Page 71 of Requiem
Unknown number.
But it’s notunknown.
Micah’s gaze locks onto mine instantly.
“Alexei,” I say.
My fingers feel colder than they should as I swipe to answer, pushing myself to my feet without fully realizing I’m doing it. The room shifts around me, everyone watching now, waiting. I don’t put it on speaker right away.
“Hello?” I say, forcing my voice to stay level.
“Emma Easton.” His voice is so disturbingly smooth that it makes my skin crawl. And the Russian accent only adds to it.
I close my eyes for half a second before opening them again. “Alexei.”
Rafe is at my side, mouthing a command to put it on speaker.
“You’re avoiding me,” Alexei continues, almost amused. “Ignoring someone like me is not a wise strategy. Especially when I have a buyer lined up for you.”
I flinch at that and hitspeaker. “We’ve been busy,” I say evenly.
“I’m aware,” he replies. “You’ve been very active. Breaking things that do not belong to you. Taking things that are not yours.”
My grip squeezes around the phone. “He’snot yours,”I say before I can stop myself.
A soft chuckle echoes through the speaker. “No?” he murmurs. “That is not how I remember it. I paid for him. I own him, you little cunt.”
Silence presses in from all sides as his anger flares out.
But I don’t answer.
“I’ll make this simple,” he says.
My heart starts pounding harder.
“I’m throwing a party,” Alexei continues. “A very public one. I’ve just secured it. I’ll send you the details.”
My stomach twists hard.
No.
“Youwillbring him to me,” he says calmly. “And Judewillperform. Then he leaves with me. And you? Scurry off back to the States.”
Micah’s breathing is shallow, barely containing his rage.
Rafe doesn’t move at all, but he’s focused.
“And if we don’t?” I ask, even though I’m scared of the answer.
There’s a pause. Long enough to feel intentional. “Then I release everything at the party.”
Every file. Every video.
My hand tightens at my side.
“You’ve seen aglimpse,”Alexei continues, his voice almost conversational again. “Imagine what the world will think when they see the rest. When they understand what hereallyis.”
My throat burns. “He’s a victim,” I snap.
