“It’s not as simple as you think—or anyone thinks.”Keira shrugged, going for somewhere between nonchalantand angsty.If they thought Dmitri was manipulating her into giving them the answers he wanted, nothing would stop Aiden from going after Romanov with everything he had.“We meet each other’s needs.It’s a mutually beneficial agreement.”She could see the disbelief simmering in her friend so she held up a hand.“I’m sober, Charlie.Actually honest-to-God sober.I haven’t had a drink or a smoke since I left.”
“Seriously?”Charlie frowned.“Doc Jones told Aiden you were through withdrawal, but it was hard to believe.”
She very carefully didn’t think of the vodka she’d stashed in her bathroom cabinet.Keira was nowhere near out of the woods, but she’d only weaken her argument if she admitted it.“It was a bitch.I don’t want to go through that shit again as long as I live.”
She still didn’t look convinced, but she sighed.“If you wanted out, you’d tell me, wouldn’t you?”
Not a chance.“Yeah, of course.I might be the purveyor of bad life choices, but I don’t have a death wish.”Not anymore.Dmitri had effectively shocked her out of the numbness that had already started melting away with Charlie’s addition into her life, and she didn’t want to check out like that again.But that didn’t mean she had a clear view of where she wanted to go.She was Dmitri’s wife, but he only saw her as his possession.
Keira was damn tired of being moved around like an inconvenient table lamp.
Charlie nodded.“In that case, I’m sure there’s some shit you want from your room.”She made a face.“We threw out your drugs and did your laundry—gross, by the way—but everything else is untouched.”
“Thanks.”There were a few things she’d left behindthat she’d wanted, and Keira grinned.“While I pack, tell me what you’ve been up to since I left.And write down your number for me again.This whole not talking to you thing has been a bitch.”
“You’re telling me.”Charlie followed her down the hallway toward her room.“We’re working on the Eldridge threat, but Aiden’s insisting on setting a June date for the wedding, so I’m having to deal with your mother for that.”
Keira winced.“My sympathies.”
“You’re telling me.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Give me one goddamn reason why I shouldn’t shoot you in the face and be done with this mess.”
Dmitri sighed.“Again with this?You won’t kill me, because not only would it upset your sister, it would destabilize the power structure in New York and allow the Eldridges to capitalize on it—and become more of a threat than they already are.Then you reallywouldhave a war on your hands.”He pinned Aiden with a disdainful look.“But you already know that, don’t you?Don’t take your frustration out on me, O’Malley.”
“It’s notfrustrationI want to take out on you.”Aiden’s entire body was tensed as if he fought to hold himself back from attacking.For a man who had renowned self-control, he wasn’t exhibiting much of it lately.He leaned forward.“You married Keira.”
“I told you I was going to.”
A muscle in Aiden’s jaw jumped.“You also told me that you’d give her a choice, or was that a goddamn lie, too?You had to have broken every single fucking speed limit to get to Boston ahead of me, and then you took her like a thief in the night.”
“I did nottakeyour sister.I offered her a choice.She chose me.”He waved a hand through the air, feigning nonchalance.“It’s a moot point now.She’s my wife.I will not relinquish her, and she has no desire to be relinquished.There are more important matters to discuss.”
“There’s nothing more important than my family.”
He and Dmitri could agree on that, though who they termed family varied significantly.“In that case, you’re about to renew our alliance against the Eldridges.Officially.”He paused.“Have you received any gifts from Mae?”
Aiden hissed out a breath and sat back.“She sent me a set of women’s hands with a ring almost identical to the family heirloom Charlie has on her finger.”His gaze sharpened.“Why?What did you get?”
“The head from the body I assume the hands were once attached to.”He waited a beat.“The dead woman bears a startling resemblance to your sister.”
“Fuck.”
“My thoughts exactly.”Just remembering the feeling that had coursed through him at the sight of that head—something akin to fear—pissed him the hell off.“She’s changing the game and isn’t playing by the rules.No one is safe, Aiden.Not Charlie, not your sisters, not your nieces and nephews.The only way to remove the threat is toremoveit.Immediately.”
For the first time since he’d walked through the door,Aiden looked at him like he was a person rather than shit on the bottom of his shoe.Progress.“I suppose you have a brilliant plan.”
“You give me a lot of credit.”Credit where credit was due.He permitted himself a small smile.“I have my best man working to find them.Someone is running their business in their absence—either that, or they haven’t gone far.”
“If they were close, you would have already found them.”No credit there, just a statement of fact.
“Da.”
“What do you need from me?”
Now we’re getting somewhere.“Your man Mark is highly motivated to see Eldridge blood run.”
