Page 127 of Sinful Scars

“We can talk more later.” Alexei heads over to the bar cart, pouring himself a drink.

Elle takes my hand in hers, but before I leave with her, there’s one last thing I want to say.

“Alexei?”

Alexei downs his drink in one swift gulp before pouring himself another without bothering to even look at me.

“What?”

“I just want you to know that I want Igor to face justice just as much as you do.”

Alexei glances over his shoulder and dips his chin at me.

It’s a small gesture, but a powerful one.

For the first time, I let myself imagine what it would be like to be a part of this family.

I know it will take time to build trust. I would be naive to think we could forget the past as if it never happened, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be the first one of us to extend a hand.

“It might be worth checking out the 69th street pier in Bay Ridge.”

“I don’t follow.”

“The docks. He’s moved some cargo over there in the last few weeks.”

Alexei looks surprised. “You know where he is?”

“Not at this moment, but I know he’ll be checking in there soon. It might be worth getting eyes on the place in case he decides to pay a visit. Plus, there’s plenty of stock onhand that could be worth something if you wanted to help yourselves.”

Alexei frowns as he glances at Mikhail and Dimitri who both shrug.

“You seem surprised that I’m telling you this.”

“A little,” Alexei admits.

“Trust me when I say, I want him dead just as much as you do, Alexei. If not more.”

31

ELLE

Lev doesn’t saya word during the drive back to my apartment.

Dimitri kindly lent us his car, and Lev insisted on driving. I think it’s because he wants to keep his hands busy to try and distract himself from the thoughts that are likely racing through his head.

I desperately want to talk through what we just learned back at the house, but I know Lev is a very internal processor. I like to think that he’ll talk to me when he’s ready, but for the time being, I sit in the silence.

When he eventually parks outside my apartment building and kills the engine, I reach out and place my hand on his thigh.

He looks down at it and frowns, as if he forgot that he wasn’t alone in the car.

“Are you okay?”

Lev nods, but from the way his eyebrows are pulled together in a deep frown, I know he’s lying.

“This is good news, right?” He keeps his eyes on myhand. “What Dimitri found…it proves I didn’t kill them. That I didn’t kill my father.”

“That’s exactly what it proves.”

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