Chapter 15
MILA
I feel like he’s jerking me around, and not in a good way.
But, I need to figure out a way for him to start playing around so I can find what I came for and get the hell away.
The fact that he has the most adorable little girl is weighing heavily on my options.
“I don’t know what to do,” I whine to Tyler on my drive to the department store. “For fuck’s sake, he gave me money to buy whatever I want. He told me to get a phone and clothes, and even let me drive one of his cars.”
This is a pretty sweet ride. A brand new BMW with all of the bells and whistles.
He just showed up with it yesterday and dropped the keys in my hand.
I’m not sure if I believe him that he had it stored at another location.
The stickers are still covering the floor mats.
“I think he bought this for me.” My tone is hushed in awe with the thought hits me. I’ve never had anyone care for me like this. I’ve always been the one to protect.
It’s giving me this full feeling in my chest that I can’t shake. Something I’ve never experienced. It happens every damn time I’m in the same room as Nikolai. Or around his beautiful daughter.
“So, what the hell, Mila? Are you in love with this guy? Because Ivan still has Daniil.” Tyler sounds exasperated. “I didn’t want to tell you, but I had another meeting with Kirill. He had new pictures. An ear, Mila. Ivan Van Gogh’d Daniil.”
My stomach rolls as rage fights to win. “I’m going to kill that bastard for touching him!”
“You need to finish the mission,” Tyler says flatly. “That’s the only way.”
“I’ve been beating my head against a wall with him. At first, I thought that the tears worked. Not anymore. Then I tried the cooking thing. Now, he just orders in every night.” I can’t believe I’m failing at this when it’s the most critical.
He lets out a long sigh. “Maybe you need to seduce him.”
“I’m not opposed to that plan. But, he doesn’t seem interested in that, either.” Rubbing my temple doesn’t make the pain in my head go away. “Maybe you need to try.”
Tyler laughs. “I don’t think that I’d be very believable.”
I’m close, I can feel it. Like I’m trying to chase a thread of smoke to find the fire.
“I’ll keep trying. I don’t have any choice.”
“You know, Mila. You might have to try torturing him,” he says quietly.
Elena’s smiling face pops into my mind. I’ve gotten to know her better the last few days, and I don’t know if I’m ready to hurt her dad.
“Maybe. But, not yet. I’m going to pick up a burner and text you from it. Load the mirroring software on there for me.” If I can get a hold of Nikolai’s phone, that will help to figure out his patterns.
“Have you managed to hack the cameras around his boss’s casino?” I want to get Tyler’s attention off of me needing to hurt Nikolai. I’m not sure why, but I don’t see Nikolai as just another “mark”.
“Fuck no,” he grumbles. “Someone has that place sealed up tighter than the Kremlin during Stalin.”
“How is that possible?” I’ve never known Tyler to fail at hacking. Whoever they have working for them must be top notch.
“I don’t know. I’m working on it.” He curses too quietly for me to hear him before he cuts the call.
When I get back to the house, I don’t see Nikolai’s Hellcat.
But, Svetlana’s car is here, so I know Elena is, too.
She’s the highlight of this entire mission.
Over the last few days, I’ve been able to spend a lot of time with her, and I’ve loved every second of it.
Svetlana, on the other hand, is starting to really get under my skin.
I think she has old ties to some questionable families back in Russia.
She doesn’t seem like a spy, but then again, neither do I.
Elena sees me carrying in my bags and follows me to my bedroom. Her palm smoothes over a shirt I bought that has two-sided sequins coloring. “This is so pretty! Can I try it on?”
She works her hand back and forth, shifting it from light to dark.
“Of course! I bet it would look amazing on you!” I don’t bother tearing off the tag, but slide it right over her top.
It falls past her hips and almost looks like a shiny dress.
Elena giggles and twirls holding her arms out.
I clap my hands and give her my best diva voice. “It looks beautiful on you, darling.”
She jumps up and down, making it shimmer in the bedroom lights.
Stopping, her little mouth makes an “o”. “I bet this would look better in the sun!”
“Let’s go see.” I follow her down the hall to the big plate glass windows in the living room.
She shrieks and prances in the bright Vegas afternoon pouring in.
Svetlana steps out of the kitchen with her fists digging into her hips. “You look like a whore. Just like your mother.” She speaks in Russian to Elena.
Elena wilts beneath her barrage. “Mne zhal'”
She’s apologizing?
That old bitch should be the one who says she’s sorry.
What the hell do I do? They don’t think I know the language.
“Why is she sad?” I point angrily at Elena who’s pulling my shirt over her head.
The woman crosses her arms over her thick bosom. “That is not lady-like. You shouldn’t be encouraging that…that…” She gestures briskly at the tearful little girl. “Style.” She finishes with a snort.
I’m tempted to kill her.
She’s been alone with this sweet child for how long?
Does Nikolai know how Svetlana is treating Elena? He seems to act like his daughter is special to him, so why is he letting this happen?
Maybe he doesn’t know.
I hate this. There’s a need inside of me to protect Elena from this person. It’s in my nature. It’s how I treat my brother, I’ve spent my life doing just that.
But, I can’t rock the boat.
“Fine. Don’t you have some dinner to cook?” Holding out my hand for the tearful kid, we head upstairs to the playroom.
“I don’t feel much like toys. I’m gonna read.” Elena wipes her teary cheek and picks up one of her books.
“I get it.” I squat down next to her. “But, remember, the only person that really knows what makes you happy—” I point at her chest. “—is you. No one else. You should be able to wear clothes that bring a smile to your face. I think Svetlana is just mad because she knows she couldn’t wear that shirt.” I give her a big smile, trying to encourage her to do the same.
She chews on her lip, and nods.
“Have you told your dad what she says to you?” I try to talk low.
The old woman is sneaky for being heavyset.
Elena shrugs. “He’s busy. It’s okay. I won’t dress like that around her.” Fresh tears tremble in the edge of her eyes. “Maybe you shouldn’t either, so Svetlana doesn’t get mad at you.”
I want to scream and throw things.
Elena reminds me of myself.
Teetering on the edge of broken. No one saw just how hard I was struggling to keep me and my brother safe.
It makes me want to wrap her up.
With renewed energy, I stand up. “You read, I’ll see what I can do.”
Finding the diamonds is even more important. Because as soon as I have them, I’m going to make sure the last thing I do before I leave Vegas is make sure Svetlana never comes back here.
I’m sure it’s the one thing Nikolai may forgive me for when this is all over. It could be my lifeline.
She’s not in the hall when I sneak down to Nikolai’s office.
The door is unlocked, but I reflexively look for traps.
Why would he do that when his own daughter could come in here?
Shaking my head at myself, I push into the dark room and quietly close myself in.
There has to be something in here that is a clue to where they are keeping the diamonds.
A picture of Nikolai and a woman who looks eerily like Elena is on his desk.
She’s holding a baby.
That must be his wife.
My chest aches for him. He might be made out of granite, but I see how he melts for his little girl.
I wonder if he was soft for her mom?
It’s hard to picture him being the type to whisper sweet nothings.
Maybe he likes it rough?
Careful. If he starts throwing me around, I might fall in love.
He’s been the perfect gentleman, so there’s no danger of that.
Remembering how fierce he was throwing men around that night he ‘rescued’ me makes my pussy clench.
I’m tempted to piss him off, just to see if he’ll grab me around the throat.
Not today.
Digging through the drawers of his desk, I can’t seem to find anything talking about what I’m looking for.
Nothing that indicates code words either.
But, what the fuck is this?
Nikolai Volkov?
As in, Ivan Volkov?
Shit.
Damn it.
No way.
A part of me hopes that Nikolai is a nephew. Or completely unrelated.
Their noses, their foreheads, their jaws…identical.
I can’t delude myself. Nikolai is Ivan’s son.
He’s so different though.
Ivan exudes evil.
Nikolai is warm, caring, and willingly opened his home to keep me safe. I’m a total stranger to him.
What the hell am I getting mixed up in that Ivan put out a hit on his own son?
He allowed me, a contract killer, in the home with his grand-daughter. That in itself is another reason that man needs to die.
Bile rises hot in my throat.
I’m going to be sick.
Flinging the door open, I almost run directly into Svetlana.
“You shouldn’t be in there.” Acid drips from her words. “I’m telling Mr. Nikolai. He will make you, and your whorish clothes, leave.”
She turns away.
I can’t stop myself. Grabbing the small light off of the end of Nikolai’s desk, I snap the cord around her throat and jerk her backwards into the room.
Please don’t let Elena come out and see this.
Svetlana tries to claw at my hands, but this isn’t the first time I’ve done this. Digging my knees into her back, my arms shake with the effort of cutting off her air.
One of her hands flies out and strikes the wall with a dull thump, but her struggles are getting weaker.
Fucking bitch. She deserves this for how she treated Elena.
I keep the snare tight until her body goes limp.
Then I hold on for another count of sixty for good measure.
Wiggling out from under her, she lays flat, unmoving.
Her eyes look like they’re bulging out of her face.
Zero regrets.
I have to call Tyler.
It takes all of my strength to drag Svetlana fully into the office.
Walking past Elena’s playroom, I make sure she’s happily occupied before going into my own room.
“Mila? What’s the problem? It isn’t our scheduled time.” Tyler’s voice betrays a hint of panic.
“I killed the nanny.”
“Shit. Did anyone see you? Where are you?” Something shuffles in the background.
Hopefully it’s him getting ready to come and help me.
“No. But, I'm at the house. I don’t know how long Nikolai will be away. We need to get her out of here yesterday.” As mean as she was to Eleana, years ago would have been the best option.
“Copy. Are there any cameras on sight? I might be able to get a hardline if they need wiped.” An engine starts up, muffling his voice.
“I think the only one I know of is at the entrance. But, you’ll need to clear it after you leave.” I hope we can pull this off. If Nikolai finds us getting rid of the body, I might have to resort to skipping straight to capturing him.
More likely, mortally wounding him in hopes he gives up the information to keep Elena safe.
From me.
Ugh. That makes my stomach roll.
I have to save my brother. He’s the priority.
If it comes down to him or Nikolai, neither of those options make me feel better.
What can I do to keep her occupied?
“The body is in the upstairs office. I’ll keep the daughter entertained.” It feels so formal saying it like that.
“I’ll be there in less than five.” Tyler clicks the line dead.
My arms and legs tingle as I work my way back to Elena.
Her dark eyes look up when I step into the room.
“I have an idea,” I whisper. “Svetlana is in the bathroom. Want to hide out with me and do a fashion show? We can bring some of your costumes.”
A toothy smile, revealing the missing one, lights up her face. “Even my princess dress?” she squeals, then quickly quiets herself.
I put my finger over my mouth to hush her.
Dead women can’t hear the happy sounds of children, but Elena doesn’t need to know that.
Her little palms clap onto her lips and she jumps up to her make-believe box.
She soundlessly stuffs my arms full of puffy dresses and fairy wings before we sneak into my room.
Exploding into giggles when the latch clicks, she rushes to me and pulls out a bright pink tutu and drops to the floor to slide her legs in.
We get lost in fancy clothes and laughter until I get a text from Tyler.
Tyler: there were TWO cameras, but I got them both
Me: Good. What did you do with the item?
Tyler: Have a contact that does helicopter tours over the Hoover Dam. It’s going to be dropped into the turbines after dark.
That’s so perfect.
Svetlana fish food.