Page 178 of Nine Months to Love
“She has evidence. Photos. Videos. She could destroy you.”
“She could try.”
“Stefan—”
“I said I don’t fucking know!” The words come out louder than I intended. Harsher.
Taras doesn’t flinch. He just crosses his arms and waits. “How much time do we have?”
“A week. Maybe less, if she gets impatient.”
“And if she goes to the feds?”
“Then we deal with it.” I look up at him. “The same way we always do. With blood and fire.”
He nods slowly. “Alright. What do you need from me?”
“Find out where she’s staying. Who she’s working with. What her next move is.”
“On it.” He turns to leave, but then stops and turns around again. “You know she’s going to come after Olivia, right? You need to tell her. Warn her.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“That’ll be all, Taras.”
To his credit, he doesn’t push any further. He just nods and leaves.
I’m alone again. The office is quiet except for the ticking of the clock on the wall. Each sweep of the hand feels like it’s being ripped out of my skin. I pull out my phone and look at Olivia’s name in my contacts. I should call her. She needs to know what’s happening.
But I can’t.
Not yet.
Because if I tell her, she’ll want to help. To find some peaceful solution where everyone walks away happy. And there is no peaceful solution. Not with Natalia.
The only way this ends is with one of us dead.
I just have to make sure it’s her.
I pocket my phone and stand. My legs feel unsteady, but I force them to hold.One week.I have one week to figure out how to kill a ghost.
I’m going to need every second of it.
50
OLIVIA
The Eliot Hotel.I stand on the sidewalk for a full minute, clutching my purse, trying to convince myself this is a good idea.
It’s not. I know it’s not.
But I’m here anyway.
I push through the revolving door and step into the lobby. I immediately feel like I’m making too much noise simply by breathing, by existing. It’s marble and gold as far as the eye can see. A pianist plays something soft and melancholy in the corner. I don’t recognize the tune but it feels appropriate.
The hostess greets me. “Do you have a reservation?”
