Page 85 of Scorch

“I think that's a good idea. Have you asked Lydia?”

“No,” Vera says, frowning. “I thought she was with you.” I look around the room as if she might suddenly materialize out of thin air. Of course she isn't here.

I would know.

Where the hell is she?

“Supposed to?” Nikko says with a frown from the couch.

“Vera, I thought she was with you,” I snap. “Where is she?” The next thing I know, Nikko is in my face. “Talk to my wife that way again,” he snarls.

I shove him back. “Step down, brother.”

“Boys, boys, settle down,” Lydia says, coming around the corner. “What the hell is going on?”

“Prince Charming was losing his loving mind because he couldn't find you,” Nikko retorts.

After what happened last night, I half expected her to try to escape. Not that she'd have an easy time of it, with the guards at every exit, the surveillance on her, and the tracker she doesn't know about yet.

I told her last night, when I had her bent over the table, fucking her senseless, that I was tracking her. But she probably assumes it's just the tracker on her phone.

“I was checking on Nikita,” she says. “So sue me.”

I catch her eyes, blazing with anger. “Don't even think about it,” she warns.

“Think about what?” I challenge, rising and walking over to her.

She only narrows her eyes at me. “I'm not gonna leave without telling you, okay? I was just checking on Nikita, so relax.”

“I was saying we should go to Mom's,” Vera says. “That way, we can talk to her about the final details and solidify everything for this wedding. Have you seen her since you and Viktor got engaged?”

“No, we've texted a few times and talked on the phone, but I haven't seen her in person.”

“We fully expect an attack from the Ledyanoye Bratstvo,” Nikko says. “Are you girls prepared for that?”

“Yes, of course,” Vera says. “Lydia?”

“Of course,” she snaps, pounding her fist in her hand. “I hope he brings it.”

In our recent self-defense class, I showed her how to use a knife. It’s not too hard if you know what you're doing and you're not afraid to slice through muscle and veins.

“I want more practice with my knife,” she says. “Is there any way to do that?”

“Got a place near our headquarters called The Hidden Mark. It’s a private place with dummies we use for knife work. It’s secluded and on the way.”

“Yes, perfect. Can we go there before we head to Mom's?”

“She texted me this morning and said she was there,” Vera says. “It was a strange message, though. Have you talked to her?”

I give her a sharp look. “Maybe she's just distracted about the wedding. She's been planning a wedding for Lydia with such detail—” Vera stops mid-sentence, her cheeks coloring. She was going to say more, but we do not need to discuss Lydia's previous engagement.

“I'm going to send a car out there to check on her,” I decide.

Nikko is still glaring at me, probably because I raised my voice to Vera. Jesus, it's not Vera I have a problem with; it's anything that threatens the safety of Lydia. I’d think he’d get that.

“You get your fucking boxers out of your ass and chill,” I tell Nikko. He takes a step toward me, and Lydia shakes her head.

“Stop,” she says warningly. Nikko still advances on me. I grab him by the front of the shirt, lift him up, and casually place him back in the living room. “I said sit down, Nikko.”

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