Page 185 of Dance of Madness

However that thumb drive got out, it wasn’t Rurik.

He turns to my father, looking grim. “Marko, we've just been hit."

Papa stiffens, his eyes widening. “What?!”

“Our distribution warehouse in the South Bronx,” Rurik hisses. “They slaughtered almost everyone and torched the place. NYPD and NYFD are both on site.”

Papa swears viciously. “WHO?!” he bellows.

Rurik’s face darkens. “Two of our guys made it out, and IDed the attackers as Vladimir Debolsky's men.”

I whirl to my father. “I thought you said Uncle Levka had been in talks all week with Vladimir to settle a peace!”

Papa’s face tightens as he starts to open his mouth. Then he goes still, his mouth opening slightly as he turns and stares at the video paused on the laptop.

“Bozhe moy,” he mutters quietly.

My God.

“Your uncle also has access to the security tapes,” he murmurs.

A chill ripples through my chest as Papa whirls toward Rurik.

“Where is Levka?” he hisses.

“He's still down there,” Rurik growls. "Withhim.”

Nero.

My father turns to me, his face pale and tight. “You love this man? I meanlove, Milena,” he says. “Not infatuation. Not lust. Do youlovehim.”

“More than anything in the world,” I whisper.

Papa flinches just a little. “More than me?”

I smile weakly as I take his hand. “It’s…a close race.”

He nods stiffly. Then he yanks the drawer to his desk open and takes out a gun.

“Are you armed?” He asks Rurik.

Rurik grimaces. “My sidearm is downstairs.”

“Here.” Papa hands him the gun and then pulls another one out of the drawer. Then he turns to look at me, his face lined and grim.

“You’re going to refuse if I tell you to stay here, aren’t you?”

“I’m my father’s daughter.”

He smiles as he puts a hand on mine.

“Just stay behind me,solnyshka.”

39

NERO

“Not tapping out on me,are you?”

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