by Rose, Bella
Luckily for Kazimir, he knew Dmitri personally. For Dmitri owed him a favor.
He wouldn’t call it a friendship. They certainly didn’t grow up together, and they didn’t socialize. They just happened to be at the same place at the same time, and Kazimir did the unthinkable.
He saved Dmitri’s life.
It wasn’t so much a calculated move as it was instinct. He hadn’t expected Dmitri to offer a favor down the road in repayment, nor had he wanted the man’s respect. He’d simply seen a man in danger and reacted.
After all these years, Kaz finally called him this morning. And today, he’d call in that favor. “Three years is a long time to hold a debt over someone’s head,” Dmitri drawled as Kaz approached. He didn’t offer his hand, and Kaz wasn’t offended.
“I wasn’t holding a debt over your head. I simply didn’t have need for your services,” Kaz said with a shrug. “And now I do.”
“Why do I get the feeling that I’m not going to like what you have to offer me?” Dmitri said as he crushed the cigarette butt on the side of the building and let it drop to the ground.
“You’re not obligated to take it. If you’re not careful, it could mean your life.” Kazimir wanted revenge, but he wouldn’t put another life on the line involuntarily. Fedor was a cruel man.
Dmitri’s eyes slid to the bag that Kazimir carried. “You look as though you’re going somewhere. Might as well spit it out.”
“I’ve been assigned to Moscow for a year. It’s fine except that I’m in the middle of an investigation. I need someone to help me with that investigation. To go where I cannot go.”
“If you’re looking for Nikolas’s killer, you can forget it,” Dmitri said flatly. “I don’t do investigations.”
Kaz took a deep breath. “I know Fedor ordered the hit. I need proof. It’s no secret that there’s no lost love between you and Fedor. Do this for me, and I will let you know where Fedor’s weaknesses lie. You can add the hit to your impressive resume.”
“You’re ordering a hit on Fedor Saiko for the murder of your friend?” Dmitri said slowly. “I must admit, that’s not what I was suspecting. Why do I feel like there’s more to it than that?”
“That’s all you need to know.”
“Oh, I don’t think so, old friend. For me to get proof, I’m going to have infiltrate the organization. I’m going to have to show my face, and I don’t like doing that. So you’ll tell me everything now, or I do nothing for you.”
Kaz glowered at him. The man sure did have a hard time understanding what calling in a favor entailed. “That’s not how this works, Dmitri. I have to know that I can trust you.”
Dmitry stared at him for a moment. “Fine. But you must show me your whole hand soon.”
Kazimir glanced at his watch. “Do we have a deal?”
“What makes you think I don’t already know where Saiko’s weaknesses lie?” Dmitry said as he struck another match.
“If you did, Fedor Saiko would be dead,” Kaz said without hesitation. He knew the rumors. Dmitri only got into this business because of his father’s death. And most believed that Dmitri’s father was killed by Fedor. His boss had never required Dmitri’s services, and most thought that was because Fedor believed that the assassin would be his end. And he had constant protection around him.
Dmitri considered him for a moment before shrugging. “It’s not like I have anything else to do lately. You have a deal, but it has a time limit. I won’t be doing this for a year. You have three months, and then we’re done. Do you understand?”
Kaz hesitated. He thought he would need more than a few months, but it was better than nothing. He nodded. “Three months. I’ll call when I’m settled.”
They didn’t say goodbyes. Kaz headed to the rental place and began to formulate a plan in his head. All they had to do was find the killer, and the money trail would lead right back to Fedor. And Kaz didn’t just want the man behind the gun. He wanted the man who ordered the hit.
He wanted to see Fedor Saiko’s bloody reign come to an end.
Chapter Two
Veronika looked at the online application and sighed. “It’s ridiculous, right? I’m twenty-three, and I’ve never had a job. No one is going to hire me.”
Charley popped her head from behind the refrigerator and laughed. “It’s a college campus. They’re used to hiring people who don’t have any experience. Why are you worried about getting a job anyway? You’ve paid me for the whole year. No one ever does that.”
“That was what I had saved up from my allowance. I’m not taking any more money from my father. I need to learn to live on my own. Besides, quite a few exhibits come through the Art Center. Even though I’ll just be the cashier in the gift shop, I can at least see the pieces.” Veronika shrugged and hit the submit button. “Here goes nothing.”
“Is that the only place you’re applying to?” Charley asked as she pulled down her cereal and mixed it with her milk. Veronika nearly laughed. The girl was eating Lucky Charms.
“Coffee shop, diner, and bookstore,” Veronika said as she counted with her fingers. “They’re the only places that have openings left. I guess I was a little too late getting my applications in.”
“That’s not a bad mixture though. I’m sure one of them will hire you. It’ll be good for you to stick to campus. They have strict rules about the number of hours a student can work.” There was a knock at the door, and Charley looked up. “It’s a little early for visitors. Are you already about to bombard my life with gentlemen callers?”
“Me? Why do you assume they’re here for me? As far as I know, no one is aware that I’m here.”
Charley slid off her seat and walked to the door. “As long as it’s not the hottie downstairs. I have dibs on him.”
Veronika heard the door open. “Whoa. Who are you?” Charley asked in a stunned voice. “Hey! Wait! You can’t just barge in here!”
At the sound of panic in Charley’s voice, Veronika was already grabbing the first thing she could find to use as a weapon. A bottle of vodka. She slipped behind the kitchen door and waited. As soon as the male figure passed her, she raised the bottle over her head and brought it down.
He whirled around and grabbed her arm before she could get him. As pain lanced through her arm, the bottle fell to the ground and shattered.
“Hello, Princess,” he murmured with a cheeky grin.
Her eyes widened when she recognized him. “What the hell are you doing here?” she snapped.
“Veronika! Are you okay?” Charley gasped from the hallway.
The man released her, and she rubbed her wrist. “I’m fine. And it’s okay, Charley. I know him.”
“You must not like him very much. You wasted a damn good bottle of vodka on him,” Charley grumbled as she grabbed the broom from the closet. “Does someone want to tell me what’s going on here?”
“Charley, this is Kazimir Nikonov. He works for my father, and he’s no doubt here to bully me into going home. Kaz, this is Charley Barns. She’s my roommate, and I’m not leaving.”
It had been four years since she’d seen Kaz, and he still took her breath away. With sculpted cheekbones, piercing blue eyes, and thick dark hair that begged to be touched, he was enough to turn on the hormones of women of all ages. There was a time that she thought he’d be her one and only. But she was just a teenager then. No one could pierce the coldness that surrounded Kaz’s heart.
As if he knew what was on her mind, he sent her a wicked grin. “You look good, Veronika. Like a woman.”
“I am a woman,” she snapped. “And far smarter. You can tell my father that he’s wasting his time. And your time. I’m not leaving.”
“Still as stubborn as ever. As it so happens, I’m not here to make you leave. It seems that you balked against your security detail.”
Coldness washed over her. There was no way that he was here to guard her, was he? Her father would never send Kaz for that. “No.”
“Oh, yes. Your littl
e tantrum has now cost me a year of my life. I hope your couch is comfortable, because I’m going to be sleeping on it.”
Veronika’s temper snapped. Kaz was having far too much fun with this. “First of all, I will not have you following me around for a year. And second of all, this isn’t my home. I’m renting it. And you’re not crashing here. So you can just go back home and tell my father that if he keeps this up, I’m never coming back,” she hissed.
“You’re not staying here,” Kaz said immediately. “This place has too many entrances and exits to guard. We’re moving you to a different place. We’ll start looking immediately.”
“But she’s already paid for the year,” Charley said hastily. “And seriously? No crime ever happens here.”
“You may keep the rent money for the inconvenience,” Kazimir said with a nod. “And if you’d like this place to stay safe, you should get her out of here as fast as possible.”
“Why? Is she someone important?” Charley asked as she crossed her arms. “Veronika, you said you were rich. Are you some diplomat’s daughter or something?”
“Far from it. And there’s no reason to believe that anything is going to happen to me. I’ve been on my own for four years now, and nothing happened.”
“How do you know?” Kaz countered. “You had good men watching over you. What makes you think they didn’t stop multiple attacks on your life?”
Charley and Veronika both paled. “You’re lying,” Veronika whispered.
“Did you really think you could run from your father’s protection without any consequences? Now pack your things. If you insist on going to school here, you’re going to do so by my rules,” Kaz said as he gripped her arm.
“Wait. Stop,” Charley said finally. Surprised, Veronika and Kaz both looked at her. “Veronika, I just met you. And I don’t really know how I feel about having someone potentially dangerous living in my home, but I like you. And I know that you’re looking to start a new life on your own. So if you want to stay, I’d be more than happy to have you. And if that means that your new bodyguard has to sleep on our couch, then I’m okay with that, too. But he has to pay a portion of the rent. And he has to use your bathroom. And he has to be quiet during study times.”
“Anything else?” Kaz asked dryly.
“Oh, I’m sure there are plenty of other things that I can think of, and if you’re not careful, I’ll make it worse for you,” Charley snapped.
Veronika nearly giggled. Her new roommate had absolutely no idea who she was arguing with. If she did, she’d probably keep her mouth shut. Although it didn’t look like Charley kept her mouth shut for much of anything.
“Tell me the truth,” Veronika demanded. “Did something happen?”
Kaz relaxed. “You don’t need to worry your pretty little head about it. That’s my job. But your father doesn’t want you staying here.”
“And you’re going against his wishes?” she snorted. “Look, if it’s okay with Charley, then I’m staying. You’re welcome to leave.”
“I can’t,” he said with a sigh. “Although believe me, I have much better things I could be doing then staying here and babysitting you.”
A streak of annoyance seared through her. “I’m not twelve any more.”
“No. You most certainly are not. Which is why I can’t leave. You attract too much attention. But after a year, I’m gone.”
Veronika gave him a sweet smile. “Then I’ll have to make sure that you stay busy, Kazimir.”
***
She watched as he stormed out of the house. He muttered about staying here being ridiculous. Charley gave her a weak smile. “I don’t suppose you want to tell me what’s going on here?”
Veronika looked at her new friend. “I’m sorry, Charley. And I appreciate you looking out for me back there. You barely know me.”
“I’m not about to let you leave and take all of that money with you. Besides, I already used it to pay for part of my car,” Charley said sheepishly.
Veronika snorted. “Well, Kaz isn’t wrong. I thought my life had been awfully quiet since I left for college. I guess my father did a good job of protecting me. I didn’t even know.”
“And who is your father?”
“Fedor Saiko.”
Charley snapped her fingers. “Yeah! I didn’t even make the connection. You father owns quite a few businesses, but he’s not exactly a wanted man, is he?”
“It’s a more cutthroat business than you might think,” Veronika muttered. “Anyway, people have tried to get to him through me. I just want to distance myself from all of that. But if Kaz is right, then me staying here could be dangerous for you.”
Charley paled a little. “Do you think it’s dangerous?”
“I don’t know. But I wanted you to know everything. And if you wanted to kick me out, then I would understand.”
“Well, you haven’t told me everything. The way you two look at each is awfully interesting. What’s the story behind that?”
Awfully interesting? Veronika rolled her eyes. “There’s no story. Kazimir has worked for my father for a very long time. We’ve just known each other for a while. That’s all. Nothing interesting about that.”
“You tried to break a full bottle of vodka over his head,” Charley said dryly.
“I didn’t know who he was,” Veronika protested.
“And if you did know who he was?”
Veronika smiled. “There is no point in wasting good alcohol on him. A baseball bat would have been much handier.”
“No story, my ass,” Charley said with a smile. “All right. Well, I’ve got to grab some books. And another bottle of vodka. I’ll see you later?”
“Right.” Veronika turned her head to look out the window. Kazimir was pacing the front yard angrily. “And I’ll get him settled.”
“Get him settled? That I’d like to see.” Charley gave Veronika a crooked smile, and she slipped out of the room. Veronika muttered a prayer for patience and went out to confront him.
He was on his phone, and he was angry. “I know I’m not there. But I haven’t got a choice, now do I? If I disobey him now, there will be suspicion.”
Suspicion? What the hell was he talking about? She cleared her throat, and he whirled around. “I’ve got to go. We’ll talk about it later,” he growled. Shoving his phone in his pocket, he glared at her. “Eavesdropping?”
“If I wanted to eavesdrop, I wouldn’t have let you know that I was here,” she growled as she crossed her arms. “We need to talk.”
“Where’s your friend Charley? Did you have a talk with her?”
“I was transparent about the danger she could be in,” she muttered, but she bowed her head. He saw the action and chuckled.
“Transparent, huh? So she knows what your father does?”
She gave him a sharp look. “Watch your tongue. I was born into that world, but you chose it. So be very careful what you say.”
“Going to report me?”
“I thought you were loyal,” she sneered.
“I am,” he snapped. “If I weren’t, I wouldn’t be here. Of course, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here either. Why do you insist on doing this? Your father could pay for a personal tutor to teach you whatever you want in the safety of your own home. In whatever city you wanted to live in.”
“It’s not just the education,” she muttered.
“Trying to get away from your father?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t trying to make this a daddy issue thing. This is a university. This isn’t just about education. This is about prestige and degrees. If I’m good enough, I could make a life out of history and art.”
“A life that’s not your father’s business? You could inherit it, you know.”
“Father might want me to take over, but we all know he’s also grooming you. Shouldn’t you be jumping for joy that I’m not going back?” she asked as she crossed her arms. For a moment, they just stared at each oth
er. “What happened to you, Kaz? You used to be my father’s best.”
“And you used to be Daddy’s little girl.”
“Like you would know. You never paid the slightest bit of attention to me.”
“Didn’t I?”
His eyes bore into hers intensely. She shivered inwardly and dropped her arms. “This is pointless. I just wanted to talk to you about how we were going to make this work. Are you planning on following me around everywhere? Or do you have a schedule in mind?”
“Both. We’ll do a bit of compromise. I understand that you have a schedule to keep. We’ll go to your classes, but when you’re not in school, you’ll do as I say.”
“The hell I will. I didn’t come all this way to live my life the way you’d like. Besides, I’m getting a job, too.”
“A job?” His jaw dropped. “You’re kidding me. There is no way that your father cut you off.”
She stiffened. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m not taking any more money from him.”
He smiled a little, and her heart flip-flopped. Embarrassment stained her cheeks, and she hoped beyond hope that he didn’t notice. “Do whatever you need to do,” she said stiffly. “I’ve got some job applications that I need to drop off. I need to shower and change.”
“Great.” He shook his head. “Now I’m taking orders from you. Fine. I’ll be waiting for further instructions.”
The last thing she wanted to be was Kazimir’s boss. Or his anything.
But as she turned and walked away, she knew that she was lying.
Chapter Three
“I got it!” Veronika shrieked. “I got the job! Jeez, this has been the longest week of my life.”
“All you waited was one week? That’s hardly anything in the job world. I waited three months before I got a call back for my job,” Charley grumbled. “Must be your pretty face.”
“Or the fact that the jobs are supposed to be filled before school starts, and it starts tomorrow. Speaking of classes, what’s your schedule look like? We could carpool!”
“Already trying to save money?” Charley joked. “Welcome to my world. I’ll post it on the fridge in a minute. Come help me pick out something to wear!”