14. Killian
Killian
Before
“How long do I have to wait before you tell me what this is about?” Ash asks after we’ve spent the first ten minutes catching up on family news and the state of the economy.
“Can I not just enjoy a drink with an old friend?” I challenge, taking the whiskey he pours and sitting back against the green velvet padding of our booth. The restaurant is on the top floor of the Moncrief’s Excelsis Hotel overlooking the Chicago River.
“You’ve come a long way for drink.”
Not as far as he thinks. My current apartment is on the other side of the river, and if I squint hard enough, I can see the top of my building. But I’m not going to tell him that.
Ash and I have a shared history stretching back a decade.
He and his brothers built a multi-billion-dollar empire from the ground up, but I was the first to recognize and exploit his genius.
Together, we reinvested my family’s dirty money into legitimate projects, and he used the proceeds to help failing businesses thrive.
It was a necessary evil on his part and a cleansing act on mine.
“I thought Rory was joining us?” I reply, moving the conversation on.
Ash eyes me carefully as he sets down the whiskey bottle.
It’s the Griffins’ own label, one that’s stocked in all the Moncrief hotels.
All our families are woven into the same tapestry, hence my father’s concerns, and Katarina is the loose thread that shouldn’t be there.
I have no fucking clue yet how it’s going to unravel, but unravel it will.
“Rory?” Ash repeats. “Ah, you must mean Duke Moncrief’s older brother.”
The name drop isn’t meant to be subtle. It wouldn’t take a genius to work out I’m here to discuss Duke’s apparent alliance with the Barkovs, and as I might have mentioned, Ash is a genius.
What he doesn’t know is I’m very much aware the engagement is a cover story for the real plan to help Katarina disappear.
We’re both keeping secrets, and it’s going to make for a very interesting conversation.
“I’m surprised you’re missing him,” Ash continues. “You usually complain about him being too loud. Too clean.”
“He’s all of the above, but unlike you, he knows how to crack a smile.”
Ash checks his watch. “He was working late. Maybe he got caught in traffic.”
Rory works in this very building.
“Jesus, since when did you develop a sense of humor?” I ask. “Is this what fatherhood does to you?”
Before Ash can reply, Rory makes his entrance. His deep voice resonates across the restaurant as he exchanges pleasantries with staff and diners while making his way over to us. Everyone loves him.
“Evening, gentleman,” he says, clasping my shoulder and squeezing it. “It’s good to see you, Ki–”
I raise a finger to silence him. There was no way I was wearing my disguise with these two fuckers, and while I’m not so notorious that I’d be recognized instantly by diners, there’s still a risk our meeting could be reported back to Vasili.
I don’t like that the pakhan already has a Plan B if Katarina fails to snag a Moncrief.
“I was going to say kids,” Rory says loudly. “It’s good to see you, kids.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I mutter, shuffling along the booth. “Sit down and lower your voice, you big idiot.”
“What have I missed?” Rory asks.
I’m wondering the same when I catch Ash narrowing his eyes at me. Did I just give myself away somehow? “Why would you be so sensitive about Rory repeating your name?”
“I would have thought that was obvious,” I reply, a little too defensively.
Our friendship has never been broadly advertised.
It wouldn’t do for the public to know the Griffins get their hands dirty now and again, and Mace Griffin puts a lot of effort into keeping the gossip out of the press.
He must be very busy at present because news of Duke and Katarina’s engagement is clearly being suppressed.
If the photos of them leaving the restaurant the other day were posted online, they’re not there now.
When Ash continues to wait for a fuller answer, I tip my head in Rory’s direction. “Maybe I’m a little touchy right now about his family joining forces with my family’s enemy.”
“Ah, you have nothing to fear,” Rory says. “It’ll fizzle out before they get to the altar.”
“Yeah, well, someone might need to convince my dad of that.”
“Like Rory says, it’ll run its course,” Ash replies.
“And I repeat, someone needs to convince my dad instead of offering empty platitudes.” I pour Rory a generous measure of whiskey. “How involved is Duke?”
Ash and Rory share a look. Is this where they tell me about faking Katarina’s death?
“It’s not as serious as Vasili would like to believe,” Ash insists.
I turn to face Rory so I’m less open to Ash’s scrutiny when I ask, “Is he sleeping with her?”
I know I’m a shit for asking, but it’s not Katarina I’m questioning. Not really. It’s Duke. And maybe my judgement too. I go weak at the knees just looking at her. She could tell me the sky was green and I’d believe her.
Rory opens and closes his mouth, but no words come out. The more flustered he gets, the worse I feel. He’s only struggling because the answer is obviously no. They’re not sleeping together.
I’m the big idiot.
“Could you blame Duke?” Ash asks. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. You would if you could.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” I snap, my blood pressure shooting through the roof.
It takes a second to register that the so-called confirmation I didn’t want to hear was framed as a question.
Ash didn’t want to outright lie about them sleeping together so he’d tagged it with the comment about me wanting to fuck her too.
At least I can use that part to explain my sudden anger.
“My dad would drop me from a great height for riding a Barkov.” Needing to deflect the lie, I poke a finger at Rory. “And your dad should disown Duke.”
“Duke and Katarina’s relationship isn’t all it seems,” Rory insists.
He’s always been easier to crack than Ash.
“There’s no romantic involvement. Not at all.
” His voice lowers, a rarity for him, when he adds, “Duke’s heart belongs to someone else.
Their engagement is just a ruse to stop Vasili sending Katarina back to Russia. ”
“The details of which needn’t concern you,” Ash interjects, shooting Rory a glare to shut him up. “And I’d appreciate it if you kept that strictly to yourself. You just need to assure your dad there’s an expiry date to the engagement and it won’t end in a marriage.”
I knock back my drink before I speak. “How long do you plan on keeping up the pretense?” How long do I have left with my Kitty?
“At the moment it’s hard to say, but we’re well aware everyone’s patience is wearing thin. Mine included,” Ash adds, his jaw twitching beneath his beard. I was right. We’re pissing everyone off. “We’re talking weeks, not months.”
The whiskey turns sour in my stomach. Ash could have said years and it still wouldn’t have been enough. I won’t settle for anything less than eternity.
When I force myself to relax back in my seat, Rory blows out a breath.
He sends a look Ash’s way, which Ash pretends not to see because he knows I’m watching them.
Rory is built like a Celtic god, as are all the Moncrief men, and with the right training he’d be tough to beat.
What he lacks is the killer instinct. He’s a perfectly crafted sword without an edge. A big softie.
“So…” I say, enjoying the feeling of being back in control. “Time to share the gossip. What the fuck do you mean, Duke’s heart belongs to someone else?”
Ash curses under his breath. “Forget you heard that.”
“Sure, I will,” I say, reaching for the bottle and refilling three drained glasses. I lift Rory’s to his waiting hand. “You were saying…”
“For fuck’s sake…” Ash growls.
“What? I thought we were friends? I swear to God I won’t tell a soul. Dad included.” True. There’s only one person I’d share juicy information with, and she’s the first to admit she doesn’t have a soul.
I nudge Rory. “Ah, go on. I know you’d tell me if Ash wasn’t here. And it’s not like he isn’t a sucker for a good love story. His and Belle’s story most of all.” I chance a look at Ash’s deepening scowl. “Especially the part where I helped save his wee girl.”
“Remind me why we’re still friends.”
“Because once you do a deal with us, my dad considers it a lifelong bond that can’t be broken.”
“There is that,” Ash says dryly.
“And I’m a lovable rogue who may not always do the right thing, but I fuck up in style.”
“For pity’s sake, Rory, tell him something to shut him up,” Ash says, then adds. “Edited highlights only.”
“There’s a girl,” Rory says, settling back to tell the tale.
“Duke met her in Philadelphia about a year ago. It was a one night thing, but she had a lasting effect on him. Meeting her gave him the push he needed to rebuild his life after his accident. She’s a legend as far as our family’s concerned, and now she’s just turned up here in Chicago. ”
An image resurfaces of Duke staring at a woman outside a restaurant and Max giving chase. Was she the legend from Duke’s past? It’s a love story in the making, I’m sure, but I’m more concerned with how her arrival might impact Katarina’s position as Duke’s fiancée.
I adjust my features so my expression is one of only mild curiosity. “I assume our Bratva princess doesn’t know of the existence of… Does she have a name?”
“Yes,” Ash says bluntly before Rory can spill the tea.
“Fine, don’t tell me. But what happens next?”
“It’s best you don’t know,” Ash says. “I owe Katarina a debt of gratitude for helping me get my family back, but Duke shouldn’t be the one to pay the price. She’s become uncooperative of late and if he decides to end the engagement, no one’s going to blame him.”
That’s not what I want to hear. “No one except a certain pakhan. There’ll be reprisals if Duke goes back on his word,” I warn. “Especially if Vasili finds out Duke’s relationship with…”
On cue, Rory fills the gap. “Grace.”
Ash curses under his breath.
“Grace, the legend,” I repeat. “Interesting.”
“Like I said, this should all be resolved in the next few weeks,” Ash says. “Worst case, for Katarina at least, is she’s recalled back to Russia and Vasili completes a deal with another interested party.”
My jaw feathers. My self-control has limits. “Who?”
“A guy called Eric Peterson,” Ash says, confirming the name I already know. It’s details I’m after. “He’s South African, but his base is an island in the South Pacific.”
“Blokes who own their own island are usually up to no good.”
Rory clears his throat and gives me a look.
“Oh, shit. I forgot you bought an island too,” I say with a smirk. “Ah, don’t worry. I won’t ask what you get up to now you’re divorced.”
“Mostly I battle the elements rebuilding castle walls and broken roofs.”
“Yeah, I don’t suppose the Outer Hebrides has much of an appeal to young girls in skimpy bikinis.”
“Which brings us neatly back to Eric,” Ash interrupts.
“Mace has been trying to dig up information on him. We know he was acquainted with Ilya Barkov, but any business dealings between the two have been hidden too well.” As is normally the case between human traffickers and people with too much money.
“All I’d say is circumstantially, it doesn’t look good. ”
“What else do you know about him?”
“On the face of it, he’s squeaky clean,” says Ash. “He’s a successful entrepreneur with no obvious explanation for how his wealth has grown exponentially over recent years. Have you ever heard of him?”
Only from Katarina. “No, but if he’s making deals with the Barkovs, that makes him an automatic enemy of ours,” I say with venom I thankfully don’t need to hide.
Rory grabs the whiskey bottle and offers to fill my glass. “You do know we’re only getting involved with the Bratva to give Katarina a short reprieve,” he says. “We’re still friends, right?”
I’m genuinely affronted. “Always.”
As long as he and his family don’t do anything to jeopardize Katarina’s position.