Chapter 19
Duke
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I clasp and unclasp my hands in slow, considered movements.
It’s easier to concentrate on the repeated exercise than imagining what Grace is doing down in the hotel bar.
Back in Philadelphia, I’d tapped into the security cameras and watched her take the keycard.
I’d timed it perfectly to catch her in the elevator.
The stakes are higher now and I can’t watch my sentence being played out in real time. I’m not as cock-sure as I was then. Grace doesn’t want to risk her heart on me again. That’s why she pulled this stunt with Oliver tonight.
After talking to her on Ed’s phone, I’d gone straight to the office to listen to the recording. The Executives’ floor was deserted, but I’d still locked the door in case Max came barging in at an inopportune moment. He’s back to being my permanent shadow after what happened today.
I’d listened to all 12 minutes and 32 seconds of the sweet sounds Grace had made before reaching the part she wanted me to hear.
Unsurprisingly, I had a raging hard-on by the time I heard myself tell Grace not to settle for someone who didn’t make her the center of their universe. That killed the mood in an instant.
My angel has been listening to those words for a year, dreaming that I’d be the man to love and adore her the way I’d fucking said she deserved. I’d lured her to Chicago, and I’ve been pushing her away ever since.
I have no right to the rage that consumed me when Ed informed me of Grace’s plans.
I was as angry with myself as I was with her, but it was Oliver-fucking-Chambers who suffered the consequences of my wrath.
Max arranged for one of our guys to pick him up as he left his apartment for his date with my girl.
He was informed there was an emergency at one of our most isolated outposts in the States.
He’s lucky I didn’t send him to the other side of the world.
Minutes tick by and the cords along my forearms match the ones on my neck as I force my hands to still. I spread my fingers wide. Letting go.
When my cell rings, I know it’s going to be Max, and I know what he’s going to say.
“She’s in the lobby, waiting for an Uber.”
I ignore the weight of disappointment that crushes my chest. “I asked you to take her home if she left.”
“She’s not going to get in a car with me, Duke,” he replies. “And I’m of more use here.”
Babysitting me.
I have to force my locked jaw to relax. “I don’t need a nursemaid, Max.”
He doesn’t answer immediately and I know why he’s hesitating. When I’d left Katarina’s apartment earlier, I couldn’t stop shaking. I’d called Max and finally admitted I needed help.
When I’d put that gun to my head, I was more than willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Maybe too willing. Grace hated me. Meri hated me. And everyone would be safer if Vasili had no reason to threaten them.
When I’d tensed my finger on the trigger, I was utterly convinced my reasoning was sound. It was only after a long talk with Max that I know there are better options, ones that won’t leave my family devastated.
It might be true that Grace and Meri still hate me, but they’d hate me more if I didn’t pursue an alternative where no one got harmed. I can do that. I can be better, braver. I can protect the people I love, and I will. In some respects, my family are already safer, if only by a fraction.
Katarina and I know each other a little better after today.
She’s seen first-hand the lengths I’m prepared to go to keep my family safe.
And I’ve learned that there’s someone in her life she’s desperate to spend more time with, someone who presumably can’t go with her when she has to disappear.
That’s why she’s been prevaricating. It’s all starting to make sense.
“I’m good,” I insist to Max. “But I’ll feel a whole lot better after you’ve taken Grace home. You’re the expert in getting people to do things they don’t want to do, take it from someone who knows.”
“If I was that good at persuasion, she’d be up there with you now,” Max replies. I can hear the wind buffeting against his cell’s microphone. He’s outside the hotel. Which means, so is Grace. She’s leaving and he’d better go with her.
“I haven’t given up, Max,” I say. “Not on anything. Go look after Grace.”
When the call ends, I drop back onto the mattress. I need to figure out my next steps, but before I put my faith in Katarina, she’s going to have to deliver on at least one promise.
“Have you calmed down, baby?” my fiancée asks when she accepts my call.
“How’s Danyl’s face?” I answer in reply. Given that she’s opened the conversation with my pet name, it’s safe to assume he or Andrey are in the room.
She gives a throaty chuckle. “Two black eyes suit him.”
“He should have two black balls to match,” I confess, and now I’m smiling. “He deserved the kick for the way he looks at you, kitten.” And the way I’d caught him looking at Grace.
“All men look at me that way.”
Then I must be the exception because as I lie at the end of the bed with my feet on the floor, the only woman on my mind is Grace.
I was lying in this position when she rode me that first time.
I had the perfect view of her ass as she impaled herself on my cock in front of the mirror. I want more of that.
“This man is ready for his reward,” I say to Katarina.
“Anything for you, moya lyubov.” My love. “Our men are on standby. I’ll get them to put the call through now.”
I heave myself back up to sitting. “Thank you.”
“Anything else I can do?” she asks, hearing the defeat in my tone. When I’d left her apartment, I’d told her I was going to try and repair some of the damage to my relationship with Grace. And now she knows I failed.
“Speaking to my brother is enough for now.”
I’m pouring a whiskey from the minibar when a request for a video call comes through. I prop my cell on the dresser as a face fills the screen. A brutal buzz cut, pockmarked skin and a pair of soulless eyes.
“Jesus, Fitz. Who beat you with the ugly stick?”
I hear my brother chuckling in the background, but the Bratva soldier scowling at me doesn’t so much as blink. “You have three minutes starting now,” he says, but he doesn’t move the camera immediately.
After wasting ten precious seconds, he smirks and Fitz’s familiar features finally come into view. “Hey, Duke. How’s life treating you?”
“Could be better,” I admit. “You look well.”
I can only see a portion of his upper body, but Fitz doesn’t appear to be any worse for wear from his ordeal. If anything, his deltoids look more defined through his tight-fitted khaki t-shirt.
Fitz flexes his biceps. “This has been the push I needed to work on myself. Tell Meri I’ll be ready for her next time she challenges me to an arm wrestle.” I try to fake it, but my smile convinces neither of us. “Still not speaking then?”
“I did see her today,” I offer, but don’t expand. The more information the Bratva gather, the easier we make it for them to use it against us.
“How’s everyone else? Are they missing me?”
I give Fitz a wry smile. “As much as anyone can miss a royal pain in the ass.”
He nods, reading between the lines. I haven’t told the others about our predicament. “How are the wedding plans going? Managed to get an upgrade on the bride yet?”
“Watch your mouth, pretty boy,” the guard out of camera shot says.
Fitz sees the flash of concern cross my face. “Ignore Vlad. He’s sore that I’m still top of the leader board on Mario Kart.” He’s laughing when he adds, “He stabbed Alexei in the hand with a butter knife the other day just to topple him from the top spot, not thinking I’d be the one to claim it.”
My brother looks off camera when someone mutters, “I stabbed him because he has a smart mouth too.”
“Fitz,” I say, bringing his attention back to me. “Time’s ticking. I just wanted to make sure they were treating you right. Please don’t make me worry that you’re going to provoke your captors over a stupid fucking video game.”
“Sorry,” my little brother says. “I’ll behave, promise.”
How many times have I heard that?
“But the wedding’s still on?” Fitz asks, the question the first indication that his captivity isn’t agreeing with him as much as he wants me to believe.
“Plans are being made,” I say pointedly. “In fact, we’re throwing a twenty-first birthday party for Katarina the day before the wedding so it’s going to be a full weekend of celebrations.”
The biggest will be when Katarina is out of my life.
“Am I invited to her party?” asks Fitz.
“My beautiful wife-to-be wants all our family there,” I say sounding sincere.
I need to make it believable so that Katarina stands a chance of persuading Vasili to agree.
Once Fitz is safe, everything else should fall into place.
Katarina gets away from her uncle and I win Grace back, or spend the rest of my life trying.
Fitz leans forward, eyes narrowing on my goofy expression. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re in love.”
There’s no play-acting involved when I say, “I am.”