My heart stutters.
Four hours later, we’re airborne on our way to Vegas.
28
LIEV
I should have known the day was going too smoothly. Keke was ecstatic when the casino comped her a four-bedroom suite. There are enough bedrooms that, with Sera and me sharing one, everyone can stay in the same room. Exiting the SUV, we see several people on the sidewalk take pictures of Keke as she enters the hotel. A concierge greets us, and we are quickly whisked up the private elevator to our floor.
“Whoa,” Sera breathes, taking in the floor to ceiling windows of the suite that takes up an entire corner of the hotel floor.
Keke’s next event in this same hotel/casino is not for three more days. With the amount of security already in place, it’s unlikely there will be any protests here.
Unfortunately, after Keke has a late lunch, she decides she has had enough of house arrest and wants to go out. We follow her through the casino watching her gamble. Then it’s back to her room, where she dons a tiny silver dress and declares it’s time to party.
By one a.m., the noise from the dance club has officially given me a headache. I’m no stranger to nightclubs, but watching Keke dance and make out with some guy is the last thing I want to do. Dani and Marco went back to the hotel an hour ago, and it’stoo loud to talk. When Keke’s finally ready to leave, it’s with two male models in tow.
I exchange a look with Sera across the front seat of the SUV as the unmistakable sounds of a make-out reach us from the backseat.
Once in the suite, Keke snags a full bottle of top-shelf tequila off the bar and waves it triumphantly in the air. "Come on, darlings," she purrs, hooking arms with one of the models. "Let's take this party private."
They vanish into her bedroom, the door clicking shut behind them.
Sera sighs, rubbing her temples as she sinks onto the couch beside me. "It's going to be a long night."
I laugh, pulling her closer to my side. "At least she’s contained."
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and when I see Alex’s name, my stomach clenches with foreboding. I’d reached out to him this morning, while I was getting coffee. The way Sera had described Tyler’s desperation, particularly the comment about being a dead man, had alarm bells going off. I knew Taggert Construction had borrowed from Mikhail before. I’d asked Alex to quietly make inquiries, and now he’s calling back.
I stand from our seat on the sofa and move toward the window. Sera glances up curious, but I give her a quick half-smile. “Just my cousin,” I say, before connecting the call.
“Are you alone?”
Fuck. That’s not good.
“Nyet.” I switch to Russian and stride to our bedroom closing the door. “How bad?”
“Taggert Construction owes Mikhail thirteen million dollars.”
“And?”
“He’s out of patience,” Alex replies. “They’ve been stringing him along with partial payments… excuses. Word is he’s done waiting. The kid’s right to be terrified.”
I pace the small room.
“They could buy themselves some time if they give him another target,” Alex points out unnecessarily.
“If they tell Mikhail Sera’s the obstacle…” I can’t vocalize what I know will happen.
I’m usually the one extracting the information from the those foolish enough to cross the bratva.
My free hand curls into a fist at my side. “Fuck.”
“Does she have the password? If she does, give it to Mikhail, and let him deal with the Taggerts.”
I shove my hand through my hair, tugging hard at the strands hoping the pain will focus me. “It might be on her phone.”
“Have you looked?”
