2. Kat

2

"I still think we should give it a go," I say over my champagne flute.

Nik sighs wearily. "I thought we had an understanding," he says as he runs his fingers through his hair, making it my turn to sigh. His glossy, dark hair is my weakness. Although, at this point, maybe it's more accurate to say that his everything is my weakness.

"No. You did your best to lay down the law, and I acted like I agreed with you then, fully intending to make you see things my way once the right moment presented itself. This is the right moment," I say with a whisper, even though it's probably unnecessary. As the night goes on and the liquor is freely poured, McGuire's guests become rowdier and rowdier. Even the band our host has hired for the night is having a hard time competing with the crowd's noise.

"It's too risky."

"Oh, come on, Nik. What's the worst that could happen? Look at where we are." I wave my hand, gesturing to all the women and men surrounding us on McGuire's luxuriously built terrace. The warm night was too alluring, so the party moved outside.

"Make no mistake, Kat. This gathering won't stop McGuire from doing whatever he wants if we piss him off. It surely wouldn't stop me." Nik shrugs, sipping his drink.

"Come on. He won't think anything of it."

Nik scoffs, giving me a look that doesn't hide the fact that he doesn't share my beliefs.

"He really won't," I say. "He told me all about Erin when he gave me the tour of the house. Even if he spots me speaking to her—which is a big if considering the size of this crowd—I'm sure he'll assume I'm curious about the girl after hearing so much about her. Trust me."

Nik sighs again. "You're not going to drop this, are you?" he asks under his breath.

I give him my best smile. "Nope. See, you know me so well already, miliy." I rise on my toes to kiss his cheek.

To the man's credit, he does his best to look reprimanding, but I guess I know him pretty well by now, too—because I see through his menacing act in an instant.

"No need to sweet-talk me, Kat. You already got what you wanted," he says, but his right hand rests on the small of my back as I brush a kiss against his lips. "Go talk to Erin. But, for the love of God, be careful. We're outnumbered at least two dozen to one tonight."

"Your wish is my command."

Nik grips my wrist. "I'm serious. Don't tell her anything you wouldn't want McGuire to know."

"I won't. Don't worry, I've got this. I'll be right back."

Nik stares at me for a moment longer before letting me go.

I try to appear casual as I approach McGuire's daughter. Erin is leaning against the terrace's ornate balustrade, with her soft brown hair displayed over her back in long waves. She doesn't see me approach as she stares off into the distance.

"Hi there," I say in my most friendly tone as I lean against the railing beside her. "You're Erin, right? Your dad was just telling me all about you. I'm Kat Devereaux."

Erin McGuire stares at my outstretched hand, looking slightly startled and confused. After blinking her big, green eyes at me a couple of times, she takes my hand and shakes it. Her firm grip surprises me.

"Oh, hi," she says. "It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure's mine, I assure you," I reply with a smile. "Your dad mentioned you've been spending most of your time here since the renovation was completed. I must say, I'm jealous. You live in a beautiful home."

"Thank you. That's very kind of you to say." Erin's tone and expression are thoroughly polite, but it's clear her mind is elsewhere.

"Of course. I don't blame you for not wanting to go back to the city. I wouldn't want to spend my summer away from this place, either."

The aloof beauty nods absentmindedly before giving me a polite smile. "Yeah, I think I'll be here for a while. I can't go back yet." Almost as an afterthought, she sighs.

"No one would blame you for wanting to say. I'm sure there's so much to do around these parts in the summer. Obviously, your dad's into sailing, but what about you? What do you like to do for fun?"

"Fun?" she repeats with a frown, blinking. "I guess—I walk a lot. I mean, I take long walks by the water. Sometimes I swim, too."

"So you're the outdoorsy type, huh?" I smile. "Well, that sounds like a good time."

"You'd think." She shrugs. "I saw you earlier with Nikolai. Are you his date?"

"I think you could say that. Do you know Nik well?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. But we've known each other for a while. He's a good guy."

"I'm starting to think so, too," I reply, and she gives me a mystified look.

"Have you been together for long? I don't think I've ever seen him bring a date anywhere before." I file that interesting tidbit of information for later.

"No, not for long. To be honest with you, it's been a bit of a whirlwind affair."

"Oh." She frowns slightly, blinking at me again. Her eyes are a fascinating shade of pale green. "That's…a little unexpected, I think. That doesn't sound like him, but I guess you must be very special."

Erin McGuire has the good manners and social graces of a princess, but it's obvious she's a little out of practice when it comes to socializing.

I laugh. "I guess I must be. Thank you. I think."

With a shake of her head, she sighs. "I'm so sorry. That was indelicate of me. I didn't mean to—you must forgive me."

"Oh, no need to apologize. You didn't insult me or anything. Besides, you do have a point. It doesn't sound like him, does it? I guess I am special."

For the first time tonight, she smiles. It's the slightest, almost imperceptible twitch of her lips—but a smile, nonetheless. "Yeah. I think you are."

"Well, that's sweet of you to say, Erin. I'm sorry, but I have to ask—for someone who claims not to know Nik well, you seem to know a lot about what sounds like him or not. Anything I should worry about?"

"Oh, God. No. Not at all. I swear, it's not like that at all. It's complicated, I guess. I feel like I know him, but I don't. Not really. I just used to know somebody who did."

In the softest of tones, I ask, "Do you mean Maxim?"

Erin McGuire's eyes widen as she gasps. For some reason, I get the feeling that no one has dared to utter his name to her in a long, long time.

"Yeah, I mean him. He used to talk about Nikolai so much that I feel like I know him myself. But you see, we've only spoken a handful of times. I barely know the man. Obviously, you have nothing to worry about if the way he was acting around you earlier today is any indication. Maxim would've loved to see it."

Erin's smile turns sad as she turns away from me, staring off into the distance again.

"You miss him. Maxim, I mean."

After a moment of hesitation, she nods, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her voice cracks as she says, "Yeah, I do. I really do."

My heart breaks a little—this poor, poor girl. "Oh Erin, I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine what you must be going through."

Erin nods, her tears running down her face. I search my clutch purse for my pack of tissues and offer it to her.

"Thank you," she mumbles before clearing her throat.

"Don't mention it."

"You're the first person to say that to me. That you're sorry for my loss, I mean." She discreetly sobs, trying to conceal her tears from the other guests.

"What do you mean?" I ask her in disbelief. "What about your friends? Your family?"

"No one would dare say it. They won't even acknowledge that he's gone, let alone that I might be grieving his loss. It's taboo. Because of my dad and everything that happened back then."

I shake my head, horrified. "I can't believe this. You poor thing. You lost the man you loved, and no one has even offered you a shoulder to cry on."

"It's worse than that. We're barely allowed to say his name. It's almost like he never existed. Almost like his death isn't real."

I shake my head in sympathy. "Oh, Erin, I'm so sorry."

She nods, drying her tears. She does her best to compose herself before patting my hand on the railing. "Thank you for your kindness."

"Of course. You don't need to thank me for acting like a decent human being."

"No, I do. I really do. I'd also appreciate it if you didn't mention my outburst to anyone else. My dad can't hear about it."

"It'll stay between the two of us. But Erin, there's something you should know." I glance around us for anyone who might be eavesdropping before lowering my voice to a whisper. "Your dad might pretend Maxim never even existed, but his death is very real to Nik. I assure you, he hasn't forgotten about it. If there's anything you are aware of that he should know, don't be afraid to share it."

Erin's eyes widen, and Nik's warnings about the risks of approaching her spring to the forefront of my mind. After all, the girl is clearly under her father's thumb. Still, I can't believe this brokenhearted woman would betray the memory of her lover by harboring any secrets that might benefit his killer. Whatever sins Erin McGuire might be guilty of, she's still deeply in love with Maxim.

She opens her mouth to speak. Then, seeming to hesitate, she chews on her bottom lip. She glances around us before leaning closer to me. "I don't mean to offend you," she says so quietly that I can barely hear her. "You've been so incredibly kind to me tonight. But I don't really know you enough to know that I can trust you."

"I get that. But you know Nik. Or at least, you knew him through Maxim. I never knew Maxim, but if what I see in Nik is any indication, then the two of them shared an unbreakable bond—an undying one. If I know this after such a short period with Nik, then you must know it, too. So trust Nik. And know that I speak for him when I ask you to help us do right by Maxim."

Erin stares at me for a long moment before nodding. "I wouldn't dare tell you everything I know right now. Not here, where the walls have ears. But you should know—and Nik must know—that my dad was behaving strangely the day Maxim passed away. He even had his right-hand, Connor, brought to him out of nowhere. He sent Connor two states away a couple of nights before to handle some issue with a shipment. But he changed his mind that day and had Connor hurry back to attend the gala with him. I overheard them arguing on the phone."

"What else did you hear that day?"

"Not much." She shrugs. "Dad had me locked away here. He put a full regiment of guards in place and everything. There's one other thing, but I'm not sure we should discuss it here."

I want to moan with impatience and frustration, but I manage to ask, "When can you meet me? And where? Just tell me the time and the place."

Erin glances around again before saying, "Meet me by the front door at midnight. We'll go for a walk, and I'll tell you everything I know."

"I'll be there. Now smile, here comes your dad."

Startled, Erin looks over her shoulder, spotting her father a moment after me. Unfortunately for us, she's not half the actress I am, so I must overcompensate for her shortcomings. I'll have to do my best to distract the man from his daughter's contemplative mood by flirting with him.

"Should I be concerned that the two women who are always on my mind these days are now on talking terms?" McGuire asks, winking at me.

I give him my best fake laugh, and his smile deepens. Erin, however, doesn't even pretend to enjoy her father's attempt at humor. After excusing herself, she walks away.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Kat? Is there anything I can do to make your night better?" McGuire asks with a suggestive glint in his green eyes.

Once again, I laugh, faking my amusement at his flirtation. "Oh, Patrick, you'll get me in trouble."

"I'm game if you are," he says, too close to my ear. "Just lose the Russian, and we can have a good time."

I try to cover my discomfort at his closeness. "You make it sound so simple."

"It can be. What's stopping you?"

I force a sigh. "Well, Nik can be a handful. I wouldn't dare do anything to cause his anger."

"I can protect you, sweetheart."

"Can you? I just can't be sure. It's too much of a risk."

"No, no, darling. Tell me how to show you I can protect you from him."

"Well, there's one thing…" I say, eyes wide, doing my best to feign concern. For a moment, I worry that I'm laying it on too thick and that he'll see through my dramatic display. But his eyes glaze over, focusing on my lips, and I realize my hook is in place.

I take a deep breath, mentally calculating the best way to suggest to McGuire that having proof that he took Maxim's life would show me he's capable of taking on Nik.

Just as I'm about to reel the man in, a familiar, large hand wraps around my waist. A heartbeat later, I'm pulled back against a broad chest. I look up and see Nik's face, his dark brown eyes searching for mine.

"Hi there," I say, curious about the timing of his interruption.

"Hi. I've missed you."

I turn to fully face him so McGuire can't see my expression. I shoot him a look of disbelief. I can't understand what's going on inside his thick skull. Why would he interrupt us just now? I was so close…

Nik ignores my frustrated expression as he coldly addresses our host. "McGuire."

"Nikolai," the other man says with a smirk. "We were just talking about you."

"Were you now?" Nik asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Indeed. But if you'll excuse me, I see my guests are waving me over. I have a feeling I know what it's about. There's this card trick I know that they just love. You must let me show it to you later, Kat. We'll continue our conversation then." He grins at me.

"Sounds like a plan." I wink at him.

With a smirk, McGuire trots over to where a dozen drunk men cheerfully await him.

Nik doesn't waste a second before wrapping his hand around my wrist and dragging me away to a secluded, darkened corner by the railing. He forcefully turns me until I'm facing him. "What the hell was that?"

"I could ask you the same thing. What were you thinking? I was so close to getting him to tell me everything! We'd have a recording of his confession right now if you hadn't interrupted me."

Bemused, Nik glares at me for a moment before shaking his head. "McGuire wouldn't confess to Maxim's murder in the middle of a party. He sure as hell wouldn't do it when I'm within hearing distance."

"I'm not so sure about that, Nik. He flat-out told me to ditch you for him just now. Believe it or not, he even went as far as promising me he could protect me from you."

"He did what?" Nik shouts. He glances over my shoulder, his head swiveling from side to side, undoubtedly searching for McGuire.

"What are you doing?" I ask him through gritted teeth. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? How the fuck can you ask me that? It's one thing for him to flirt with you in front of me—that's just him trying to get a reaction out of me, and I can handle that. But openly trying to steal you from me? When I'm right fucking here? That's just too much, Kat. He's asking for it now. Let's see how well he can protect himself from me." Nik grabs me by the waist, trying to move me out of his way.

"Nik—" I say as loudly as I dare. The last thing we need is to attract any undue attention to us right now. "Have you lost your mind? You were just talking about how badly outnumbered we are. This is his home. Pick a fight with him, and you'll get yourself killed."

He smirks darkly. "I'll take him with me. It'll be worth it."

Horrified, I gasp. I grab his jacket's lapel and drag him back into the secluded dark corner with me, pulling his enormous body as hard as I can. I don't want prying ears or wandering eyes picking up what I'm about to tell him. Lucky for me, he doesn't resist me too much.

"How can you say something like that? What about me? What will happen to me if you get killed in a brawl with McGuire and his men?" I ask him, my voice breaking.

He finally seems to notice my dismay. Rapidly blinking, he frowns. "Milaya—" he says with a sigh, tenderly caressing my cheek. His eyes finally connect with mine. The crazed look in them slowly dissipates, melting into something much more tender. "No, no, milaya. Don't be upset. Please. I can't stand to see you upset. I didn't mean to make you sad."

"What did you think would happen when you announced you were going to throw yourself at them? All by yourself against dozens of men! What were you thinking?" I shake him by his jacket.

"I—I wasn't thinking," he says with a confused look on his face.

I scoff. "Well, we can agree on that. I just don't understand you sometimes."

Nik sighs wearily. "Since I've met you, I don't understand myself sometimes." He shrugs. "But is it really such a big surprise that I'm struggling to curb the impulse to kill him after everything he's put me through?"

"Well, no. But there's a reason you have restrained yourself so far. You don't want to start a war, remember?"

"Less and less by the minute."

"Nik," I say through gritted teeth, shaking him once more for good measure. "I can't believe you're risking everything you've worked for. Especially now when we're closer than ever to nailing McGuire. I haven't even told you what Erin said to me. That's how crazy you're acting."

"You think I'm crazy now? Wait until you see what I'll do if I have to tolerate another minute of him flirting with you or touching you."

"What about Maxim? What about your plan to make his killer pay? Have you forgotten about all that?"

That crazed look returns to Nik's beautiful eyes. "No, but maybe I've just had enough. Maybe I just want to watch everything burn, consequences be damned. If McGuire wants war, maybe I'll give it to him."

"You don't mean that," I whisper.

"You're sure about that?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. "Because I'm not."

"You wouldn't want all that death and chaos. You wouldn't do that to your men. You're their pakhan. They trust you to lead them."

"Well, maybe I'm tired of always being the pakhan. Maybe I want to be just a man for once."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Nik's eyes, still glittering with that wild look, burn and glow like molten lava. He leans closer to me until his forehead leans against mine. "As the pakhan, I have to think of others. I have to put their needs above mine. As a man, I could take what I want and need and tell the rest to go to hell."

Breathless, I ask, "What do you need and want so badly that you would risk a war for it?"

His eyes never leave mine, simmering with unrestrained emotion, as he says, "Right now, I need to take you away from this place and make you mine until there's no doubt to you or anyone else that you belong to me."

I stare at him, speechless.

Without another word, Nik kisses me.