Page 54 of Wicked Embers

“Are you threatening me, Mother?” My eyes narrow in disbelief.

“No, my son, I’m protecting you.” My mother assures me.

“From what?”

“Nikolas Vasilikis, Leigh’s biological father, is one good reason!”

Suddenly I know that when Mark said protect Leigh from her father he didn’t mean him.

“But he’s dead!”

“That’s what everyone believes.” My mother’s voice drops and an emotion I can’t quite place flashes in her eyes. But she doesn’t elaborate. “Whats your answer going to be, Radomir?”

“I guess I’m getting married tomorrow.” I splash some more vodka into the glass and down it.

Chapter 21

RADOMIR

My mother’s phone call and my sudden impending wedding day are whirling through my mind as I head out the lobby of the Diamond Hotel and Casino. While the conversation with my mother was revealing she very neatly side stepped answering any relevant questions.

But I do have one more lead on my list that may be able to offer me some answers—Sabrina Craft. My fiancée’s best friend. My head fills with steam warring with the knot in my gut at the word fiancée.

Mark had mentioned Sabrina before he passed out, and I need to know why. If she knows anything about the golden key or the journals, I’ll find out. And if she can explain why Leigh lied about knowing Nikolas and Alexandra Vasilikis, even better—clearly Leigh must know who they are—everyone else in her circle does.

Jesus! I can’t believe I’ve been duped by two Daltons. My thoughts are interrupted when I see the valet pull up in front ofthe hotel in my SUV. As I’m about to step up to the front doors I nearly collide with a striking, elegantly dressed older woman who drops her purse.

“Pardon me,” I say, bending to retrieve her dropped clutch.

Our eyes meet, and I’m struck by the sharp, assessing green of her gaze. Something about her feels…familiar. Before I can dwell on it, the valet calls for me, I give the woman a polite nod and step around her. Climbing into the SUV, I head for my destination, trying hard to rein in the storm of emotions and thoughts churning through me.

Sitting in the shadows of the Golden Lights Five Star Hotel and Casino, I nurse a vodka, my vantage point giving me a perfect view of the stage. The place hums with chatter, clinking glasses, and bursts of laughter. Its grand hall oozes ostentation—gold trim, chandeliers, and enough pretension to fucking choke a man. I loathe this place.

The blonde dancer twirls across the stage, her movements precise and graceful, her expression all fire and allure. She’s magnetic, commanding attention like she owns the space and my target—Sabrina Craft—Leigh’s best friend.

I enjoy a long sip of vodka, letting its icy burn smooth the edge of my temper. My conversation with my mother is still a raw wound, and the lingering irritation clings to me like a second skin. Her demand that I marry Leigh was a calculated power play, one that succeeded in knocking me off balance. The thought of Leigh—naked and tangled in my sheets just hours ago—sends a spike of heat and frustration through me.

My gaze shifts to Sabrina as she finishes a flawless turn. She’s the picture of control, her confidence palpable even from here. I’ve already confirmed she’s done for the night after thisset, and I’m content to wait her out. For now, I’m enjoying the solitude and the vodka, trying to ignore the voice in my head that tells me I’ve already stepped too far into a trap I have a feeling was set for me a long time ago.

Marriage... The word leaves a bitter taste. But the idea of Leigh carrying my child? That’s no deterrent—it’s a temptation. A legacy.

“Thinking too hard, Radomir?”

The familiar voice cuts through my thoughts, laced with amusement and just enough edge to set my guard up. Judy slides into the seat beside me, snatching the vodka glass from my hand and draining it as if it were her right.

“How did you find me?” I watch as she refills the glass.

“It wasn’t hard to figure out,” she says, leaning back with a smirk. “You ditched Viktor and disappeared after your little chat with your mother. “Logical next step? Hunting down Leigh’s best friend after failing to get answers from her mother—or yours.” Her brows raise and she looks at me knowingly. “You should know not to try and best your mother.”

“So you know?” I grab my glass, fill it, and down another shot.

“Yes.” She nods. “Your mother called me before she called you.”

I scowl, the irritation twisting tighter. “Thanks for the heads up.”

“Your mother can be really scary. I was also only supposed to hunt you down to make sure you carry out your mother’s order in the morning,” she says, feigning exasperation.

“I’m as fucked off at having to come and find you as you are of me finding you. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the one organizing your mother’s charity ball. Do you have any idea how complicated this year’s theme is?” Judy shakes her head and helps herself to my vodka again. “Jesus. You wouldn’t think it would be, but the costume shop thinks I’m planning a fucking kids party when I ask them if they have the outfits needed for it.”

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