Page 38

Rosa walks over. Serena looks so damn cute as she runs a hand through her hair, then puts on her Vanta face to wave a hand between us. “Rosa, this is Nikolai, Nikolai – Rosa.”

I hold Pico one-handed and offer my other to shake. “Nice to meet you,” I say.

“So, you’re the mystery man she’s been texting and swooning over?”

I chuckle, but then I see how awkward Serena is feeling. I quickly hand Pico over to her. “No comment,” I say, trying for another easy laugh. “Rosa, it was nice to meet you. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a meeting to attend.”

“Oh, course, don’t let us keep you,” Rosa says.

Serena smiles gratefully at me as I climb into the car. Pico yaps and barks as if he wants to come after me.

Back at the club, I see Serena’s texted me.

Serena: Thanks for that. I didn’t know she was going to ambush us.

Nikolai: No problem. Hell, you’re probably sick of ambushes.

Serena: I’m glad we know.

Then another text comes through from Iris.

Iris: But I miss having a mask to hide behind. Just a little bit.

X: I get that, but I’m just so happy that the woman who cut through my bullshit in text is the same one who rocks my world in the real world.

Celeste knocks at the door.

“Yeah?” I call.

She walks in, flustered. “He wants the party for tomorrow night,” she says, pacing. “Tomorrow. And he was very… well, him on the phone.”

“Rafael,” I say.

She nods erratically. Anton slips into the office behind her. Celeste looks up at him, some of the tension draining from her. “What’s wrong?” Anton asks, sounding more concerned than I can remember.

“Rafael is posturing,” I tell him. “Demanding that we host him tomorrow.”

“Show of power?” Anton moves closer to Celeste. I’m shocked when he places his hand on her arm. “We will handle this. You have other work. If he calls again, you tell him to speak to us. You don’t deal with him. He has no right to scare you.”

To my greater shock, Celeste lays her hand on his before leaving the room.

“What?” Anton says, turning to me.

“I didn’t say anything.” I hold my hands up. “So, Rafael could either have guessed we’re the reason Owen disappeared. Or he could simply be pressing his gang territory bullshit. Or he could be seeing how far he can push me for the sheer fucked-up thrill of it.”

Anton stares. “Hmm.”

“The response has to be the same. Act like we’re nothing more than club owners. And hope Owen isn’t stringing us along.”

“I checked his story,” Anton says. “His sister died.”

“We can’t fight Rafael until we have ammunition. I’ll call him. Let him think he has the upper hand, the cocky prick.”

Before that, I text Serena.

Nikolai: Rafael is pressing for the party to be held tomorrow. Apparently, he was even more of an asshole to Celeste on the phone than usual.

Her reply comes almost instantly.