Page 78 of Resurrection

“Demid asked me if I knew who the father might be. I told him what I thought.”

“You put a target on him.”

“Maybe. Probably.” Finn tries to catch my gaze. “I was going to ask you to fire him, even if it might drive a wedge between you and your father. Keeping him around is too risky.”

“He’ll be dead now—problem solved.” The words slip out of my mouth as though I could not care less. Inside I’m morphing from angry to numb. I waggle my phone at Finn. “He’s texted me once. Called me a bunch of times. An emergency, apparently.”

“Have you listened to the messages?”

I shake my head. “I came to find you.”

He accepts my phone and hits the voicemail icon. With the device to his ear, he paces into the living room as he listens to them.

The coffee drips into the pot beside me, and Jay catches my gaze. “You okay?” he asks.

Crossing my arms, I drop my gaze to the floor. A sigh escapes me, and I run my toe along the tiles in a back-and-forth motion. “Was Eric always a shit?”

When I glance up, a ghost of a smile flits across Jay’s face. “Yes.”

“Why didn’t I see it? I mean, I saw it, but not like this.”

His dark eyes are filled with sympathy. “You want me to play armchair psychologist?”

“Why not? I’m already paying you.” I run my hands through my hair and then recross my arms. “You understand me better than most people. You’ve been working for me since you were twenty. What’s that? Fifteen years now?”

Jay seems to weigh something—perhaps how truthful he wants to be. “Honestly, I always kinda figured your taste in men was related to your dad. You watched him treat your mom like shit for years. You expect them to be assholes.” He tips his head toward Finn. “He’s the biggest dick to pretty much everyone but you.”

My gaze strays to Finn as he grabs a pen and paper from the desk in the living room and scribbles something down. “He’s my big dick.” A smile threatens.

“Hey now.” Jay holds up his hands, but he’s grinning. “Some things I don’t need to be told.” His smile fades as he stares across the island toward Finn. “He’s an interesting guy—that one. But if you end up with him, if you stay with him, I’d never worry he wouldn’t treat you well. He sees your value. He knows your worth. Even when you don’t.”

Tears prick at my eyes, and I have to look away from the kindness etched in his face.

Finn strides into the kitchen with the pad of paper clutched in one hand, my cell phone in the other. “Shit’s hitting the fan. Eric’s in Russia.” His pale-blue gaze lands on me.

“Demid?” I ask.

“No.” He frowns. “Something else. He wants you to come, and he said you were welcome to bring me. Said he has information regarding the warehouse theft.”

Jay laughs. “God, Eric is some kinda idiot.”

Finn raises his eyebrows and uncertainty clouds his expression. “Jay, get us more security to take with us. We don’thave a clue what we’ll find. Looks as though we’re headed to Russia.”

“Privet, Russia.” I raise my cup and sip from my scalding coffee.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Finn

While Carys and I pack in our bedroom, I debate whether to let her come to Russia. There’s so much we don’t understand. I stuff more clothes into my duffel bag and glance at her as she wanders into the en suite to get her makeup.

Curiosity is a powerful thing, and I’m definitely curious about what Eric has been doing. He didn’t sound scared in his voicemail messages, or even full of his usual asshole bravado. No, he wasexcited. Why? I stop packing and lean against the dresser while Carys continues to put things into her suitcase.

“Spit it out.” She doesn’t break her rhythm of sorting and discarding. “You’re over there brooding about something.”

“Don’t come to Russia.”

She laughs. “I’m going to Russia. He called me, not you, and he said you could come along for the show.” She throws skincare products into her bag with a huff. “I don’t care anymore about what he’s doing. You’re right. I’ll fire him. I don’t know why I haven’t done it yet.”

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