Part 38 (2/2)

My heart sped up at what could have been a compliment or a challenge. We were still in the city. The limo took turns, but the buildings around us were brightly lit and people walked the rainy sidewalks. We were safe enough, for now.

”So this isnt just an idea, youve been planning? Do you have a place in mind already?” Gage asked, his fingers tightening on my leg slightly.

The small touch was rea.s.suring. I knew our plan; go along with everything until we could put our own plan in place. After Dexter was paid off. After this last s.h.i.+pment. Next weekend, we would be out.

”I have a few choices. You can have the final say. I did promise you your own club, didnt I? This is your chance, just not in this city.”

”Whats the timeline?” Gage leaned back in his seat, relaxed in the conversation.

”As soon as we can manage. The sooner the better. We need to recoup our losses from the bust and the girls.” His eyes went from dark to black pools as he leaned towards Gage. ”I know you have an arrangement with the Rusnaks right now, so itll have to be after that.” He tilted his head, hissing in a breath and snapping his fingers like an idea just struck him. ”I need to discuss that with you further.” He pressed a call b.u.t.ton on the panel at his side. ”Sid, pull off at the deli on the corner.”

The car immediately began to slow and pulled off to a curb.

Viktor turned back to Gage, continuing, ”The girls can go in and get food, I need to talk to you. Itll only be a minute.”

”Katya, order me the vareniki.” He held her hand, helping her to climb to the limo door that was now held open by the driver.

She said something to him I didnt understand, and then took her time stepping out of the car.

I gripped Gages hand, not wanting to go anywhere, not wanting to leave him alone in the car with Viktor.

”Well only be a minute.” Gage lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. ”Go on in.”

I didnt want to go against Gage in front of Viktor, but I resisted rising, even as he lifted my hand to help me out. I looked directly at Viktor. ”Your driver is coming in with us.”

He narrowed his eyes like my words confused him but then waved his hand. ”Fine. He likes this place.” He raised his voice so he could be heard out of the car. ”Get some food for yourself, Sid.”

I figured as long as they stayed parked here, nothing too bad could happen.

We hurried into the deli, escaping the stinging rain. The inside was bigger than expected and warmer too. The gla.s.s windows in the front gave me a good view of the dark limo, silent and still at the curb. I sat at a table against the gla.s.s, not bothering to even pretend to be interested in the food.

Cherry placed her order and sat on the opposite side of the table from me with that red devil smirk I hated. ”So you needed a chaperone to come into the deli with me?”

”It has nothing to do with you.” I flicked my eyes to her but kept my voice flat. ”Youre nothing. I dont think about you.” I looked out the window, dismissing her.

She leaned back in her chair with a laugh. ”Youre the only one that thinks that. Look at who was invited tonight and who wasnt.”

”But were both here now, not in that car.” I dont know why I even continued the conversation.

”For now. But are you trying to earn a place?” She leaned forward on the table. ”Should I expect you to take up an actual role, besides just being Gages shadow?” She lifted her hand, stopping me from responding. ”Im only curious if were going to have to learn to get along. We work on the same team, same goals. And Im not one to let personal s.h.i.+t interfere with business.”

”Keep it all business, and therell be no personal s.h.i.+t to interfere,” I replied and she nodded.

Sid approached, dragging a plastic chair across the linoleum floor and sat at the end of our table. He grunted a greeting and unwrapped a pickle from tinfoil.

I turned back to the window. Still nothing from the limo.

The woman behind the counter called out Katya and Sids food order, and they went to retrieve it. Sid turned to me with his bag in his hand and nodded to the door, we could go back out.

Gage looked and sounded fine when I got back in the limo. Their conversation returned to Miami and on who Gage should contact to arrange looking at places. Within a couple of turns we were back to where we had parked our SUV, and we got out.

It took all my energy to wait till we were back at our place, but I wanted Gage to give me his full attention before I asked, ”What did he say?”

He was peeling off his jacket and tie, rolling his neck like a weight had been lifted. ”Hes concerned about Anatoli and his plans. Seems theyre not communicating well. He wanted information about this weeks s.h.i.+pment.”

I sat on the edge of the bed and undid the straps to my heels. Gage had told me to dress up to meet Viktor since we werent sure on the location. ”Did you tell him?”

Gage removed his guns and holsters, laying them on the bedside table, and then he paused from undressing to face me. ”No. I mostly told him what he already knew, with a few extra details he cant do much with.” He ran his hand over his head and down the back of his neck, lines forming on his forehead. ”I dont trust Anatoli, but I trust Viktor even less, especially after what Anthony said today.”

We had wanted to tell the FBI, but even if Viktor was part of it, he wasnt one of the good ones. He had his own motives.

I sighed; brain swirling through the fog we were stuck in. Nothing was clear and it was hard to see which way to go. But I let the relief of being home drop over me. We had gotten through today. One day down, only six more to go. I hiked the edge of my skirt to remove the gun strapped to my thigh, adding it to the ones on our nightstand.

”I need to talk with Anatoli about this.”

”About what?” I questioned, surprised.

”What he thinks about Viktor being so curious. Viktor knows how this goes. In these operations, no one is given all the information; it works in cells to protect the whole. But he wanted in, it could be nothing, but,” Gage shrugged, ”Ive got to tell Anatoli. I dont want to take chances on s.h.i.+t going bad with this, not when were so close, and Dexters going to be here.”

We were meeting at the docks, not with Rusnak but with Viktor. He wanted to talk about the s.h.i.+pments with Gage, something about arranging a new connection. Rusnak had told Gage to meet with him, and see what he might be able to arrange.

”You stay here, all right?” Gage put the SUV in park off to the side of the Marina, but a dock was in front of us. ”Thats Viktors boat there. But he wont talk with you there, not yet. You stay here and call me if you see anything. Ill text if anything goes bad. Okay?”

”Ill keep a look out.” I ran a finger over the gun at my hip. Maybe we were paranoid. It had been two days, and wed heard nothing about Anthonys body being found. Maybe we really were in the clear for that. ”Be safe, all right?”

It hurt my muscles to let him walk away. I reached for him as he opened the door, but he was already turning back to me, kissing me like it was our first, or last.

Movement from the dock made us pull apart, Viktor was walking down the pier from his yacht.

”Ill be back soon.” He pressed his lips to mine one last time and walked away without turning back.

I sat in the car, nerves vibrating in me, eyes scanning around the dark, ears straining to hear anything beyond the choppy waters splash against the boats. When I saw them, I immediately pulled out my phone to text Gage.

Two men I didnt waste time trying to type in more. They had appeared from another boat and were making their way down the dock now, towards Viktors boat instead of to land. I slid out of the car, silent, easing the door closed so as not to be heard. But I was so far away, they wouldnt have heard anyways.

Their backs were to me, and in hats and big jackets, under the cover of a night sky, I couldnt make out who they could be.

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