Page 19 of Emerald Vices

“I’d really like to get out of the manor for a bit. Even if it’s just to your place.”

Mila opens her mouth like she’s going to argue, but Katya plants her hands on her hips. “I’ll make it happen. Leave it to me.”

She prances out of my room and then shimmies right back in a few minutes later with a huge smile on her face.

“All set. We’re heading to my apartment to spend the day. How does that sound?”

“Perfect.”

Misha will be busy with physical therapy for the next few hours and Remi’s with him, so I peek in to say goodbye.

And mostly, to reassure Misha that I’m not going anywhere. Not yet, anyway.

Then Mila, Kat and I crowd into the back of a blue Escalade driven by Leonty and we head out of the nice part of Manhattan en route to Hell’s Kitchen, which is… well, slightly less nice.

The closer we get to Kat’s place, I’m reminded of the days when it was just the two of us, sitting on the floor of her living room, knocking back boxed wine and cheap candy. Just us. No distractions. No fears.

It’ll be like that again, if only for a few hours.

Or a few seconds, since the moment I walk into Kat’s living room, I come face to face with Shura. Kat greets him with a quick peck on the cheek, refusing to look at me.

“Hello, ladies,” Shura says nonchalantly. “I’ll just retreat to the bedroom and give you some privacy.”

I stare between the two of them. “Are the two of you living together?”

Katya blushes and shakes her head. “No, no, of course not. It’s way too soon for that.”

That’s when it hits me. “You’re here on Andrey’s orders, aren’t you?”

Katya swats Shura’s arm. “You were supposed to stay out of sight!”

“It’s a small apartment,” he says with an unapologetic shrug. “My only orders were to stay inside with you.”

“My orders are more important than Andrey’s,” Kat argues.

“Leonty’s parked out front in the Escalade,” I say. “What could possibly happen?”

“Nothing,” Shura announces. “Your two shadows will make sure of that.”

Kat cringes, shoving Shura in the chest. “Jesus, Shura. You couldn’t have phrased it a little better than that?”

“She might as well get used to it. Andrey isn’t going to let her out of his sight until—” His voice trails off as I storm into Katya’s bedroom and pull out my phone.

Snapping the door shut, I settle on her bed and concentrate on dialing Andrey’s number. “Hello, lastochka. What can I do for you?” His voice is deep and silky smooth.

My heart does this weird, trembly little quake that makes me want to smack myself in the head. “You can tell me why your freakish little goons are following every single step I take.”

“Shura will keep to himself. You can still have your girls’ day.”

“Not the point.”

“The point, Natalia, has always been to keep you safe. Now more than ever.”

“I’m safe,” I retort. “Now, tell Shura to leave.”

“I’m not going to do that. If that’s all?—”

“No, that most certainly is not all! We need to talk about this. There has to be some sort of compromise.”

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