Page 124 of Bound By Revenge

“Iamtrying to help you,” she says dryly, “by talking some sense into you. You’ve made some questionable decisions in your time, Kat—but this? This takes the cake.”

“You don’t approve. I get it. Loud and clear. But I’m doing this anyway, A.J., with or without your help. So what’s it going to be? Do I figure this out on my own?”

“As if you’d have the faintest idea where to start,” she retorts. “It’s probably pointless, anyway. I strongly doubt the son of a bitch has been sitting on that diamond this whole time. It’s too hot, and you know it. No way it isn’t long gone by now.”

“Maybe,” I admit. “But maybe not. Before I called you, I reached out to every fence on the East Coast who could possibly pull off a job like this. No one’s heard a peep. Nada. I don’t see how thestronzocould’ve moved it without someone I know hearing about it.”

“He’s a freaking mob boss, Kat. One of the old-school ones. Do you really think he doesn’t have more contacts than you?”

“When it comes to most of his extracurriculars? Sure. Absolutely. But there’s no way someone could fence the largest red diamond in the world around here without it hitting my radar.”

She sighs heavily. “You don’t know that for sure. You can’t know what you don’t know.”

“Maybe. But there’s a chance I’m onto something here. Look, I’m not asking you to get yourself into more trouble. I justcalled to see if you think you can figure out where he stashed itwithoutgetting caught. If you don’t think you can, that’s fine—I don’t want you to do anything risky. Especially not when this nightmare is so close to ending. But you’re a freaking genius, A.J., so I thought I should ask. Just in case it’s something you can easily pull off.”

“You’re talking about this like it’s a simple errand. You’re asking me to spy on one of the heads of the Seven Families. A man who’s already had his eye on me for a while. It’s a bit more complicated than picking up your dry cleaning.”

“I know. And there’ll be no hard feelings if you tell me you can’t do it. I mean it, A.J. Cross my heart and hope to die.”

Silence stretches on the other end of the line long enough that I wonder if the call dropped. Then, finally, she sighs.

“I’m not making you any promises, understand me? Let’s make thatveryclear,” she says, her voice low and cautious.

“Got it. No promises.”

“I’ll see what I can find out. Again, no guarantees. But I don’t want to have to save your ass if you decide to do this alone, so I’ll try to get you some intel. But no promises, Kat.”

“Of course not. And thank you. I owe you big time.”

“Yes, but I owe you, too. So don’t get killed over a freaking rock, and we’ll be even, okay?”

I laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “After all these years, who’s keeping track, A.J.? Not me.”

She chuckles, though it’s halfhearted. “Fair enough. Stay out of trouble. I’ll call you when I have an update.”

After setting my phone down,I leaveourbedroom to find Nik. Unsurprisingly, he’s in his office. He’s on the phone, pacingbehind his desk, fingers raking through his hair like he’s ready to pull it out, muttering rapid, clipped Russian.

Leaning against the doorframe, I sigh softly, and his head snaps up. His dark brown eyes lock on me, and just like that, everything about him changes. The tension in his shoulders eases, and his pacing stops.

I smile, and he quietly mutters something into the phone before hanging up, his gaze never leaving mine. In seconds, he’s crossing the room, pulling me into his arms, and crushing his mouth to mine.

His kiss is frantic, hungry, like he’s trying to drown whatever’s eating at him. The usual cool, controlled mask he wears so effortlessly is nowhere to be found. Just as fast as it started, it ends. He rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed, his breathing uneven.

Tough day?” I murmur, rising on my toes to brush my lips along his jaw and up to his temple.

“You have no idea,” he mutters, his voice low and rough.

“I told you this morning getting out of bed was a bad idea.”

He lets out a soft laugh, opening his eyes to look at me. “You did. And you were right.”

“I usually am,” I tease, my lips curving into a grin. “A lesson you’d do well to learn,kotyonok.”

“I’d be an idiot not to,” he says, a smile tugging at his lips. “Even as it kills me to deprive you of the satisfaction of rubbing it in every change you get.” He pulls back slightly, his hands sliding down to my waist. “But enough about me. What brings you here?”

I shrug, my fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. “I just missed you.”

He groans against the top of my head, his arms pulling me closer. “Kiska… you’re going to be the death of me.”

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