Page 161 of Lethal Legacy

I hold up my hand, and Dimitry throws me the keys to the Maybach. I’m in the mood to drive. I’m fired up after the meeting, adrenaline from the danger and the win flooding my body. What I really want is to drive straight back to the penthouse and fuck Lucia until neither of us can breathe, but I’m guessing she’s still dress shopping with Ofelia. I glance at my phone. Still no message.

Is she seriously that busy that she forgot the launch was today?

I swallow my unease and direct my frustration where it’s more useful. “Tell me.” My voice echoes around the concrete parking garage. “What the fuck is so important in the United States to keep Nikolai out of the country for so long?”

Dimitry grimaces as he folds his bulk into the passenger seat. “Why don’t you call the little prick and ask him yourself?”

“I’d prefer a little more information gathering before I do that. Has Gregor said anything?”

“Gregor’s too busy trying to juggle Pillars, the girls, and Nicky’s gambling rooms to worry about what Nikolai’s actually doing. All he said is that Cádiz is playing a round of showcase matches with the Southern States Soccer league. The team has based itself in Florida, which is probably why the little fuck is hanging around. Plenty of girls, booze, and parties.”

Plenty of fucking Orlovs, too.I tap the steering wheel uneasily.Not to mention theGuapais currently docked in Miami.

“You think he’s up to something?” Dimitry’s always been able to read me too easily.

I shrug. “Maybe.”

“You know both Nikolai and Mikhail went to college in Florida. That’s the reason we met Mikhail in the first place. Nicky is probably just hanging out with his idiot rich-boy friends, showing off the football club he thinks he owns, and flashing his gangster credentials around.”

“Probably.”

Except it’s Miami.

Dimitry gives me a curious look. “Care to share your thoughts?”

“After we’ve spoken to Pavel.”

He shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

“So it’s good news.” I grin around at the tech kids, all of whom whoop and high-five. “But I don’t need to tell you how intense the next month is going to be. If you thought the last couple were hard, then stock up on the soda and pizza, because the next one will be one all-night session after another.”

I’m not sure what it says about the geek squad that they all look positively happy about that.

Dimitry catches my eye, and I suppress my answering grin with an effort. “Go on, then,” I say genially. “Fuck off. Get to it.” I catch Mickey looking at me hopefully. “Fine,” I say, casting my eyes skyward. “You too.”

“Hey, Mickey.” Pavel halts the kid mid-flight and hands him a memory stick. “I want you to run that trojan again, see if you can make sense of that pattern you found. Use the operations center so it’s secure.” He nods at the room where the tech kids are currently clustered, all congratulating each other on the fact that they now get to play with Mercura in real time.

Mickey’s eyes light up. He takes the stick like he’s been given the keys to the Maybach. He barely looks at me in his haste to hit his laptop. Pavel has kept Mickey focused on unraveling the trojan and tracking Lars Andersson. The Petrovsky part of the story I’m doing my best to keep him away from, aside from the bare bones of Darya’s identity.

Mickey loves Lucia. I’m not keen to fuck up that dynamic.

“Thanks,” I say when he’s gone.

“Yeah, well.” Pavel looks disgruntled. “Mickey should actually be the one telling you this, since he tracked it down. It’s starting to get awkward, boss. That kid is smart—very smart. It’s hard hiding things from him.”

“It was your idea to involve him.”

“That was before he started to find shit I didn’t see coming.” He casts side eyes at Dimitry, then back to me.

“Dimitry’s up to date on Lars Andersson.”

He nods, but raises his eyebrows significantly.

Oh, fuck.That means there’s some kind of crossover. Still, Dimitry’s going to need to be briefed anyway.

“Keep going,” I say curtly.

“Well okay, then.” Pavel brings up a school class photograph. “Guess who attended boarding school in London at the same time as Lars Andersson?” He points to a face, then enlarges the photo.

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