12. Kristof

The driver waits patiently, tapping one hand against the steering wheel in time to the music as he awaits my payment. I approach slowly, and when I catch his eye through the windscreen, I smile brightly.

He smiles back politely, and the shining rim of his hat glints as it catches the light. As I approach the door, he rolls down the window.

"Everything alright with the lady?" he asks.

"Too much to drink," I reply. "You know how women get."

"Not my place to judge," he replies easily.

"How much longer can I hire you for?" I ask casually. "And how much would it cost me?"

"I'm free all night, and it's five hundred an hour," he replies. "So, as long as you need me."

"And you can take me anywhere?"

"Anywhere except out of state. You'd need a different limo for that unless you want to stop for gas every three hours." He chuckles.

"Excellent. I have a club I want to go, to if that's alright?" As I ask, I slide my hand into the back of my jeans and pull my handgun from the waistband.

"Sure." He leans over to the dash and brings up his GPS. "What's the address?"

Just as he turns back to look at me, fingers poised to enter the address, I lean into the car, press the silenced pistol to his chest, and fire two rounds into his heart. He barely has time to take a breath, and he dies swiftly, slumping forward over my hand until his forehead touches the steering wheel. I wait a few seconds to ensure he's not moving, then I straighten up and unscrew the silencer.

Pocketing it, I find my phone and dial the best person I know for getting rid of a body.

My sister, Nastja.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Can you take some trash out for me?"

"Sure, I'm not busy," she replies. "Where and when?"

I give her my address, requesting her services as soon as possible. She agrees and then hangs up.

Gun secure, I reach into the car and use the driver's own limp hand to start up the car. From there, it's easy to slowly wheel the limo down the slope and into my open garage with only a slight scrape to the paintwork. One of the perks of living so far away from the city is that no one will come looking for me anytime soon, so I have time.

Car secure, I turn my attention to the driver. Pushing him back in the seat, his skin is still warm to the touch as I check his pulse to confirm the kill. Then I hit the switch to close the garage and my clean-up begins.

With practiced ease, I spread out a large square of tarp and drag the driver's body onto it. Checking his pockets, I take his wallet, keys, and phone to delete my messages to him. Facial recognition is easy to pass with him at my feet, and a quick search of his texts tells me there's no one who's going to be chasing up his disappearance anytime soon. It would be sad if I gave a shit.

Leaving his wallet and phone in the car"s glove box, I'm halfway through wrapping the body up in tarp when the garage door whirrs into life and my sister, Nastja, strides in with her needlepoint heels clacking against the stone.

"Do I want to know?" she asks, coming to a stop a foot away.

"No."

"Ivan wanted me to tell you he got Katja back home safely. No one suspects a thing."

"Excellent." I pant slightly with exertion as the final flap wraps over the driver's head, sealing him away in a plastic coffin.

"Anyone suspicious?" I ask her.

"Everyone's on high alert. Last I saw, they were running through interrogation of security and checking the perimeter, but no, she's still missing. Mara was in bits when I saw her," Nastja explains.

Thinking of Mara showing any kind of emotion makes me groan. She's a seductive marble statue most times, and yet, I know her. She'll milk her distress over Alena's disappearance until it's no longer of use to her.

"She won't know loss until Aleksander kicks it," I remark, tightening duct tape over the driver's legs.

"You tell us not to question you, and I respect that, but this? This isn't a great idea."

I pause, tape in hand. "You don't want to use tarp?"

Nastja rolls her dark-lined eyes. "No, idiot. Kidnapping the boss's daughter? What are you thinking?"

I scoff with dry amusement and finish tying up the body, then I straighten up with a sigh.

"It's for the best. She's unhappy, I'm unhappy. I deserve this."

"Does she really deserve you?" Nastja lifts one brow, and her dark lips pull into a slight smirk. "Or does she not know it yet?"

"She will," I decide.

"As long as I do not have to attend a funeral because you were so desperate to get your dick wet," Nastja says, her slight disapproval clear.

"There's two paths here," I say, irritation rising. I know she is teasing, and usually, I allow it, but Alena is in there and I crave to be back in her presence. "Yes, I want Alena, and the opportunity arose so I took her. I fucking deserve her after all the shit we've been through. If tonight is any indication, then she wants me too."

"And you'd never let anyone else have her," Nastja points out.

I nod. "But it comes with the benefit of testing Aleksander. His power has been waning ever since I took out the Petrovs, and I don't want to be attached to a sinking ship. Not if there's a chance I can helm it."

"How do you work that out?"

"You know our laws. You know family tradition stands taller than all else. I make Alena mine. I'm married to the heir, and when she's ready, I'll slip her back into that family as Aleksander withers away."

"I know you. You won't let her go back."

"Maybe not," I admit. "Not until it was safe and she wanted to."

"And her wants matter?"

"To a point. Maybe she'll become so attached it won't even matter."

"And your other path?" Nastja asks softly, rolling her eyes slightly at my comment.

"I get a good fuck and end up with a bullet in my skull." A dark laugh pulls from me, and Nastja snorts her amusement.

The chances of that happening are slim, but I'm aware of every risk. I'd be a fool to think I'm safe. Alena is the most important diamond in the entire family, and while Aleksander and Mara may forget to love their daughter beyond swamping her with gifts, they care. They care because the power of her betrothal holds more power than the average paper contract, and Mikhail's family will likely be on the lookout too.

I need to keep her hidden.

"Well, you know Ivan and I are with you no matter what." She steps over the body, and her thin arms encircle my shoulder, dragging me into a familiar hug I rarely return. "Just be careful."

"I will." I press a chaste kiss to her cheek, and we break apart. "I need you to take care of him" —I kick the dead driver— "and the limo. Make sure if it's found, it can't lead back to us."

"What do you take me for?" Nastja says dryly, pulling a pair of black gloves from her pockets. "You call me, not Ivan."

"I also need you to swing by Gemini. Anything that shows me, Alena, or Katja, I need that gone. Check out the bouncer tonight, too. I don't think he's a risk, but I'm not taking any chances."

"Got it." Nastja finishes covering the driver's seat with the tarp and then leans on the door. "Watch my car for me?"

"Sure."

"Alright, I'll text you when I'm done."

"No. Call me. No trace."

"You really are paranoid. Got it." She waggles her fingers at me, then slides into the limo. I swiftly gather the driver's body and load it into the back of the limo, slamming the door and patting the roof. Nastja takes her cue and backs slowly out of the garage, and I watch her until the limo's lights disappear around the curve in the road.

He'll be fish food by morning.

After giving Nastja's car a once-over, I head back inside and make a beeline for the study. The sudden wariness in my heart melts away at seeing Alena exactly as I left her, still fast asleep and tied up. I linger for a few minutes until a creeping tiredness gets the better of me and I head upstairs. By the time I wash up and collapse into bed, I'm ready to fall asleep, but before I do, I set up my phone to watch Alena. Watching her soothes me, and as much as I ache to be near her, I can't be there when she wakes up.

A little fear will do her good.