Page 75 of Cruel Promise

The next place is another bar—even dirtier and, somehow, in an even sketchier part of town. I grew up in my father’s luxury apartment. Then I lived in a relatively safe area in New Haven, close to campus. I’ve only ever known safety.

I’ve never seen these parts of New York.

And after this is done, I don’t want to.

The bartender at this new bar is younger and cute, but he gives me the same answer. Maxim isn’t here, and he doesn’t know where he is.

I sigh and start to leave the bar when a man says, “Hey, pretty girl. You looking for Maxim?”

I turn to the man. He’s in his forties at the youngest with shaggy hair and brown stains all over his shirt. Not to sound rude, but this is not the kind of man I would ever speak to.

But right now, he may be able to give me the answers I’m seeking.

“You know where Maxim is?”

“Don’t bother the girl, Slug,” the bartender shouts.

The man, Slug, waves a dismissive hand as he takes his baseball cap off and runs his hands through his hair. “I’m not gonna hurt the girl.” He gives me a grin I don’t like.

“You’re not going to hurt me, right?” I slowly start to back toward the door.

“Pretty girls like you shouldn’t come into places like this. Who knows what danger you could get up to?”

“Do you know where Maxim is or not?”

“I do. And I’ll tell you for a price.”

I’m going to regret asking … “What price?”

He reaches out for me, and I jerk away with a scream, swatting at his hand.

“Slug!” the bartender shouts then looks at me. “I would just get out of here.”

Good idea.

The next place on the list is the last.

It’s not a bar at all but a house. It takes me going from subway to subway to reach it. The house is small and run down. It needs a paint job, and the garden is covered in weeds.

I push open the chain link fence and walk up to the door. With a deep breath, I knock.

A man opens the door. His youth takes me by surprise. He can’t be older than … well, me.

“Oh,” he says, staring at me wide-eyed. The second thing I notice about him is his leather vest. It’s the same as the one I saw on Maxim.

“Is Maxim Baranov here?”

“Oh,” he says again. “Nope. Sorry.” He starts to shut the door, but I slam my hand against it.

“I don’t believe you. Is he here?”

“What’s going on out there, Colin?” a man shouts, approaching the door. He’s older and has spots on his face. Thegrin he gives me is salacious, and I hate him immediately. “Hello there.”

“She’s looking for Maxim,” Colin explains.

The man’s grin turns into a frown. “Why are you looking for Maxim? He fuck you and leave?”

I blush. It still amazes me that after everything I’ve been through, I can still blush. “No. I just need to talk to him. If he’s here, please tell him that …” I inhale deeply. “Tell him Ava Petrov is here to see him.”

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