Not like with the Bratva—arealpurpose this time.
As the head of the Rogov Empire, there’s nothing to focus your attention on but running the game. Days float by. Weeks mold into one another, and before you know it, a new year is turning over and I’m one year older, still doing the same old shit as before.
But not anymore.
My life feels like it’s starting to begin anew.
I start up the car and pull out of the parking lot. Lauren sniffs intermittently, resuming her silence. I leave her to process, to sit with her thoughts and make sense of them. There’s probably a lot floating around.
But then, she exhales shakily, breaking the silence. “I found something last night.”
I glance over but she continues staring into her lap. I wait another moment, giving her the opportunity to explain herself, but the silence continues to extend.
“Are you going to tell me what it is?”
“My father…” she turns to me. “I think he was involved in my mother’s murder.” She turns back to her lap, picking at her manicured fingernails.
I nod. I wish the news was surprising. It’s not. Not to me, at least. But I keep my mouth shut. “Do you know the details?”
Lauren purses her lips. “No. I mean, everything points to that but… I still don’t know how it happened.”
I nod again and make a left at the next intersection when the lights turn green.
“What are you doing?” she says, straightening up. “This isn’t the way back home.”
Home?
She’s calling my place home now?
I raise my eyebrow but refrain from saying anything. Now isn’t the time to comment.
“We’re making a stop first.”
“Where?”
“Timur and Sophia’s,” I answer, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel.
“Why?”
“I asked Timur to look into what really happened to your mother. I want to see if he found anything.”
There’s a flicker in her eyes as she looks at me. “Thank you, Niko,” is all she says before she settles back in her seat.
I nod and keep my focus on the road, staring through the windshield. I already know that Charles Watson is connected to Aslanov’s business. But the fact that he’s involved in his wife’s murder adds a whole new dimension to this shitshow.
Maybe Timur already found the answers we’re looking for.
I exhale all of the tension out of my chest.
I admire Lauren’s strength and unwillingness to give up.
But no matter how strong, no matter how unyielding she is, I don’t think she’ll ever be ready for what’s at the end of all this.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lauren
There’s a warmth to Sophia and Timur’s house that catches me off guard.
