Page 63 of Cashmere Cruelty

I don’t have to elaborate—Yuri understands immediately. “Our four men on rotation.”

And now, two are dead.“Who else?”

“Me and you.”

“Whoelse?”

Yuri’s lips press into a grim line. “You know who.”

I twist around. “That’s nonsense and you know it.”

“Is it?” Yuri growls. “Because whenever that errand boy’s involved, there’s trouble.”

“I hardly think Grisha qualifies as an ‘errand boy.’ He’s twice your age.”

“That doesn’t mean?—”

“Yura.” My imperious tone stuns him into silence. “He hasn’t left the hotel in days. It couldn’t have been him.” I stride out of the cell, all the way to the warehouse door, my brother close on my heel. “I don’t care if you can’t see eye to eye. Either put your differences aside or hand in your guns, because I do not need squabbling schoolgirls in my ranks; I needmen. Have I made myself clear?”

Yuri’s teeth draw blood on his bottom lip. But he finally stops arguing, and that’s the only thing I care about right now. I need my ranks in order. “Yes,moy pakhan.”

“Good. Now, call him.” I fix my sleeves and wipe the blood off my soles. “You’ll handle the clean-up—together. Dispose of the bodies and the blood, but do not touch anything else until I return. Got it?”

Yuri blinks. “Where are you going?”

I glance at my watch. “It’s late. I need to be at the hotel by seven.”

“You can’t leave!” Yuri objects, walking a full circle around me. Like a riotous goddamn Pomeranian. “We need you here.”

“It’s family dinner, Yuri.”

“But this is an emergency!”

“I don’t give a shit.” I whirl around. “Everything is an emergency in our line of work—or have you forgotten that? I can’t start putting this shit above family. Especially when my child hasn’t even beenborn yet.” I grit my teeth, forcing myself to calm down. “I won’t be likehim, Yuri. I can’t.”

At the mention of our father, Yuri finally seems to understand. “Alright. Don’t worry. We’ll handle things here.”

I nod grimly. “Question the other men on rotation, too—but be subtle. If there’s a rat, we don’t want to scare it away just yet.”

Yuri straightens up. “Understood.”

And with that, I finally stride out.

By the time I reach the hotel, I’m in an even fouler mood.

April seems to catch on to that. She greets me, shows me in, takes the trays off my hands to set the table. All the while, she doesn’t speak a word out of place.

I wish Yuri was that smart.

Conversation, to the extent that it exists at all, is stilted even more than usual. Seeing April on edge like this—it makes me feel like shit. Like I’mhimalready.

I still can’t force a word past my lips.

After this sad affair dies a merciful death, I head right to the door, expecting that April can’t wait to be rid of me. But instead, she turns to me with a tentative smile. “Wanna get a drink?”

With a sigh, I nod.

We step out on the balcony. The city lights spread out like a carpet in front of us, twinkling and shimmering from here to the horizon. You don’t really get to see the stars in Manhattan; this is the next best thing. It’s why I chose this place.

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