by Kenya Wright
This had been the first woman I’d ever seen him travel with.
He’d taken the ballerina out on a date once, which was the last lover I’d knew of. He’d bought her a place to stay, but they hadn’t gone out to eat or rode anywhere in his limo. From time to time, he’d come to St. Petersburg, fuck her for a few days, get some business done in the office he had in her place, and then leave.
The next location, he would have another woman in his bed—a whore, a model fresh off the runaway, or some women he bought a drink for in a restaurant.
Nothing ever made me think that he was the type of man to get emotionally attached to anything, besides power and money.
Would he have gotten the rocket launcher for the ballerina?
Or, maybe, he’s this possessive of all his women. I couldn’t guess with this situation. So far, he appeared to be quite upset that we’d taken her. But, was it due to the disrespect of it all? The Lion did have a god complex.
“Kings still walk in Paris? Interesting.” Kazimir prowled over to me. “Impressive, but I’m more a fan of gods.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Because I know how gods feel.”
Or was it that she meant as much to him, as Eden meant to me?
I wondered if Kazimir still felt like a god now. I’d surely had my ego crushed and exploded to oblivion upon Eden’s kidnapping. With all the power, money, and men at my disposal, I couldn’t keep her safe and close to me.
The elevator shook again.
I looked at his lover. “What’s your name?”
She didn’t look excited to say it. “Emily.”
“Where are you from?”
“New York.”
“When did you meet Kazimir?”
“Not too long ago.”
It was a good answer. One I would’ve given. She was forthcoming, but not informative. Responding, but not truly clarifying.
I sighed and went back to Emily. “I’m not in the business of stealing women. This will go short, as long as Kazimir helps me find her.”
The elevator shook again.
Fuck.
The clock was ticking.
We’ll find her. She’ll be okay.
If Eden was dead, I would destroy the world.
Kazimir’s lover, Emily scanned the elevator and glanced up as the light flickered again. “If you don’t mind me asking. . .who do you think took her?”
“The Bratva had something to do with it.”
The next time the elevator shook, we all stumbled.
I almost fell into her.
She grabbed the wall, probably to keep balance. Sweat beaded around her forehead. “Do you have a name of the person who may have her?”
“The Devil. Misha should know more.”
“Why are you telling her this again?” Rafael growled. “We already kidnapped her.”
“She could help.”
At this point, I would do anything. I’d thought Rafael got that message from me fucking with Kazimir.
The elevator stopped at the lobby. Screams and shrieks came from the other side. We all got our guns ready. Emily jumped behind me.
The doors opened.
Holy shit! Poor Butterfly. I didn’t think you would make it this evening.
Men ran from different directions. Flames snaked up the right side of the building close to that stairs’ entrance.
“Let’s go.”
As I dragged her, Emily frantically scanned the space. “I…I could help.”
I pulled her along. “Talk.”
“My brother is with, Misha. I could call him and get the message to Misha.”
That was the best option I’d heard all night.
Rafael eyed her. “Why is your brother with Misha?”
“He decided to stay in St. Petersburg for a while.”
We hurried outside.
The sun had come up. The streets were filled with onlookers, cops, soldiers, and guest screaming. Flames and smoke swirled around The Satin Butterfly. High above a helicopter sounded.
I raised my eye view but couldn’t see it.
I thought about what Emily had said. Her offer could’ve been a tactic or an actual offer for help. Either way, I couldn’t give her the phone or carry on the conversation, due to Kazimir spreading terror through the entire hotel. All the guests ran for their lives. The lights flickered off and on as we pushed and shoved through screaming men and women. Many half-naked. Some holding their kids and rushing away.
Emily shook my arm. “Call them off.”
Military guards had been marching toward the hotel.
“I’ll help,” she begged. “I’ll do anything to get her back for you, just make sure they don’t hurt Kazimir. Let him go.”
Let him go? You’re the one that’s taken.
Fear filled her eyes as she watched the chaos all around us.
They’re both in love.
More guilt hit me. But I comforted myself, with the fact that this move would get Eden back to me.
And I hadn’t started this, but I would finish it.
We got to the limo.
Louis’s voice came back in my ear. “Jean-Pierre? Jean-Pierre?”
“Yes. I’m fine.”
“You’re out?” Louis asked.
“Yeah. We’re a block away in the limo, heading to Shalimar’s.”
Rafael chimed in, “Tell him the restaurant, not the woman.”
I scrunched my face in confusion. “What? We’re going to the woman not the restaurant.”
“Giorgio wants a steak-frites—”
“Eden is gone. I don’t give a fuck what Giorgio wants—”
“When’s the last time you ate?” Rafael asked.
“I’m not hungry—”
“I’m overriding you. Let’s get some food and regroup.”
“We don’t need to regroup.”
Rage blazed in his eyes as his voice rose. “We do, because we fucking kidnapped the Lion’s chick!”
My heart boomed in my ears.
I did do that. Okay. Fine.
I returned to my earbud. “Louis, we’ll meet at the restaurant. Giorgio’s hungry and Rafael wants to. . .regroup.”
“Good,” Louis said. “After that shit, I think we all need a minute to breathe.”
You both win for now. But we won’t break for too long. The clock is ticking.
“By the way,” Louis continued, “The Bratva sectors residing in the East of Paris, are up and about.”
“I figured Kazimir would wake all his people out here.”
“I have men on them. You want me to kill them?”
“No. Don’t kill his men. They could help find Eden. Do you have an eye on Kazimir?”
Emily turned to me and widened her eyes.
Louis spoke, “Kazimir is in his helicopter. It was parked on the hotel’s roof. It’s moving south.”
“I thought we killed the guards.”
“Titi didn’t kill the pilot. He just tied him up.”
“Fine.”
The first job of last night had been to put a tracker on his helicopter. We’d done that before taking out his men. While I hadn’t planned on kidnapping his lover, I had wanted to monitor his moves just in case he had a direct hand in kidnapping Eden.
“See you at Shalimar’s.” Louis’s connection ended.
Getting this food better not take too long.
We could’ve sent anybody to do it, but that wasn’t our way. When one of us was shot, we personally came through to see them and brought food. Nothing was supposed to be over taking care of us.
I gazed out of the window.
The sun hovered over Paris.
Did you see the sun rise this morning, Eden? Has the Devil treated you humanely? Has he at least. . .
My heart crushed, but I couldn’t show it. I had to remain ready to kill and nothing more. A mask of violence. I’d already made several mistakes and knew I would make more.
The whole time Kazimir’s lover s
tudied me.
How long would the Devil keep Eden alive? How long would he wait before he tried to do to her face, what I’d done to him?
I took out my phone and tossed it to Emily. “Call your brother.”
She picked up the phone with shaking hands, turned it on, dialed, and waited. After a few seconds, she spoke. Her whole expression shifted from a scared woman to all business.
“Maxwell are you with Misha?” she asked. “What? Strip club? Go outside. Yes! I’m serious!”
His name is Maxwell. Where have I heard that name before?
I scanned my brain and thought of one of the conversations I’d had with Giorgio.
Giorgio closed the file of dead FBI agents. “We’ve got a name for the black man with Misha.”
“Please say it’s mouse.”
“No. His name is Maxwell. A small-time hustler from Harlem. Nowhere on Misha’s level.”
“He’s from New York?”
“Yes.”
At least things were starting to make more sense. Finally, I was getting some answers. Maxwell could still be the Mouse, not that all of that mattered in the moment. First, I needed to get Eden back. Later, I’d have to discover the Mouse’s identity. After kidnapping Kazimir’s lover, he would come after us.
It was best to know everything about my enemy from here on out. When Sasha was killed, everyone talked of Kazimir’s new associate. They called the man, the Mouse. If they’d taken down Sasha, they would come after me.
Rafael leaned my way. “What if she’s calling someone to have us tracked?”
“It doesn’t matter, if Kazimir knows where she is or not. He won’t get her back until I say so.”
Her bottom lip quivered and then she spoke, “Yes. I can hear you now. No. Good. Listen. The Corsican kidnapped me—”
“Get to Eden,” I growled.”
“I…I need you to get Misha to locate Eden. His people might’ve kidnapped her. What? No. She’s not somebody’s grandmother. It isn’t.” She looked back at me. “Maxwell, it’s not someone’s grandmother. Okay. I’ll ask.” She looked at me. “Is Eden, the name of Ava’s grandmother?”
I growled. “Who the hell is Ava? Eden is no one’s grandmother.”
“I’m sorry. He’s drunk.” She went back to the phone. “It’s not Ava’s grandmother. We’re talking about Eden. Yes. Yes. I guess. Then, Misha kidnapped someone else. Did you happen to hear the part about the Corsican kidnapping me?! Yes. Eden!”
Calming herself down, she turned back to me. “Maxwell needs a picture.”
“I’ll send one.” I took the phone and spoke into it, “Make sure Misha contacts me. And hurry up, Maxwell.”
I hung up the phone and studied her. “Why is your brother working with Misha?”
“He’s not working for Misha. He’s only hanging out in St. Petersburg.”
Rafael tilted his head to the side. “Are they lovers?”
“What?” Emily quirked her eyebrows. “No.”
“How did your brother and you get involved with Kazimir?”
“It was due to my other brother, Daryl.”
Rafael leaned back in his seat. “Is Daryl the Mouse?”
She tapped her leg. “No.”
“Where is your Daryl?” I asked.
“He’s dead.” She didn’t flinch or appear sad.
I raised my eyebrows. “Who killed him?”
“Misha.”
Rafael chimed in. “You’re okay with that?”
“Life happens.”
There was more to the story. Once again, she complied, but on her own terms. The answers were never enough, just a little sip to the whole drink. She must’ve annoyed the shit out of Kazimir upon first meeting. He seemed like a man that required answers.
I sighed. “Is Maxwell the Mouse?”
She widened her eyes. “No.”
“Who is it?”
“I don’t think that’s important.”
“I say what is important.”
She changed the topic. “Why did Misha’s men take Eden?”
“That’s the answer I would like to know.”
She shook her head. “How did they get her?”
“Tracked her.”
“With what?”
My phone rang. I answered. A deep voice came on the phone. “This is Maxwell. Who’s this?”
“Do you have Eden’s location?”
Maxwell cleared his throat. “No, but we’re contacting the men that may have her. We’ll have a location soon. Where is Emily—”
“Call me when you have a location.” I hung up.
Silence filled the limo.
“Nothing will be the same after this.” Rafael let out a long breath and closed his eyes. “Not France or Russia.”
If I get Eden back, it’ll be worth whatever comes.
Chapter 17
Food for Thought
Rafael
I can’t believe we kidnaped the Lion’s lover. Jean-Pierre has really lost it now.
We made it to my restaurant Shalimar’s minutes later, while Louis’s men monitored the Lion on the other side of Paris.
Kazimir better not bring his rocket launcher over here.
“We have to get in and out.” Jean-Pierre grabbed Emily’s arm and helped her out the car. “Do you have to go to the bathroom?”
“Yes.” She was a small, mousy thing. Looking more like a little girl, since she was only wearing a bed sheet and Jean-Pierre’s jacket. Earlier, I’d been surprised she’d had Jean-Pierre tangoing in the hallway.
She had some decent fighting skills. Can definitely grapple her way out of a hold. Or maybe, Jean-Pierre is so gone, he’s off his game.
The restaurant was closed. I’d woken up the chef, telling her Giorgio had been injured. Without my saying anything else, she knew Giorgio would want her to make a steak frites.
Has he woken her up for food before?
I could totally see Giorgio doing it. While he enjoyed catering to Jean-Pierre, Giorgio expected everyone else to serve him.
Giorgio is definitely trying to fuck my chef. You’re lucky I’m busy, or I would have fun blocking your scheming.
I’d never met her, but after listening to her on the phone, I’d wished I had. She had a sing-song voice. I bet she could carry a tune. I bet her moans sounded amazing.
Stop thinking of that. There’s no time. Jean-Pierre started another war.
We all walked in together.
Emily’s bed sheet dragged behind her.
If Giorgio was here, she would’ve had on clothes. Somehow in the middle of the gun fight, he would’ve found a way to get a perfectly matching outfit to her as we ran.
“So, let’s relax and enjoy ourselves,” I said to cut the silence around us.
Jean-Pierre frowned. “We’re in and out.”
Can you just take the intensity down a notch?
I turned to Emily, spread out my arms, and gestured at the walls. “Emily, I know that we’re only together for business, but what do you think of my palace?”
Hugging her stomach, she doubled over and vomited in the hallway, spilling sludge onto the koi fish tiles.
Everyone’s a critic.
I dropped my arms. “What’s wrong with her?”
Jean-Pierre got to her side. “I don’t know.”
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’m fine. Just rattled.”
Jean-Pierre studied her as one of my men rushed to get something to clean the mess. “Do you want some water?”
“Yes.” She wiped her mouth again. “But, can I get it, after I go to the bathroom.”
“Okay.” Jean-Pierre walked Emily back there. She carried the ends of her sheet, scanning the space, studying every detail like she was trying to find a way to escape.
If I was her, that’s what I would be doing.
Two men walked in front of Jean-Pierre and her. Three men followed in back. Another man rushed back with a towel and mop to clean the mess.
�
�What happened?” Louis stepped inside the restaurant and watched them clean up.
“Kazimir’s lover threw up.”
“This shit probably shook her up.”
I nodded.
Louis eyed me. “What do you think?”
“I think we’re fucked.”
“Kazimir won’t let this slide, even if he doesn’t care about her.”
“And if the Lion does?”
Louis pulled out a flask, took off the top, and took a chug. “Then, we’re super fucked.”
I took the flask and sipped that hard liquid. “Jesus, what is in this?”
“The stuff that make men.”
“That’s what it tastes like. Piss and blood.” I drank some more, happy for the fire on my tongue. “She’s helping, by the way.”
Louis quirked his eyebrows. “The lover?”
“Yes. She called her brother. He’s the one Giorgio identified as Maxwell.”
“That reminds me.” Louis ran his fingers through his hair. “Kazimir kept screaming a word the whole time. Mysh.”
“What does it mean?”
“Mouse.”
“Hmmm. So he kept screaming out mouse. Did anyone appear?”
“No. I doubt it’s a magic word.”
“Fuck you.” I walked off. “I know it’s not a magic word.”
“I think she might be the Mouse,” Louis said. “It was like he was calling her.”
“The lover?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head. “Don’t be fucking ridiculous. We don’t need Jean-Pierre, and you losing it.”
“I’m serious. And what are we doing here? We need to be on the move.” Louis headed with me. “Is the food ready?”
“We just arrived. And calm down. Jean-Pierre and you, need to calm the fuck down for one minute.”
“Time is of the essence.”
“I’m about to have a heart attack.”
Louis sighed. “Okay. I’ll relax. Is Gwen here at least?”
“She should be back there. She said she was leaving her place as soon as we got off the phone.”
“Hmmm.” Louis patted down his hair and straightened his jacket. “You’re right. I’ll relax and go back there. It’s fun to talk to Gwen.”
“What are you doing?”
“What?” He adjusted his jacket again. “Nothing.”
Maybe, I’m going crazy.
We rounded the corner and hit the kitchen.
Clearing his throat, Louis buttoned his jacket and straightened the sides.