Page 68 of Devious Truth

“Actually no. So, yeah, I can go with you.”

“Where are you going?” I step up to behind Vee, placing my hands on her shoulders.

“I forget the name of the club. She can text you later.” Nicolette grabs Max’s hand. “Let’s go to your apartment. They’re about to kick us out of the room anyway.”

“I’ll have one of my men with them all day.” Lev assures me as soon as he’s inside the apartment and has shut the door.

“The last thing we need is more men with guns following us around.” Vee argues.

“You could not go at all.” I suggest casually, which ignites a visible ember of annoyance. “Your choice.”

“That’s right. I do have a choice.” She stands her ground with her hands balled at her sides.

“You do.” I agree with a slow nod, hooking my thumb on my belt. The little splotch of red blooms at the base of her throat.

“My men are discreet.” Lev gives her an exit from the road she’s speeding down. “Nicolette hates having them with her, too. They stay out of her way. You won’t notice their presence.”

She swings her gaze up from my hip. “And yours?”

“I could go with you. Maybe that’s a good idea.”

Lev clears his throat, giving me a small shake of his head. Leaning closer to me he says in Russian, “You can’t. Not tonight. The girls will be safe. I give you my word.”

“You won’t be bothered by security,” I tell her.

She eyes us warily, but keeps whatever questions are swirling around her mind to herself.

“I’ll go get ready.” She picks up the basket of folded towels. “Thank you for helping with the towels.”

Lev lifts an eyebrow. “You did laundry?”

“Shut up.” I move to the window, checking on the street. “Since when do you escort Nicolette to a friend’s house? Whatever you’re going to tell me could have been a phone call.”

“It’s nothing.” He rolls his shoulders.

“Could it be the girl with the glasses?”

“There’s trouble there I think.” His voice dips.

“The brothers?”

“I’m not sure. It’s just a feeling.”

“You have a feeling the girl next door is in trouble, is going to make trouble for your sister, or is causing you to have trouble sleeping?”

His jaw tightens, and he looks away. “It will pass.”

Poor sap. It won’t.

“What’s the problem happening tonight?” Taking pity on him, I switch topics.

“Vasily Leonov is having a meeting tonight with Jacob Stenson.”

“He’s the head of the gaming board; what does Leonov want with him? Kaz has him on a lock.”

“The Volkov’s don’t have full control over the gaming in the city; he could be making a move. Maybe he wants to start something on the southside.”

“Did you tell Alexander this yet?” I check my phone; it’s nearly four in the afternoon, and multiple notifications and missed messages litter my home screen.

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