Jackson narrowed his eyes at Nikolas.“She can’t leave.She knows too much about us all.”
Squeezy frowned.“Knows what?”
Jackson amended, looking straight at Nikolas, “She knows too much about you.Can you afford such a loose cannon out there?”
Nikolas traced a pattern on the table for a moment.He missed Ben being there and reading his mind, Ben saying immediately,
“No, Nik, we’re not killing her.”
Didnothaving Ben there to say this mean he could do it and get away with it?Did he really want to kill Kate?He had a while ago.Would have if something hadn’t come up to distract him.Literally.
He picked up his stuck-together phone and contemplated it for a moment.
* * *
Kate had excellent security at her apartment so Nikolas was very well aware she knew who it was at the door.He also understood he was, consequently, on CCTV.But it was still a huge risk for her letting him in.But then she couldn’t run anywhere he wouldn’t find her.She opened the door, as he’d known she would, and stood back, allowing him to precede her to the main room.
“Do you want a drink?”
Nikolas nodded, staring out at the impressive view.“Nice apartment.”
“Thank you.My boss pays me well.”
“Perhaps he values you.Your loyalty.”
“Perhaps he values his privacy, keeping his secrets.”
Nikolas nodded.“Perhaps.There’s another alternative, however.He may value your friendship.”
“He’s a very difficult man to befriend.”
“Yes, I can imagine he would be.A dangerous man to cross as well.”
“Yes.”She handed him his drink and stood alongside him.“What are you thinking?”
“That I could snap you in half without breaking into a sweat.You’re so incredibly frail compared to me.”She quivered as if with an unconscious urge to flee, but he laid a hand gently on her arm.“And I then thought about your camera security system.Lastly, it occurred to me that should such snapping occur, I would then not have you to take care of it for me—as you’ve taken care of me for so many years.”
“I betrayed you.”
“You admit it so readily?”
“Only weak people make excuses for the bad things they do.”
He nodded, this thought interesting him.He drank the whisky in one long swallow and handed her the empty glass.
“I have a job for you.Some research.”
Her brows rose in surprise before she could calm her expression.
“I want you to read about a man called Sergei Dubov and his son.Consider carefully if you want to return to work for me and what another betrayal might mean for you.If you’re happy with those terms, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She followed him out with her eyes; he could feel them upon his back, then sensed observation from the security system as he left.Then, he had no doubt, she went to her computer to comply with his request.
* * *
Kate ran her finger around the edge of the tumbler Nikolas had drunk from, making the exquisite cut-glass screech as if in pain.
Nikolas had given it to her—one flawless glass, and a story of its provenance that had made her eyes run with tears of laughter.She wondered if he remembered.Of course he did.He remembered everything.
