Page 96 of No Longer Safe

“Where’s Ace?” I sat down at the dining room table and rubbed my hands together like a greedy troll. There was never a day that I wasn’t absolutely overjoyed to have Georgie’s cooking.

“On business for his father.”

“What kind of business?” All I wanted was a hint that Carina knew what Ace was up to.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s all so private.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Carina leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “What are you implying my sly friend?”

“Do you know where he keeps the key to his office?”

Her smile was slow and feline. “Absolutely I do.”

“Why don’t we sleuth a little?”

Not only would it keep her mind off of the stress of the upcoming wedding but it would also give her an idea of what Ace was really up to. I would have been lying to say I wasn’t a little curious myself. I knew what Alexei did, but I had no idea what Ace actually did for their father.

We tip-toed down the hall like we weren’t the only ones in the penthouse. Carina raced up the stairs and then raced back down a few minutes later holding a big skeleton key. She shoved it into the lock of his office door and then flicked on the light. It was all dark moody colors. The desk in the middle of the room was mahogany and the chair behind it was a navy leather. The plush rug covering the entire floor was a cream but it did nothing to brighten the area. The walls were just as dark as the desk and covered in books.

“Does Ace like to read?” I wanted nothing more than to explore the books surrounding us.

“Oh, yes. He always has a book in his hands if he isn’t on an assignment for his dad.”

In the corner of the room was a bar cart with a couple of crystal glasses and expensive whiskeys. Carina flew across the room and threw herself into his chair. She pulled her legs up to her chest and inhaled deeply. “I miss him.”

A deep pang rang through my chest. I missed Alexei. Or rather I missed the man I thought he was. When my best friend let out a gasp, I ran across the space separating us.

“What?”

She slapped a folder closed. “Nothing.”

“Carina, what did you find?”

Did you find out that your future husband is a drug lord, kidnapper, pimp, or worse?

“It’s really nothing.” She wouldn’t look me in the eye. I rounded the back of the desk and tilted my head to get a better look.

Sitting in the middle of Ace’s workspace was a navy blue folder. I squinted down at it, it looked so familiar. Where had I seen it before?

I reached forward and Carina smacked my hand. I didn’t stop going. She was trying to hide it from me without actually hiding it.

With shaking hands, I snatched the folder up and brought it to one of the chairs on the other side of the room. I tucked my legs under me as I opened it.

On the first page was a smiling blonde. The same blonde that went on the fundraising date with Alexei the night we broke up. I would never be able to forget her face or her skintight outfit.

Nausea built within me as I thumbed through the pages and saw more familiar faces smiling back at me. The last page made my skin crawl.

Alexei Cristof tends to prefer blondes but as of late has chosen brunettes. He loves a challenge and hates to be rejected. He will do anything in his power to win someone over.

Tentative engagement date— January 17th.

That was tonight. I frowned. None of this made sense. He was getting engaged? But he’d been on so many dates and never seemed to be seen with one more than once. I kept reading Ace’s handwriting.

If Audrey stays away, he will marry for the family.

I wasn’t so sure it was Ace’s handwriting anymore. Carina stood behind me now. “I didn’t know.”

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