Page 27 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

This time around, I have to be in control.

The moment the elevator opens, I step through, ready to march down the hallway like a Viking on a warpath—only to slide to a stop when I find Nikolai standing in the way.

“Good to see you again,” he greets, an easy smile on his face.

God, he’s handsome. Brooding or grinning ear to ear, it doesn’t matter. The man is perfectly proportioned and perfectly gorgeous.

He’s also a perfect fucking psychopath.

“Where’s my sister?” I snap. The way I see it, we’re well past pleasantries.

Nikolai frowns. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t play games with me. I know you know where she is.”

He shakes his head and looks past me. “Evening, officers. I didn’t expect you to be here.”

“Did you really think I’d let you take my sister and wouldn’t call the police?”

“I’m sorry. Your sister? I didn’t even know you had a sister,” he says.

I snort. “You know everything. You're like God in this city, remember? So where is she?”

Officer Sweeney steps forward, angling himself slightly in front of me. “We’re sorry to bother you, Mr. Zhukova, but this woman seems to think you have her sister.”

“Against her will?” Nikolai asks, doing a marvelous job of looking shocked. “We’re talking about kidnapping? Do you really think I kidnapped someone, Frank?”

I spin towards Officer Sweeney. “Frank?”

He ignores me and gives Nikolai a small smile. “Of course not, Mr. Zhukova. We tried to escort this woman away from the building, actually, but she’s throwing a fit.”

“My name is Belle Dowan,” I remind him. “Not ‘this woman.’And I’m not ‘throwing a fit,’ I’m trying to rescue my little sister!”

“We figured we’d come with her and ensure you knew about the threat,” Officer Hedger adds as if I’d never spoken.

My jaw nearly hits the floor. “Threat? You thinkI’mthe threat here? Are you insane?”

They all ignore me.

“Thank you both,” Nikolai says sincerely. “We’ve been out together a few times, but I ended things recently. I take it Miss Dowan was unhappy with that choice.”

I gasp. “You… asshole!”

“Hey, Miss,” Officer Hedger interrupts. “There’s no need for—”

“He’s lying to you! Right to your faces!” I’m shaking all over. “He threatened me and he followed through. He kidnapped my sister!”

“You’re not even from New York City. Why would your sister be here with you?” Nikolai asks.

“Because I couldn’t leave her home alone,” I say. “I brought her with me on the trip.”

Nikolai rolls his eyes. “You know, gentlemen, I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t even have a sister.”

“I do! And I’ll prove it!” I reach for my phone before I realize I don’t have any recent photos of Elise and myself. Grouchy fourteen-year-olds aren’t especially photogenic. So I pivot. “I’ll call the front desk at the hotel. They saw me check in. I said there would be two people in my room.”

I dial the number while Nikolai leans in to talk to the officers. “I’m sorry to waste your time. I know you are very busy.”

I try to drown him out. The second the front desk picks up, I put my phone on speaker. “Hello, this is Belle Dowan from Room 307,” I say.

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