Page 115 of Sinner's Secret

Baz stared at his mother for another moment. “No threats, accusations, or causing trouble.” He kept his tone conversational but maintained eye-contact, so she’d know he was giving orders, not suggestions. “If you do anything to upset her, I will throw you out of this house.”

His mother’s eyebrows rose. “I have no intention of upsetting anyone,” his mother replied in an even tone. “I simply wanted to meet the woman who has finally managed to warm your heart. It’s a mother’s prerogative.”

What a load of bullshit.

He didn’t say it out loud though, just stepped aside to let her into the house.

He closed the door and followed his mother into the living room where Nika had curled up on the couch again. His mother took the armchair across from her, while he stood halfway between the two women.

Nika frowned at him. “Sit down.”

“I’m fine right where I am,” he said without taking his gaze off his mother.

“I’m truly here just to talk, Bazyli,” his mother said, but she never took her gaze off Nika.

“What would you like to talk about?” Nika asked.

His mother sighed. “Aren’t you going to offer me some coffee or tea?”

Nika smiled, pulled a handgun out from underneath the blanket covering her lap, and set it on her knee. “You don’t drink coffee or tea.”

For the first time since she arrived, his mother smiled, showing off her canines filed to sharp points.

“You have a problem,” Nika said pleasantly.

“Am I looking at it?” his mother asked in the same tone.

“No, and that too is part of the issue. In fact, the only people in your family business who seem to see the problem are Bazyli and Yvgeny.”

“Do enlighten me.”

“You’re not keeping up.”

“With what?”

“Change. It’s speeding up, and you and your family business is doing a lousy job of keeping up. Those morons from South America came really close to outing you all to the entire human race.”

“And you think you know a solution?”

“No,” she said on a snort. “I think that if you’re not extremely lucky, your business is going to be revealed for all to see, and the fallout from that is going to be...bad for everyone.”

“We are taking steps to ensure that never happens.”

“Again, that’s the problem,” Nika said, her hand on the gun. “You think you’re in control, but you’re not. There are too many people with phones, security cameras, drones, and satellites that can count the freckles on my face. Someone is going to notice what you’re doing, and it won’t be long before every single one of you is in danger.”

His mother glanced at him before resettling her gaze on Nika. This time, however, there was some respect in it. “And you don’t want that to happen?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Why? Because of my son?”

“He’s part of the reason. Also, he told me you, and everyone like you, keep records of your extended family. That means that if some unscrupulous organization or group gets a hold of you, they might also get those records. It would put hundreds of regular, average people in jeopardy.”

His mother studied Nika with a focus that made Baz’s stomach twist. “What is it you’re trying to say?”

Nika sighed. “Clean up your house. The fallout from what happened in this city hasn’t really landed yet. The NYPD will investigate, and they’re going to look at Baz, Yvgeny, and I closely, but I don’t think it’ll end there. Too many people died in weird circumstances.”

The smile on his mother’s face became delighted, as if Nika had said what she wanted her to say.

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