. Sorry, Lillian.

Please try, Rosalie, she implores. Then she turns and bustles out of my office.

Man, I can t imagine what it was like for Alexei growing up with that family. I shudder and then grasp my purse and stride out the door, shutting off the light before heading to the elevator. I ll have to get a taxi home.

Rosalie. Hey. A mammoth of a man looks up from the waiting area and tosses a magazine onto the table. I look at the vacant reception area and then back at him, my heart rate rocketing. He holds up a hand. He s dressed in faded jeans and a black T-shirt.

I squint closer. Garik?

He smiles. Yes. Alexei has some business to take care of tonight, so I m on you.

I blink. You re on me?

Yes. I have a car. I ll take you wherever you want to go.

I find the high-handedness of Alexei irritating. That s all right. I can make my own way. I stride to the elevator and push the button. Unsurprisingly, Garik steps next to me and enters the elevator.

I don t need or want a ride home, nor do I need a bodyguard. I look up a good foot to his hard-cut face. His nose has been broken before, but it s still impressively straight with maybe a slight bump. Go away.

I don t think we have a choice in that, he says mildly. I have one job, and that s to make sure you get home safely. He shrugs. It s up to you how I accomplish this feat.

Fine. I am just too tired to deal with this. At least I had a nice meal with Ella earlier when I gave her the disc that she promised to decipher. Right now, I m unsure I want to help Alexei avoid another stint in prison. I m starting to think he deserves it.

Garik and I ride down the elevator to the street level, where he escorts me outside to a waiting black town car. A Mercedes. I look at him and then back at the vehicle. He shrugs. Alexei went shopping after his funds were released.

Apparently so. Garik opens the door for me, and I slip inside and sit on the buttery soft seat.

I have to admit the new car smell is relaxing.

Garik slides into the driver s seat and maneuvers the luxury vehicle through town, taking me to my pretty pink house.

He s out of and around the car in a heartbeat to open my door to help me out.

Thank you, I say.

He straightens, his gaze scanning the surrounding area. No problem. I ll be here all night unless Alexei gets back.

He s going to be gone all night?

Garik shrugs, no expression on his hard face. I don t know. But if he is gone, I m here. If you need anything, call me.

I glare. I don t need anything. I don t like the mystery, and I don t like caring where Alexei is.

That just angers me. I m not in the mood to deal with any of my boarders, and they surely had dinner without me, so I climb my private stairway up to my suite, open the door, and shut it before flicking on the light. I gasp.

Shoe boxes are perched everywhere around the small seating area.

I look around wildly. Nobody s here. I walk forward and tip open the top of a pair of Louboutins.

They re kitten heels—so cute like the ones I lost, except much nicer.

Trying not to smile, I toss open a couple other boxes.

All sorts of kitten heels in every color from every designer soon fill the room. I don t want to be delighted, but I am.

Laughing, I try on a pair. They fit perfectly. The shoe boxes lead into my bedroom, where there are more shoe boxes. These are more shoes than anybody could ever want.

I open the top of a feminine flowery pair made out of hand-sewn crystals and sigh. They re absolutely beautiful. Maybe I ve been wrong about Alexei. This is a sweet gift. Perhaps he is the right man to handle the mob. Plus, he did sketch my face. That s romantic, I m pretty sure.

Although, I do wonder what business is keeping him out all night.