This is bigger. Darker.
If everything Tony and Nikolai had said was true, that probably meant that whoever had offed his father, whoever had set the bomb for Autumn and Tristan…
Had been a cop.
Someone who’d worked with his father. Someone who might even have shaken Seth’s hand at the funeral. Someone still walking around with a badge, still trusted, still protected by the system.
Seth froze, then shoved down his reaction. He shouldn’t tip off Nikolai. “What else do you know about Specter’s organization?”
He shrugged. “Not enough.”
Nik wasn’t in a good spot, but Seth couldn’t get involved. “I get you, but I left this shit behind. I’m only here for a few days, then I’m flying back to LA.”
“You owe me.”
That pissed Seth off. “I don’t. You gave me one name eight years ago. I paid my debt to you—many times over. You wanted people gone, and I made that happen. We’re even.”
“It is not so simple. I heard when you arrived yesterday. In September, too.” Nikolai’s smile was cold. “If I am aware of such things, do you not think they are, too? Be careful, my friend. You have as much to lose as you did eight years ago, no?”
The warning slammed through Seth. He thought of Heavenly upstairs, possibly carrying their child. Of Beck, who’d become as much of a brother as his other siblings. Of Hudson, the son he was just learning to love.
Nikolai was right—he had everything to lose now.
“Jesus.” He raked a hand through his hair.
He’d suspected someone could still be watching him, but Nikolai confirming that? And if Seth’s suspicions were right, if it was a cop, the dirty son of a bitch could be getting the information about his comings and goings from anywhere. From anyone.
“This is not a me-problem. If you hear something, you call,” Nikolai demanded.
As much as Seth hated to, he nodded. “If I hear anything concrete, yeah.”
“Good. Tell your nervous friend Tony to be careful. People watch him.”
Seth’s guts seized. It had been one thing for Tony to suspect that, but another altogether for Nikolai to know it. “He’s aware.”
Nikolai nodded, his expression sober. “Enjoy your mother’s wedding, but keep head down. They are watching you.”
With that ominous warning, Nikolai turned and left the room, his bodyguards surrounding him.
Seth let out the breath he’d been unconsciously holding before he hauled ass to the nearest bank of elevators, frantically stabbing the Up button with his finger. He needed to lay eyes on Heavenly—ASAP. “Come on!”
Finally, the car arrived, blessedly empty. He sprinted in, trying not to climb out of his skin.
When he reached their floor, he heard voices from inside their suite.
“…Big, scary Russian guy stopped me in the lobby. Expensive suit. Lots of tattoos. His eyes were dead.” Heavenly’s voice trembled. “He knew my name, Beck. He knew Seth. And Seth knew him.”
“Who was he?” Beck demanded.
“I-I don’t know, but when Seth showed up, he looked ready to kill the guy.”
Cursing under his breath, Seth used his key card and opened the door. They both looked up when he entered, Beck pacing while Heavenly sat on the edge of the sofa, her face pale.
Beck’s eyes locked on him before the door had even shut. “Who the fuck cornered Heavenly in the lobby and what did he want?”
Seth glanced at Heavenly, silently assuring himself that she was merely rattled before he faced Beck. “Someone I used to know. I told him in the politest way possible to back the fuck off.”
“There’s more to that story, and you’re going to give it to me.” Beck’s voice was dangerously low. “Heavenly is my fiancée and my responsibility, too. Start talking.”
