Chapter 21Valerian
21
Valerian
T he vibration of my phone makes it skim across the mahogany desk, the harsh buzz cutting through the oppressive silence of my study. I blink hard, my eyes burning from hours of staring at the mountain of financial projections and merger documents Alexei has been badgering me about all week.
“Sir,” he had insisted earlier, his usually stoic face creased with concern, “These require your immediate attention. The Steele Industries merger won’t wait forever.”
Now, as I massage my temple with one hand, the other reaching for the phone, I think how Matvey’s threats have consumed my focus lately. The screen’s harsh glow illuminates my face in the dimming evening light, and what I see makes my blood turn to slush in my veins. My fingertips go numb against the cool glass of the screen, and my jaw tightens until it aches.
The first photo shows Claire standing outside the flower shop, her golden hair catching the sunlight. She looks vulnerable, an easy target. The second picture is of her and her parents entering the prison on a day they visited Jay, letting me know Petrov is now aware of that link as well.
The final image is the worst. It’s an intimate shot of Claire and me kissing through the window of my mansion. My muscles tense as the realization sinks in that the Petrov Syndicate hasn’t only been watching Claire, but they’ve also breached my property’s security.
The message is clear. They know how much she means to me, and they’ll use her against me.
Rage bubbles beneath the surface, but I force myself to remain calm. I take a calculated breath and call Dmitri.
“We have a problem,” I say, my voice low and lethal. “Double the guards, and I want every camera on my property reviewed. Now.”
“What happened?” he asks, his tone instantly alert.
“The Petrovs have been watching us. They’ve gotten photos of Claire at the flower shop and the prison, and...” I pause, gritting my teeth. I feel so violated I can barely say the words as rage fills me. “And of us at the mansion.”
Dmitri swears in Russian. “How the hell did they get that close?”
“That’s what I want to know. I want a full security sweep. Every inch of the property, inside and out, and I want it done yesterday.”
“Consider it done,” he says. “What about Claire?”
I close my eyes, picturing her face. “I’m bringing her home in a minute. She’s not safe out there anymore.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” he asks cautiously. “Keeping her close might make her more of a target.”
“And leaving her out there makes her an easy one,” I snap. “At least here, I can protect her.”
There’s a pause on the other end of the line. “Understood. I’ll send a team to pick her up.”
“No,” I say firmly. “I’ll get her myself. Have the security team meet me at the flower shop in twenty minutes.”
“That could be just what…” He trails off, obviously accepting there’s no point arguing with me. “Sure, boss.”
I end the call and stand, straightening my suit jacket. As I move toward the door, Alexei looks up from his stack of papers.
“Everything alright, boss?” he asks with a frown.
“No,” I say shortly, “But it will be. Hold down the fort and handle any issues that arise with the Steele merger. I’ll be back soon.”
I stride out of the office, my heart speeding . How did the Petrovs get so close without us noticing? And more importantly, what are they planning to do with this information? As I step into the elevator, I pull out my phone and dial Claire’s number. It rings three times before she picks up.
“Valerian?” Her voice is warm and curious. “Is everything okay?”
“Claire,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “I need you to listen carefully. I’m coming to pick you up from the flower shop. Don’t leave, and don’t talk to anyone you don’t know. Understand?”
There’s a pause, and I can almost see her brow contracting in confusion. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll explain everything when I get there. Just stay safe. Please.” I think to add, “I’ll be sure there are more people keeping your parents safe too.”
“Okay,” she says softly. “I’ll be here.”
I end the call as the elevator doors open to the parking garage. My BMW roars to life, and I peel out onto the street, paying little heed to the traffic around me.
The twenty-minute drive to Bloom House feels like an eternity. Every red light is an agony, and every slow driver is an obstacle between me and Claire’s safety. When I finally pull up in front of the flower shop, I spot her immediately through the window, arranging a bouquet of lilies.
I’m out of the car in seconds, striding toward the door. The bell chimes as I enter, and Claire looks up, her eyes widening at something she must see in my expression.
“Valerian,” she says, setting down the flowers. “What’s wrong?”
I cross the shop in three long strides, pulling her into my arms. She stiffens for a moment, then relaxes against me. I breathe in the scent of her hair, allowing myself this brief moment of comfort before the storm that’s coming.
“We need to go,” I murmur against her hair. “Now.”
She pulls back, searching my face. “You’re scaring me. What’s happening?”
I cup her face in my hands, brushing my thumb down her cheek. “I promise I’ll explain everything, but right now, we need to leave. It’s not safe here.”
She nods slowly, trust warring with fear in her eyes. “Okay. Let me just grab my purse and tell my mom?—”
“No time,” I say, already guiding her toward the door. “I’ll have someone call her. We need to go now.”
As we step outside, I see my security team pulling up in black SUVs. Half of them will stay here to keep her parents safe, and the rest will accompany us back to the mansion. It’s more defensible than the penthouse. I usher Claire into the passenger seat of my car, then turn to address the team leader.
“Secure the shop,” I order. “Make sure her family is safe. I want round-the-clock surveillance on this place and their home. Understood?”
The man nods sharply. “Yes, sir.”
I slide into the driver’s seat, glancing at Claire. She’s pale, and her hands are clasped tightly in her lap. As I start the engine, she turns to me. “Please Tell me what’s going on.”
I inhale and exhale, struggling to sound calm. “The Petrov Syndicate has been watching us. They know about you, about us. They’re going to try to use you against me.”
Claire’s sharp intake of breath is the only sound for a long moment. Then, quietly, she asks, “What are we going to do?”
I reach over and take her hand, squeezing it gently. “We’re going to keep you safe,” I say firmly. “And then I’m going to make them regret ever threatening what’s mine.”
As we speed toward the mansion, cold fury settles over me. The Petrovs have made a grave mistake. They think Claire is my weakness, but they’re wrong. She’s my strength, and they’re about to learn just how dangerous that makes me.
Once we’re home, I get Claire settled at the mansion, leaving her on a phone call with her mother as she tries to explain what she can and soothe Linda’s fears. I don’t go far, just to my office in the mansion, but leave the door open so I can see her on the couch.
I’m staring at her while pacing when Dmitri strides in, his face a mask of controlled anger. He’s carrying a thick folder, which he drops on my desk with a heavy thud. “We have a problem,” he says, looking tense and sounding furious.
I drop into my chair, studying him. “What kind of problem?”
He opens the folder, spreading out several printouts of security camera footage. “There are gaps in our surveillance. Sections of footage missing during the most likely timeframe when that photo of you and Claire was taken.”
I scan the documents. Sure enough, there are clear time jumps in the footage, sometimes lasting several minutes. They sent one picture but have likely obtained at least an hour or two of footage of our private lives over the course of their violation. “Someone hacked our system to take the photos?”
“I’d say the photos were taken with a telephoto lens, so someone was physically on the property, but the missing footage has only one explanation…” Dmitri nods grimly. “It had to be a hacker deleting it. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing. They left no trace, and no digital fingerprints. I’ve personally vetted the team tasked with electronic surveillance here on the estate, and there’s no way any of them were turned to do this.”
I drum my fingers on the desk, willing to accept Dmitri’s words about our people. He takes security very seriously. There’s only one person I know with that level of skill, who doesn’t already work for me. “Yuri,” I mutter.
“Kastaneva?” Dmitri raises an eyebrow. “I thought he was working for us, digging into Petrov’s network?”
“He was supposed to be indirectly, though he pretends to be neutral.” I stand, pacing behind my desk. “Set up a meeting with him. Now.”
Dmitri pulls out his phone, stepping away to make the call. I turn to the window, staring out at the skyline without really seeing it. If Yuri has betrayed me, the consequences will be severe, but first, I need answers.
An hour later, Yuri Kastaneva is escorted into my office. He’s a small man with thinning hair and thick glasses, looking more like an accountant than one of the most skilled hackers in the criminal underworld.
“Mr. Rostova,” he says, his voice wavering slightly. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
I gesture for him to sit, then lean against the front of my desk, looming over him. “You tell me, Yuri. Have you been hacking my systems for Petrov?”
Yuri’s eyes widen behind his glasses. “What? No! I would never?—”
“Don’t lie to me,” I growl, cutting him off. “Someone breached our security, and you’re one with the skills to do it without leaving a trace.”
Yuri shakes his head vehemently. “I swear, Mr. Rostova, I haven’t betrayed you. I won’t forget what you did for my nephew when he made his…impulsive decision. I’m still working on hacking Petrov’s network, just as you asked.”
I study him for a long moment, searching for any sign of deception. “And how is that going?”
He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “It’s challenging. Petrov has paranoia-level grade encryptions. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“What is he hiding?” I ask, more to myself than to Yuri.
“I don’t know.” He pushes up his glasses. “Whatever it is, he’s protecting it with everything he’s got.”
I push off the desk, circling around the hacker like a predator. “Keep digging. I want to know everything Petrov is trying to hide, and, Yuri?” I stop behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He flinches at the contact. “If I find out you’re lying to me, what happened to your nephew will seem like a pleasant memory compared to what I’ll do to you. You won’t be banished, and if you’re sent to Siberia, it’ll be in pieces. Understand?”
He swallows hard, nodding. “I understand, Mr. Rostova. I won’t let you down.”
“See that you don’t.” I wave my hand dismissively. “You can go.”
As Yuri scurries out of the office, Dmitri approaches me. “Do you believe him?”
I shrug. “For now but keep an eye on him. If he so much as looks at a computer that isn’t directly related to Petrov’s network, I want to know about it.”
Dmitri nods. “And what about Jay? Do you think he might have more information?”
“Possibly,” I say, moving back to my desk. “He’s still recovering, so I’ll give him a few more days before we start asking questions.”
I sink into my chair, my mind whirling with possibilities. If Yuri is telling the truth, then who hacked our systems? And what is Petrov hiding behind those impenetrable firewalls? Maybe it’s nothing that affects me, but I’ve made it my business to know everything about Petrov, and now that he’s crossed the line and threatened Claire, I’m even more determined to learn all his secrets.