Page 86 of Lord of Passion

"It's been… a very intense week," I say, bringing her over to the couch.

"Makari," she snaps her fingers at her long-suffering body guard. "Set out a little dish of water for my Printsessa. She's parched." Her ratty little dog glares at me, pink tongue hanging out.

"Are you here in New York for a few days, or just passing through?" I ask.

She sniffs. "I am staying at the Hotel Lyric. I rather thought you would be there to greet me personally."

"My sincere apologies. As I said, it's been a very strange few days." I am sorry I didn't know she was staying there. I would have had my assistant manager send up some flowers and caviar for her.

The Dragon sits back, petting her nearly furless dog. "I have heard about some details about your strange week," she says, watching me closely. "Tell me this. Did you really kill Dritan Krasniqi?"

The deep breath I'd just taken freezes in my throat. "How would you know such a thing?"

"I have many sources," she shrugs. "But sometimes, the news is too good to be true. In this case, I would very much like to know thatmerzkiy ublyudok,that evil bastard, is dead."

"I gather that you have a personal stake in his death?" I ask.

Her wrinkled, bejeweled hand stays steady, petting the dog but there's a slight tremor now. "My father arranged a marriage between me and Dritan Krasniqi," she says. "Arranged marriages were a given when I was younger. I knew very little about him, other than my father considered him a rising star in our world." She gives a little huff of disgust. "I was sent to spend the evening with him. I expected dinner at some extremely expensive place." Her hand slows, resting on her dog's patchy fur. "He took me to his office and raped me. On his couch. I screamed and he punched me. I almost lost a tooth."

"I am so sorry," I say, my heart twisting in my chest. "You deserved so much more than that."

"Well, my father was decent enough to end the agreement. He was very angry at the disrespect it showed for our family."

I didn't miss the implication that the disrespect was far more offensive than his daughter being raped and beaten.

"So," she leans closer, her eyes slitted in fury. "I want to know what you did." I tell her what I'd said to him and she cackles, slapping the sofa cushion. "Oh, I can imagine he hated that."

Then, I tell her how he died and she sighs in deep bliss. I let her have the moment so the words can sink in. "I stood there, watching him die. I wanted to be sure that the bastard was good and dead."

"How did he look?" she asks, a grin stretching over her wrinkled face.

"You know how bugs look when they're dead? Like, curled up and shrunken?" I smile, taking her shaking hand. "He looked just like that."

The Dragon leans over, giving me a hearty kiss on the cheek. "Thank you. This makes me so happy." She puts the dog down so it can lap noisily at the water. "I know my foolish son broke his contract with the Morozovs. That decision will be reversed. Tell your husband that it will be business as usual."

My mouth drops open, I'm sure I look like an idiot. "Can you… um, do that?"

She cackles delightedly. "My husband signed over all his business shares to me before he passed away from a heart attack.Melor manages the business. He likes to pretend that it's his, but he's forced to do as I say."

"Thank you." I squeeze her hand gently. "This means so much. These contacts are so important to Nikandr. To the entire Morozov Bratva."

She squeezes my hand back and rises, swooping her little dog and tucking her under her arm again. "I must be off. I do expect to see you at the Lyric before I leave this weekend."

"I'm looking forward to it," I say fervently, leading her to the elevator. I wait for a full thirty seconds before I dash over to my phone, calling Nikandr.

"Hey, honey. I have some good news."

Chapter Thirty-Nine

In which some things refuse to be left behind.

Caroline…

"Oh, thank God you're back," Trevor says fervently. My assistant manager is waiting for me in the lobby, his face lights up when Rafail and Isaak escort me through the doors for my first day back at work. Trevor is an excellent assistant manager, but I can tell he's been dragging.

"Lots of entitled guests?" I pause for a moment on the second floor. My office is down the hall, but I lean on the railing that circles the second floor of the hotel, looking down into the majestic three-story lobby. I feel a bit like a queen returning to her small, but prosperous reign. Rafail and Isaak are bookending me like they want to make sure I can't escape in some sideways move and dive out a window.

"Everything," Trevor moans. "First, two of the meat lockers went out and I had to scramble to find portable freezer devices. Then, one of the guests lost their shit because I wouldn't let their doggie sit on her table in the restaurant. The dog apparently took offense and ran over to bite one of our waitstaff."