45. Kat

Chapter 45

Kat

“You’ve completely lost your mind,” A.J.’s familiar voice snaps, dripping with astonishment.

I stifle a sigh, forcing my most reasonable tone. “If you’d just listen to me for a second instead of yelling at me?—”

“Why? What difference would that make?” she shouts, her voice practically vibrating through the phone. “There’s nothing you could say to make this less insane. You want to steal from the head of the freaking Italian mafia, Kat!”

“Will you please just hear me out?” I ask, exasperation seeping into my voice.

She’s not moved. I’m not even sure she hears me. I lost her the second I mentioned helping me figure out where the stronzo is keeping the Flame of Mir.

“Snooping around this man’s business is what got us into this mess in the first place!” A.J. hisses.

I feel compelled to correct her. “No. Getting caught snooping around his business got us into trouble. All we have to do is not get caught this time.”

“Oh, that’s it? Just don’t get caught? Wow, Kat, why didn’t I think of that? Brilliant plan.”

“Hey, you know what they say—faint heart never won fair lady. Luck favors the bold. And the prepared. Yada, yada, yada. Which is why I’ve come to you, my best and most resourceful friend. Because that’s what friends do—they help each other out. Like I helped you when the stronzo caught you, remember that, A.J.?”

My indignant tone barely fazes her. After a decade of friendship, I guess that’s to be expected.

“I am trying to help you,” she says dryly, “by talking some sense into you. You’ve made some questionable decisions in your time, Kat—but this? This takes the cake.”

“You don’t approve. I get it. Loud and clear. But I’m doing this anyway, A.J., with or without your help. So what’s it going to be? Do I figure this out on my own?”

“As if you’d have the faintest idea where to start,” she retorts. “It’s probably pointless, anyway. I strongly doubt the son of a bitch has been sitting on that diamond this whole time. It’s too hot, and you know it. No way it isn’t long gone by now.”

“Maybe,” I admit. “But maybe not. Before I called you, I reached out to every fence on the East Coast who could possibly pull off a job like this. No one’s heard a peep. Nada. I don’t see how the stronzo could’ve moved it without someone I know hearing about it.”

“He’s a freaking mob boss, Kat. One of the old-school ones. Do you really think he doesn’t have more contacts than you?”

“When it comes to most of his extracurriculars? Sure. Absolutely. But there’s no way someone could fence the largest red diamond in the world around here without it hitting my radar.”

She sighs heavily. “You don’t know that for sure. You can’t know what you don’t know.”

“Maybe. But there’s a chance I’m onto something here. Look, I’m not asking you to get yourself into more trouble. I just called to see if you think you can figure out where he stashed it without getting caught. If you don’t think you can, that’s fine—I don’t want you to do anything risky. Especially not when this nightmare is so close to ending. But you’re a freaking genius, A.J., so I thought I should ask. Just in case it’s something you can easily pull off.”

“You’re talking about this like it’s a simple errand. You’re asking me to spy on one of the heads of the Seven Families. A man who’s already had his eye on me for a while. It’s a bit more complicated than picking up your dry cleaning.”

“I know. And there’ll be no hard feelings if you tell me you can’t do it. I mean it, A.J. Cross my heart and hope to die.”

Silence stretches on the other end of the line long enough that I wonder if the call dropped. Then, finally, she sighs.

“I’m not making you any promises, understand me? Let’s make that very clear,” she says, her voice low and cautious.

“Got it. No promises.”

“I’ll see what I can find out. Again, no guarantees. But I don’t want to have to save your ass if you decide to do this alone, so I’ll try to get you some intel. But no promises, Kat.”

“Of course not. And thank you. I owe you big time.”

“Yes, but I owe you, too. So don’t get killed over a freaking rock, and we’ll be even, okay?”

I laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “After all these years, who’s keeping track, A.J.? Not me.”

She chuckles, though it’s halfhearted. “Fair enough. Stay out of trouble. I’ll call you when I have an update.”

After setting my phone down, I leave our bedroom to find Nik. Unsurprisingly, he’s in his office. He’s on the phone, pacing behind his desk, fingers raking through his hair like he’s ready to pull it out, muttering rapid, clipped Russian.

Leaning against the doorframe, I sigh softly, and his head snaps up. His dark brown eyes lock on me, and just like that, everything about him changes. The tension in his shoulders eases, and his pacing stops.

I smile, and he quietly mutters something into the phone before hanging up, his gaze never leaving mine. In seconds, he’s crossing the room, pulling me into his arms, and crushing his mouth to mine.

His kiss is frantic, hungry, like he’s trying to drown whatever’s eating at him. The usual cool, controlled mask he wears so effortlessly is nowhere to be found. Just as fast as it started, it ends. He rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed, his breathing uneven.

Tough day?” I murmur, rising on my toes to brush my lips along his jaw and up to his temple.

“You have no idea,” he mutters, his voice low and rough.

“I told you this morning getting out of bed was a bad idea.”

He lets out a soft laugh, opening his eyes to look at me. “You did. And you were right.”

“I usually am,” I tease, my lips curving into a grin. “A lesson you’d do well to learn, kotyonok .”

“I’d be an idiot not to,” he says, a smile tugging at his lips. “Even as it kills me to deprive you of the satisfaction of rubbing it in every change you get.” He pulls back slightly, his hands sliding down to my waist. “But enough about me. What brings you here?”

I shrug, my fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. “I just missed you.”

He groans against the top of my head, his arms pulling me closer. “ Kiska … you’re going to be the death of me.”

I laugh softly, though the words make my chest tighten. “Not likely. But your line of work just might. What’s going on today?”

He raises an eyebrow, his lips twitching in the beginnings of a smirk. “Believe it or not, my life isn’t usually this exciting. Most days, the biggest danger I face is dying of boredom. Then you come along, and suddenly I don’t have a moment’s peace.”

“And you love every second of it. Don’t even try to deny it,” I quip, brushing my lips against his neck. He chuckles, and I nip his earlobe, making him hum low in his throat. “For the record, I’m not buying it. I can’t be that exciting—or dangerous—to the pakhan of the freaking bratva . Now quit stalling. Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or do I have to drag it out of you?”

His eyes darken, his hands sliding to my hips to pull me against him. “I’d love to see you try.” The hardness against my stomach makes his meaning crystal clear.

I try to hold my poker face, but his teasing is almost too much. “Stop trying to distract me. Just talk.”

His sigh comes slow and heavy, the corner of his mouth twitching like he’s still holding back a grin. “It’s nothing you need to worry about. I’ve got it handled. It’s just… frustrating. McGuire’s gone to ground. No one seems to know where he’s hiding. We’ve checked everywhere—every damn place connected to him—and still nothing.” His words come out clipped, and I can feel the tension in him.

The tension in his voice makes my stomach churn, but I try to sound steady. “Well,” I say, running my fingers along his shoulder, “it’s only a matter of time. He can’t hide from you forever.”

“You’d think,” he mutters, the bitterness sharp in his voice. “But sitting here, knowing he’s out there somewhere, is enough to drive me insane.”

I want to beg him to let it go. But I know better. So instead, I run my hand up his chest and press a kiss to his jaw, willing the knot of worry in my chest to loosen. “You’ll figure it out.”

He clenches his jaw, his voice tight. “The man killed my best friend and tried to take you from me. There aren’t words to describe how much I want to get my hands on him and end this nightmare.”

I rise on my toes and kiss him softly. “You will, Nik. But you’ve got to take care of yourself in the meantime. If you don’t manage your stress, you’re going to burn out—or worse. I don’t want to see you making yourself sick over this.”

He scoffs, rolling his eyes. “I appreciate the concern, but I’m fine.”

I arch a brow, not letting him off the hook. “Sure. And being on the edge of a full-blown tantrum every day is totally healthy. That temper of yours can’t be good for you. And let’s face it—you’re not exactly a spring chicken.”

His scowl is instant, and his outrage is almost comical. “A tantrum? Really? I’ve never thrown a tantrum in my life. And for the record, I’m in my thirties, not my eighties.”

I smile sweetly, keeping my tone calm. “Whatever you say, baby. But my point still stands. You need to be at your best when McGuire shows his face. That means taking it easy now. I know you’re trying to do right by me and Maxim—and I love that about you. But I want to see you well, and I know Maxim would’ve wanted the same.”

I expect him to argue or crack another joke, but instead, his face falls. His brows draw together, and he lets out a heavy sigh. With a kiss to the top of my head, he untangles himself from me and walks toward the windows behind his desk.

For the first time, the heavy drapes are pulled back, letting sunlight spill into the room. He shoves his hands into his jeans pockets and stares blankly at the view, his posture rigid.

I watch him, confused by his reaction. “Nik?” I ask carefully, stepping closer.

He doesn’t turn. “I wish I could say I believe that.”

“Believe what?” I press, my voice soft.

“That Maxim would want me to be well.” His words are quiet, but the bitterness in them is impossible to miss.

My stomach twists. I close the distance between us, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Why would you say something like that? You don’t mean it.”

He exhales heavily, like the weight of it all is pressing down on him. “I knew Maxim better than anyone, Kat. After everything I put him through... I’m not so sure he would’ve wanted me to be okay. I never got to make things right with him. McGuire made sure of that.”

“You loved him, Nik. And he knew that. You made mistakes, sure, but who hasn’t? He was your best friend. Of course he’d want you to be happy.”

He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. His gaze stays fixed on the skyline as his voice drops. “There’s a lot you don’t know.”