“Alex,” I supply.
“Look, Alex. In case it wasn’t clear so far, the Petrovic brothers are not just regular business owners. Their business is — how should I say this — not always above the law.” My eyes widen. “For your safety, I would strongly suggest dropping the whole thing.”
Is he implying that Leon is a part ofthe mafia? The thought hasn’t occurred to me before but now that it has, recognition rattles my bones. My only knowledge of the mafia comes from the movies, but if those stereotypes are true, he definitely fits the type. The sheer number of casinos he owns at his young age should’ve been a dead giveaway. Then there’s all the security he has, and the photos next to influential people I found online? Fuck, I’m an idiot. My eyes prickle, my lips trembling.
He looks obviously uncomfortable with my sudden burst of emotions, shifting in his seat. “Fuck…” he mutters. “Luka — who’s also missing — is my best friend. I consider him family. Let’s just say I’m not worried about him. Maybe you shouldn’t be worried about your cousin either.”
I’m still none the wiser, but something about the way he says it, the energy radiating from his gaze, eases a part of my concern. Not wanting to overstay my welcome, I lift from my seat. “Well, I should go. Thank you for the conversation.”
He bows his head, crossing his arms over his chest, and I take it as my cue to leave. I pass the bar on the way out, and Nina calls after me. “You okay, hon’?”
Fuck, isn’t that a complicated question. “Yeah, I guess so. Thank you for your help.” I shoot her a small smile.
“Anytime.” She dries off a glass while observing me intently. “You know, you should come and hang out more often.”
Her offer surprises me. “Yeah, maybe.”
“I could really use the company. You should come this weekend. I should be off the clock.”
“I-I’ll think about it.”
She shoots me a blinding smile and gets back to tending to customers. The idea of finding a friend sounds great, but visiting the club again doesn’t seem like a safe thing to do. I make my way through the sea of bodies to the exit. The place must have filled up while I was in the back office. With a polite nod to the security guy, I step out into the chill night air. The cold grounds me, and I fill my lungs while booking a ride on my phone.
I hug my purse tighter, trying to stop my skin from crawling with fear. It was a weird night, but at least I got outside, which is better than rotting away on Sophie’s couch. Sophie, somehow connected to a mafia guy named Luka, who is also missing, but his friend doesn’t find it concerning. Unlike his brother, who is a member of the mafia that I was falling head over heels for.
How did all of this get so messy?
CHAPTER 24
Leon
I’ve avoided my upstairs office for as long as I could, trying to keep things that remind me of Alex out of sight. Still, while she’s far from my sight, she’s not out of mind, what with my brain conjuring images of her twenty-four seven. She’s there when I fall asleep, she’s there when I wake up, and she’s definitely thereduringmy sleep. On a good night, my dreams are filled with the passionate nights we shared, but on a bad one, they’re tainted by the sight of her glossy eyes as I screamed at her.
As a rule, I wake up feeling bad, which pisses me off even more. She’s the one who fucked up.Why should I be the one who feels bad about it?
By the time Dominik rolls into my office, it’s almost midnight. His face is somber, and my shoulders drop even lower than they were.
“We’ve got a situation.” He doesn’t take a seat, meaning he doesn’t plan to stay long. Good. I prefer solitude these days.
I motion with my hand for him to speak, placing my elbow on the table.
“Andre has been following Alex… And he noticed he’s not the only one.”
Something stirs in my stomach. “Who’s following her? TheRussians?” For a second, I imagine them threatening her to form a relationship with me. My heart leaps with relief, hoping she was manipulated into the whole thing, while my fists clench with rage, thinking about someone threatening her.
“No, it’s a cop.”
My ears perk up at that. “A cop?”
“Yeah, a cop. Not just any cop, though. A deputy chief.”
My gaze tightens as I try to make sense of it.A deputy chief?“Why don’t you go and pick him up? Inform Williams while you’re at it. I want his report on the cop on my desk by the morning.”
“Sure thing,šefe.”
Not a full hour later, Dom calls me into my upstairs office. I fix my tie as I exit the elevator, determination coursing through my bloodstream.
Though Dom and the cop are already sitting on the plush velvet chairs in front of my desk, the first image that hits me as I enter the office is one of wild red hair, pale blue eyes and soft, plump lips. I press my nails into the palm of my hand, snapping myself out of it.
