"You're coming with me." I move to my desk, already pulling up flight schedules on my laptop. "I don't trust leaving you here unprotected while I'm gone."
She stands, moving toward me with that graceful walk that makes my cock stir. "You think whoever killed Pavel might come after me?"
"I think we don't know enough to rule it out." I close the laptop. "We leave tomorrow afternoon. Pack warm clothes."
"You're very bossy when you're being protective." But there's no heat in her words, just something that sounds almost like affection.
"I'm very bossy all the time." I catch her wrist as she passes, pulling her between my legs where I'm leaning against the desk. "You just notice it more when it's about keeping you alive."
Her hands rest on my shoulders, and the touch sends electricity through me. "What if Davis recognizes you?Reallyrecognizes you, not just suspects?"
My hands find her hips, feeling the curve of her waist through the soft cashmere. "He's retired, not active. And he's asking questions about Pavel's death, which means he's suspicious too. Enemy of my enemy and all that."
She laughs, the sound low and warm. "You're going to make an alliance with a former FBI agent?"
"I'm going to have a conversation with a man who might have information I need." I pull her closer until her thighs press against mine. "There's a difference."
"Is there?" Her fingers slide into my hair, and I have to fight the urge to strip that sweater off her right here in my office.
"Sometimes." I stand, forcing her to step back. "Go pack. I have a meeting with my lieutenants in an hour."
She studies my face for a long moment, those midnight blue eyes assessing me, then she nods and walks out of the room, her tight little ass swishing from side to side, making my mouth water.
The meeting happens in my private conference room. Ronnie sits to my right, his brown eyes sharp and focused. Two other captains flank him, both men I've known for over a decade.
Danil stands near the door, arms crossed over his massive chest, watching everything.
"Tell me about Yuri's finances," I say, skipping pleasantries.
Ronnie slides a folder across the table. "We traced his bank records going back six months before the Montana… trip. Regular cash deposits, always under ten thousand to avoid triggering reports. They total just under two hundred thousand."
I flip through the statements, noting the pattern. Every Tuesday, like clockwork. "Source?"
"Offshore account. We're still working to trace it, but whoever set it up knew what they were doing. Multiple shell companies, different jurisdictions, the works."
"Professional." I close the folder. "Not some amateur with a grudge."
"Agreed." Ronnie leans back in his chair. "This took planning. Resources. Someone with serious money and patience."
My mind goes immediately to Katya Rostova. She has the motive, the money, and the patience. But something doesn't fit. The woman in the hotel footage had auburn hair, and Katya's is darker. Could be a wig, but why bother with that level of disguise if she's already using an offshore account?
"I want increased security on all my properties," I say. "Double the guards, rotate shifts so no one gets complacent. And I want eyes on Katya Rostova. Where she goes, who she meets, every phone call she makes."
"Already done," Danil says from his position by the door. "She's been quiet since the party. Too quiet."
"Yeah, that's what concerns me." I stand, signaling that the meeting is over. "Someone tried to kill me and failed. They're either regrouping or they think I'm too distracted to see the next move coming."
"Are you?" one of the other captains asks. "Distracted?"
The question hangs in the air, and I know what he's really asking. Is Lena a weakness? Am I compromised?
"I'm focused on finding who betrayed me and making sure it doesn't happen again." My voice drops to that quiet tone that makes men nervous. "Anyone who mistakes that focus for distraction will learn otherwise. Permanently."
The captain nods quickly, and I see him swallow hard. Good. Fear keeps people honest.
After they leave, Danil lingers. "You didn't tell them about Montana."
"They don't need to know my movements." I pour vodka for both of us. "The fewer people who know where I am, the safer we are."
