Page 70 of Secret Weapon

22

EMMY

“It’s seven o’clock in the morning, Mrs.Black.This had better be good.”

“This is no more pleasurable for me than it is for you, I can guarantee that.”

I’d woken Nico up.My call had gone to voicemail, so I’d let myself into his villa—its location was obvious by the “Private - Keep Out” signs—and roused him personally.To give him credit, he didn’t try to throw me out or have his security staff do it either.But the two men I’d slipped past would probably get a stern talking-to later.

“Want me to make coffee while you put some clothes on?”

Turned out he slept naked, which was slightly awkward, but he did have nice abs.

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

He didn’t bother with a shirt, just materialised in the kitchen two minutes later in a pair of grey flannel trousers and bare feet.Winter in Oregon, and his home was hotter than the tropics.Guess he didn’t lose much sleep over global warming.

“Espresso?Cappuccino?Latte?You strike me as a latte kind of guy.”

“Americano.”

“Should I add a shot of vodka?You look as if you need it.”

“Did you break into my home just to insult me, or was there another reason?”

“Usually I charge big bucks for a security audit, but I did yours for free.Sadly, it was a fail.”The coffee machine whirred away.I slid his Americano across the marble breakfast bar and took a seat opposite.“But yeah, there’s a reason I’m here.”

“Which is?”

“Why did you leave Russia, Nico?”

“Now you want my life story?”

“Just curious.”

The cogs turned, and I knew what he was thinking:how can I get rid of this woman?Fortunately, he decided that the fastest way was to answer the question.

“My late father had two hotels in his portfolio, and I soon realised the leisure industry was where I wanted to focus my time.”

“You didn’t want to follow in your father’s footsteps?He was big in mining, right?”

Not coal mining, but nickel and copper.Blackwood’s research team had emailed me a bio overnight.But although there was plenty of information on finances, it had been light on Belinsky family dynamics, and just for a second, I saw Nico’s eyes cloud when I mentioned his father.A blink, and the darkness was gone.

“Mining didn’t interest me.I sold off those holdings and all the other investments I didn’t care for and began to put my own stamp on the business.Not many tourists have Russia on their bucket lists.”

“You leaving had nothing to do with political changes?”

He seemed genuinely puzzled.“I stay out of politics.”

“How do you feel about President Markovich?”

“I think all politicians are self-serving assholes, Markovich included.But perhaps he’s marginally better than the last guy.We could have discussed the Russian government over dinner, Mrs.Black.You didn’t need to stroll into my bedroom, although I’ll admit I’ve been woken up in worse ways.If you weren’t married, I can’t say I’d be upset about that.”

Ah, there was the playboy.I liked Nico.He didn’t waste time on bullshit.

“If I wasn’t married, then maybe I’d consider having the conversation over dinner, but I am, so…” I shrugged.“Yesterday, the situation with Ottie Marquette piqued my interest, and I made some calls.Turns out she might be part of something far bigger than we thought.”

“And politics is involved?”

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