Page 85 of Velvet Chains
I hesitate, biting the inside of my cheek. Now’s as good a time as any, I guess.
“Victor, there’s something I need to tell you.”
He glances at me, his brow furrowed. “What is it? Are you all wet for me now?”
I glare at him, irritation flaring. “Can you just stop it for a second? This is serious.”
Victor’s smirk fades, and he sits back, his expression turning guarded. “What’s going on, kiska?”
I take a deep breath, reaching into my purse. My fingers close around the cool metal of the necklace, and I pull it out, holding it up for him to see.
“It’s your mother’s necklace. I… we broke it when my dress got stuck the other day.”
Victor looks at it, and for a moment, I think he’s going to be angry. But then he reaches out, taking the necklace from my hand. His fingers brush against mine, sending a shock of electricity up my arm.
“It’s fine,” he says, his voice gruff. “I’ll get it fixed.”
He slips the necklace into his pocket, his hand lingering for a moment. I watch him, trying to gauge his reaction. But as usual, his face is a mask, giving nothing away.
I bite my lip, gathering my courage. “That’s not all. At dinner last night, I saw something. On Dimitry’s phone.”
Victor’s head snaps up, his eyes boring into mine. “What did you see?”
I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry. “A message. It said something about a ledger. And that he needed to find it, or else.”
Victor’s jaw clenches, and he looks away, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “Fuck.”
I wait, my heart pounding. Is he going to explain? Tell me what’s going on?
But he just shakes his head, his expression closing off. “Don’t worry about it, kiska. It’s nothing.”
Frustration wells up inside me. “It didn’t sound like nothing. It sounded like a threat.”
Victor’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see something like fear flicker in their depths. But then it’s gone, replaced by cold determination.
“I said don’t worry about it. It’s my problem, not yours.”
Chapter 35
Victor
I’VE NEVER liked Dimitry Volkov.
Sure, he’s my brother-in-law.
But that doesn’t mean I have to deal with him. He’s got connections that could make or break a lot of big shots in New York, connections that keep our operations running smoothly enough, but something about him just gives me the creeps. We’ve barely spoken, and I plan to keep it that way. There’s a slickness to him that doesn’t sit right with me, like he’s always got an angle or a hidden play. Just being in the same room with him makes my skin crawl.
But since our father practically threatened Ksenia to marry him, I’ve never seen their relationship grow. It’s been fucking miserable for her, and I can’t do a damn thing about it.
Well, that was a long time ago.
Now, I love my niece and nephew more than anything in this world. And if that bastard Dimitry has something to do with Vasiliev, it’s going to complicate things in ways I don’t even want to think about.
I pull out my phone and type a quick message before closing it and turning off the car engine.
I glance inside the bookstore and see Laura arranging the furniture. The way she bends over, her hips swaying, her tits straining against her shirt… Blyad, she’s a fucking vision.
My cock hardens instantly at the sight of her. I shift in my seat, trying to adjust myself without being too obvious.
