Page 84 of Bound By Revenge

It’s a better use of my energy than wringing her neck.

“To be honest, Nikolai,” Edna says casually, “you’re wasting your time looking for Maxim’s body. Whoever took it didn’t leave anything worth finding. Best to accept it’s gone.”

Kat steps in quickly with a polite smile, but there’s an edge to her voice. “Thanks for your advice, but?—”

“You’re welcome,” Edna interrupts, waving her hand like she’s doing us a favor. “Really, though, Nikolai, what’s the point? Even if you found him, he’d just be rotting skin and maggots by now. Do you really want to see that? Just do what everyone else does—bury an empty casket and move on. You’ve got Kat now. Focus on the living.”

I grip my whiskey glass tighter, forcing myself not to react. Kat notices, her hand sliding protectively over mine as she leans into me.

She tries to steer the conversation. “You’ve given us so much to think about, Edna. Love your bag, by the way. Where’d you get it?”

Edna brightens at the compliment, oblivious. ”Oh, this old thing? A darling shop in Rome. I’ll send you the address. Now, about Maxim?—”

Kat straightens, cutting her off with a voice sharp as steel. “Listen, Edna, I’ve been trying to change the subject, but you’re not getting the hint.” She fixes Edna with a glare. “Nik doesn’t need to hear your play-by-play of how his best friend’s corpse is falling apart, okay? You’re upsetting him, and I won’t stand for it.”

Edna blinks, clearly caught off guard.

But Kat isn’t finished. “Nik’s too sweet to tell you to shut up, but I’m not. No more Maxim talk.”

Edna opens her mouth but shuts it again, clearly not used to being told off. For once, she’s left speechless. She recovers quickly, tilting her head with a smug smile. “For old time’s sake, I’ll pretend you didn’t just talk to me like that. Go ahead, apologize.”

Kat takes a sip of her drink, her smile cool and effortless. “Oh, honey, you’ve always been so practical. Don’t start losing touch with reality now.”

Edna squints at me, her tone sharp. “Nikolai, talk some sense into her. She clearly doesn’t understand who she’s talking to.”

Kat doesn’t miss a beat. “Maybe we’ve all had moments where we forgot who we were talking to.” She sets her drink down casually. “Like that time in Brussels. Funny how things can come full circle, isn’t it?”

Edna’s expression freezes for a moment, her composure slipping ever so slightly. “Let’s not dwell on the past, darling,” she says, her tone noticeably lighter.

Kat smiles. “Exactly what I was thinking.”

Edna nods quickly before looking away. Out of nowhere, she jumps up. “Oh, is that Garrett? I have to go bother him. If you’ll excuse me…” She waves us off and rushes toward the poor guy.

Kat and I watch her go. When I glance at Kat, she frowns.

“What?” she asks. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“My knight in shining armor,” I say with a dramatic sigh.

She rolls her eyes, but her lips twitch into a smile. “I couldn’t take it anymore. Someone had to stop her.”

I pull her close, my hands resting on her hips. “My hero,” I murmur.

Kat loops her arms around my neck, mock annoyance dancing in her eyes. “I won’t let anyone mess with you like that. If anyone gets to put you in your place, it’s me.”

“Try it and see what happens,” I murmur, leaning closer. “Try it, I’m begging you. You’ll make my day.”

“Nik,” she sighs, her tone dripping with exaggerated sweetness, “we both know you’re all bark and no bite when it comes to me.”

I smirk, brushing my lips over hers. “Big talk for someone who just stared down Edna Smith for me. That woman knows how to dissolve bodies, Kat. Admit it—you're not just into me. Youlikeme.”

“That’s for me to know and you to wonder about,” she quips, pressing her chest against mine.

The moment her body touches me, I go rock-hard against her stomach. She notices immediately, raising an eyebrow with a knowing smirk.

“Two can play this game,” I say, nipping at her ear.

“Aw, baby, don’t threaten me with a good time,” she purrs, echoing the words she threw at me the night we met.

---