Page 83 of Vengeful Embers

"Who?" he replies.

"Tara Craft."

"I think she’s in Boston for an interview."

"Don’t play dumb."

I grab his collar and slam him into the wall. Oleksi Mirochin walks in and sees the scene.

"Dragunov, I wouldn’t…”

"Shut the fuck up, Mirochin. One more word and someone gets shot."

Nik moves like lightning. My own gun is in his hand, aimed at my men, and before I can blink he’s changed our positions and has me pinned against the wall.

I see Oleksi fake flinch. “I tried to warn you.” He yawns as he strolls past us. “If you don’t need me Nik, I’m going to bed.”He walks off as if one older man isn’t holding three big hulking Russians hostage.

"You’re in my house," Nikolas hisses.

Pavel moves. Nik adjusts the angle—he can still shoot them all.

"You touch one inch of this house again, and I’ll bury you in the desert," he says.

Todd, his man, strolls over.

"Take our guests to check the house," Nikolas says, cold and clear. He lets me go and unloads my weapon. "They’re under the illusion my GODDAUGHTER is here."

That word slams into me. Goddaughter.

I blink.

"You and I," Nikolas growls, keeping my gun and walking into his study, "are going to talk."

I know when to show respect. The man could’ve killed us all. I wonder if he wants a job? I glance around. I’m guessing he’s not hurting for money. Uh… Fuck, I wonder if he owns Matriarch Corporation Vasilikis.

"I know you picked her up at the gas station."

"Which one?" he asks.

"The one you bought condoms at."

"Ah, those were for my guard’s kid."

He narrows his eyes.

"Now tell me where Tara is."

I lie. Say we’re in a long-distance thing. Say we fought and she ran.

Nik doesn’t blink. "In all the years I’ve known her, I’ve never seen Tara have hysterics."

I want to rip the walls down.

He shows us every room.

She’s not there.

As we leave, Nikolas’s voice cuts through the night.

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