Page 29 of Scarlet Angel

Amir half turns, seeing her for the first time, and judging by his eager expression, he’s far too intrigued.

“Hello,” he says, reaching for her hand like the gallant gentleman he is not.

“Scarlet, this here wanker is Amir Nooyi. He and I go way back, and if you’re a bright lass, which I believe you are, you’ll stay clear.”

“What kind of intro is that? Always got to be a prick. A tiny one to match your?—”

“And Scarlet is a guest. She recently buried a loved one and is mourning. I doubt clubbing interests her at the moment.”

Lina has the grace to appear empathetic. “A little bubbly might cheer you up?”

“No, thank you.” Scarlet’s green eyes catch mine. The hue isn’t as bright as this morning in the kitchen. No, trapped in the hall, it’s more of a shaded evergreen.

“Perhaps this weekend we can journey into the city?” I suggest to the room.

I need to spend some time this afternoon with Scarlet to acquire the documentation. If she possesses a fraction of what she says she does, my little Lupi Grigi project will be complete with a simple hand-off.

“I’ll be in Turkey,” Amir says. “You should come.”

“Do you ever work?”

“I work hard, my friend. I also work smart. Observe and learn.”

“Get the fuck out of here.” I wave him off, knowing I’m not getting out of this without at least an alcoholic lunch.

“I’m going to go pack,” Lina says. “Because I’m going.” She spins, not giving me a chance to argue. “Chef is preparing lunch and will serve it in the billiard room.”

“So, lunch, and then Scarlet and I shall see you off?”

Amir looks between Scarlet and me with a cockeyed grin. The prick practically salivates. “Scarlet, dear?—”

“Arsehole. She’s mourning. Let her be.”

“She’s not so distraught she can’t speak.”

Scarlet smiles, but I’d bet my favorite Macallan whiskey it’s a submissive expression she acquired to survive in her demented family.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, and lunch would be lovely.”

Graceful. Clever as they come. She doesn’t need me to defend her against the likes of Amir. She’s a strong one. A far better head on her shoulders than my sister possesses.

I follow behind them, making a mental note to take Amir aside for a serious chat. If he’s going to take my sister clubbing, he’s going to need to keep a close eye on her. For that matter, I need to get security engaged. And I also need an update from Ash about where Dorian went this morning.

CHAPTER8

Scarlet

The fire roars in the stone fireplace, and I inch closer, letting the heat penetrate my clothes and mitigate the chill. For the thousandth time, I question my plan.

A caval donato non si guarda in bocca.

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

Trust him or not, Nikolai is a gift from above. When I agreed to be an information source for MI6 and INTCEN, the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre, a group comparable to the American CIA, I expected them to deliver retribution. But there were flaws in my expectations. First, they move slowly, and I learned too late they are more interested in information than in actually doing anything to crack down on organized crime. They had more interest in my uncle’s meeting agenda than in how Titan Shipping conducted business.

Given how many are on the Lupi Grigi’s payroll, I proceeded with caution. Ironically, Willow’s death delivered the means to an end. A man who decidedly is not on their payroll and won’t be bribed into giving up a source.

Yet there are limits to Nikolai’s trustworthiness. Handsome, magnetic men are accustomed to the world bending to their will. Physical attributes are a veneer that gets them far in life. What lies beneath the veneer? Powerful men have gray morals. There’s no way he got to where he is in life without stabbing some along the way.

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