Page 36 of Pistols and Plush Toys

Get yourself together,he hissed at himself as he pulled on oven mitts.

He pulled the fries out, checking that they were done, and then slid the pan on the stovetop to cool. He took a few seconds to breathe, to steady his emotions.

It was fine. It was all fine.

Nikolai got up and retrieved plates and napkins, and Elliot plated the fries. He grabbed another small bowl to divide the aïoli between them, and then they were sitting back down to sweet potato fries.

Elliot thought he should say something, but he wasn’t sure what. He felt too fragile after learning about how difficult Mattia was being. He was afraid if he opened his mouth, something painful might come out.

Then Nikolai was picking up a still steaming fry and dipping it into the sauce. Elliot held his breath as the man popped it into his mouth.

A moment later Nikolai's brows went up in what definitely looked like pleasure. Elliot tried not to shift in his seat, tamping down on the desire to ask if he liked it.

“Wow,” Nikolai said when he swallowed. “Is very good. A nice, strong flavor. Very good.”

“Yeah?” Elliot asked hopefully.

“Yes.” Nikolai reached for another fry. “Different from other fries, but is good. And healthy?”

Elliot nodded. “Baking instead of frying is generally better.”

Nikolai made a thoughtful noise. Then he pulled out his phone and appeared to snap a picture. “I will send to Meredith. She will like it.”

Elliot felt hot around the collar as he picked up one of his own fries and dipped it in sauce. They were just fries with a simple dip, but he was disproportionately pleased that Nikolai liked them. That he was taking photos and sending them to his assistant. He couldn’t remember the last time Mattia had been happy with something he made, let alone thrilled.

Elliot had started to doubt his cooking abilities living with Mattia.

But today, he’d made something good.

That—that meant a lot.

Chapter 8: Nikolai

Officer Stewart had the pen poised over his handheld notebook. “Can you think of anyone who had motive to do this?”

It was only because his father had given him so much painful training that Nikolai’s face didn’t betray him.

Because he knewexactlywho had done this. Who had paid a handful of masked men to break in and pull the plug on his surveillance cameras just before the building had exploded.

First responders said the cause of the explosion was a gas leak. Nikolai's security footage told a different story.

But in the end, the result was the same. His jewelry store, Lucky Clover, and the two residential buildings on either side of him had been blown to hell.

The emergency ringtone had yanked Nikolai out of a dead sleep around three in the morning. By the time he’d arrived, the entire street was blocked off. Fire and police cars littered the area, and news crews were bunched just beyond the tape, snapping pictures.

Three people had been rushed to the hospital. No one had been inside Lucky Clover, but two men and a woman in the residential buildings next door had been hurt.

“I don’t,” Nikolai gritted out. He was angry, angrier than he could ever remember being, but at least he didn’t need to hide that. Anyone would be furious looking at something like this, knowing that it hadn’t been an accident. “If you are hearing something, let me know.”

Nikolai had never interacted with this officer before, but he still watched the man nod knowingly and scribble on the notepad.

“Will do. You’ll have someone send down what surveillance video you have?” The officer asked.

“Yes. My assistant, Meredith, she will bring it tomorrow. Later today. When we have…” Nikolai gestured vaguely. The anger was so thick it was hard to think. All he wanted to do was punch something. Wrap his hands around Vitale’s neck and—

The officer nodded, stepping back. “Thank you Mr. Tkachenko,” he said. “When all of this has settled, come down to the precinct so we can get a detective to take the rest of the information.”

Nikolai thanked the officer and turned away. He could see the news reporters itching to talk to him. Alex and Pyotr were standing inside the tape, making sure that no one else tried to intrude on the scene. He wished Gerard were here, but he was needed across town, putting eyes on the rest of their properties, making sure there wasn’t another hit.

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