Chapter 22
Constance
The drive to Monroe’s is slow and aggravating, the streets a snarl of traffic and pedestrians. The closer I get, the heavier the air feels, like the fire left something behind besides a pile of ashes.
The back of my neck prickles, like some kind of instinct. One I’ve ignored too many times lately.
I tell myself it’s just nerves, that Maximo is unreasonably cautious in wanting me to have him or his guards with me for every little errand.
In the city, I have to use a public parking deck two blocks away from the restaurant because some asshole is blocking the alley leading to my usual parking space.
I try to pick out the insurance agent as I walk down the block towards the ruins.
I’ve only spoken to him twice over the phone, but never in person, so when a tall, well-dressed man in a charcoal suit steps forward to greet me on the sidewalk, I don’t think twice.
“Ms. Monroe?” he asks smoothly.
“Yes.”
“I’m Alex Crispin. We spoke on the phone. Please, let’s step inside. The inspector is already here waiting for us.”
I follow him through the front entrance of the restaurant.
The police tape warning “do not cross” has been cut and is fluttering in the afternoon breeze.
The fire completely destroyed the kitchen and the upstairs apartment above it but had spared most of the front dining room.
The walls are scorched, and soot stains the windows, but the tables and chairs are still there, lonely ghosts haunting the ruins of my old life.
“Where is the inspector?” I ask as my eyes adjust to the gloom. The electricity has been shut off, so the only light is the afternoon sun shining dimly through the stained front glass.
“He must have stepped into the kitchen, just back here,” Alex replies. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.
We step deeper inside the burned remains. From here, I can see the back of the restaurant, including the part the fire gutted completely. Blackened beams jut from the ceiling, and beyond them, in the shadow of the wreckage, shapes begin to move.
My stomach drops as Kirill Volkov emerges from the darkness, flanked by three of his men.
I freeze, then clutch at my purse, cursing myself for leaving my gun at Maximo’s. Carrying it and the knife is still completely foreign to me. It hadn’t occurred to me that I might need it here, today. Maximo is going to be pissed. I just hope I live long enough to see his wrath.
“Well,” Kirill says with a grin. “You came back. I was starting to think you didn’t like me.”
“Alex Crispin” has stopped a few paces behind me, telling me he was in on this setup the whole time. The floor threatens to collapse under my feet. I’m so stupid and careless. I should’ve trusted my gut.
“Of course he’s not the insurance agent,” I say quietly. I walked straight into their hands, just like they wanted.
I look around, frantic, as the other men fan out around me.
“No, he’s not,” Kirill answers.
Two of his men come around me, blocking the doorway behind me. Kirill’s grin widens. “We were supposed to have a drink together the other night, remember? But you left before we had a chance to talk.”
“The only words I have for you are go fuck yourself you murderous piece of shit! You killed my father!” I spit.
“That’s one of the reasons I brought you here, today. I owe you an apology, Constance. Sit.” He gestures to one of the intact tables behind me. When I don’t move, one of his men pulls out a chair anyway and places a hand on my shoulder.
Reluctantly, I sit.
Kirill leans on the table, his voice dropping.
“First of all, let me reassure you, I don’t mean any harm to you, Constance.
And it was not my intention to kill your father.
It was a tragic error. I gave my crew specific orders to make sure no one was home before they burned any of Luciani’s businesses.
But, mistakes happen, like this tragedy. For that, you have my condolences.”
His voice is soft, almost gentle, and somehow that makes it worse.
“To hell with you and your condolences, you bastard! You started this war, and every bit of blood that has been spilled is on your hands. Maximo is going to drive you out of this city, and I hope I’m there when he puts a bullet in your fucking head.”
“Believe me,” he murmurs, “if I intended harm, you’d already be on the floor. Both Maximo and I go out of our way to prevent casualties. No one minds when an occasional gangster gets killed, but beautiful young people like you showing up dead…well, that brings the wrong kind of attention.”
“What, you’re just going to let me go? Don’t bother lying. Why trick me and drag me all the way out here if you aren’t going to…” My voice trails off, unable to give voice to the horrors that this man may have planned for me.
Kirill sighs heavily and pulls out a chair which he dusts off with his hand before sitting down.
“I want to talk to you about Maximo. I like him. He’s…
capable. Ambitious. I envision a place for him in the city’s new hierarchy, under the Volkov family, of course.
A subsidiary, if you will. We would redistrict the territories so our enterprises wouldn’t interfere with one another, and there would be no more need for violence. Everyone gets a piece of the pie.”
I laugh once, sharp and bitter. “Maximo will never agree to that. Not as your subordinate.”
Kirill’s eyes glint in a stray sunbeam. “Ah, but that’s where you come in. You are quite right that Maximo may find my proposition unreasonable. But love makes men see reason… and when reason fails, fear does the rest.”
The air between us goes still, heavy. I don’t need him to spell it out. He’s going to use me as fucking leverage over Maximo.
Heat rushes to my face. If he controls me, he controls Maximo. And Kirill knows it.
“Come, let’s continue this discussion someplace less bleak…
” Kirill says as he gets to his feet. He’s interrupted by the squealing of tires as a black Escalade jumps the curb just outside the front windows.
Kirill tilts his head as if he hears something I don’t.
A small, satisfied smile curves his mouth before he says, “Right on schedule.”
“Grab her and step out front,” Kirill commands his men, who immediately haul me to my feet. “Let’s make sure there are plenty of witnesses in case Maximo’s temper gets the best of him.”
Rough hands grab me and shove me towards the door, but all I can think about is if Maximo is angry enough, he won’t hesitate.
And right now, his anger is the only thing I can count on.