Page 121 of Don't Look Back

“Kira.”

His brow furrowed. “Why? Did you lose her somewhere?”

Rand’s right hand curled into a fist. He took a deep breath. “I was told she left Laskin’s estate on the helicopter with you.” He was told no such thing, but the lie was reasonable.

“Who said that? The maid you kissed? Kira saw the video, you know.”

“She came on to me. I humored her because it was the only way to get rid of her.”

“Right. I hope your fiction is better than that or you’ll starve.”

Rand took a step closer to Reuben, entering his personal space and spreading his shoulders in a posture sure to intimidate the smaller man.

This guy had hurt Kira. Rand didn’t knowwhathe’d done—Freya said the locket had gone into a pocket after the initial blows—but he’d heard Kira’s groans and Reuben’s nasty words.

“Where. Is. Kira?”

“I have no idea.”

Footsteps sounded on the staircase, and Rand looked up to see Luka Kulik descending the wide, curved steps to the right of the entry hall.

“You again,” Luka said. “Where is my daughter? She said she was coming to see her mother’s paintings.”

Rand had noticed the man’s yellowish skin yesterday. Was it more pronounced today or was it the lighting? Could be hepatitis, but also, there were several poisons that triggered jaundice. He wouldn’t put it past Reuben to be slowly poisoning his father. If the man already had a chronic hepatitis B diagnosis, it could be assumed to be a flare-up.

If he was dying—orbelievedhe was dying—it could explain his desire to see Kira to the point of luring her to Malta. Even the July third deadline made sense. He couldn’t let her put off the trip, not when he didn’t have much time left.

No wonder Reuben was scared. He’d been so close to having it all. His father’s fortune, a political ally in Laskin, and a strike on the US military that would secure his political position.

Kira could help, or she could hinder.

Reuben had admitted earlier that Benny was supposed to set Kira up to take at least part of the blame for whatever it was they were planning. For Reuben, that would’ve been the ultimate win. He’d even framed Aleksandr for making that call. Perhaps because he knew how volatile Benny could be, and he wanted cover if the man went off-script.

Aleksandr’s supposed mistake would put Reuben in a position above Laskin when it came time to choose presidents. Laskin’s son was a liability.

“I came here to find her, Mr. Kulik. She left Laskin’s estate with Reuben.”

The little dictator’s eyes narrowed. “He doesn’t know how or when she left because she was avoidinghim. He wasted no time and was caught fooling around with a maid.”

“Mr. Kulik, I’m concerned about Kira. There was blood on the floor and a shattered work of art in the room that has her…mother’s portrait.”

Luka turned to his son. “You didn’t mention blood.”

“How am I to know what happens in Grigory’s household? It was probably Aleksandr and another of his tantrums. Kira was fine when she told me to take the helicopter back.” He smirked at Rand. “She decided to stay so she could have it out with this gold digger after seeing the video with the maid.”

Rand was boxed in neatly. The video was real. A copy could even be provided to Kulik to back this version of events. It was reasonable that Kira, after agreeing to see her father, might watch it and then choose to stay and tell her lover off.

Rand pulled out his card and handed it to Luka. “I’m looking for Kira. I care about her and I’m worried. Call me if you hear from her or find out where she is. She’s desperate to see her mother’s paintings. She wouldn’t miss that for anything. Not even to tell me off.”

Kira should probably resume searching. Do something to fight the fear that came with being trapped in a pitch-black crypt.

She had no sense of time, and the stench of death didn’t exactly offer hope.

Rand must be going feral at this point. He’d said more than once that he blamed himself for last December. She had little doubt he’d blame himself again today, even though she was the one who’d goaded Reuben into snapping, hoping he’d reveal something.

And he had.

He’d confirmed the attack was tomorrow. Even explained that Benny was supposed to quietly snatch her. It would have worked if he had. No one would have known she was missing. Everyone would have assumed she’d caught her early flight to Malta.

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