Another thought struck him. He knew just enough about sleuthing people’s history on the internet to be able to guess at how hard it would be to evade a Department of Defense background check, even for a low-level job. He also knew what the check would entail. They send letters to former employers and follow up if there is no confirmation of employment. Everything is verified in multiple formats. Email. Phone. Snail mail.

Social Security numbers, credit checks, address history.

A single slip would require looking deeper.

“I think,” Teague said, “we should be looking at who hired Kinder and who signed off on his background check. And once we have that information, we should look at who else they’ve cleared for civilian jobs in the last year.”

The connection between Kulik and Kinder could hold the key to finding the other members of Laskin’s new mercenary army.

Everything had clicked into place for Kira. Her childhood playmate had been sent to Virginia to hatch whatever plan agreed to by Reuben and Grigory to attack the Navy SEAL base. Then, a week ago, Reuben received the heads-up from Cousin Andre that she was delaying her trip to Malta by a day because she would be teaching at Little Creek.

Reuben, who hadn’t been thrilled with her planned visit, had seen an opportunity to stop her from coming and pounced. He contacted Benny, who worked for the Navy at the very same base, and told him to go after Kira.

Benny had been happy to comply, even singing out her name as he had when they were children. Had he planned to tell her of their past connection when he took her hostage?

She’d bet anything he was supposed to be stealthy and just grab her from the base without firing a shot, but when the sailor set off the car alarm, he flipped.

She pulled out her phone and checked for a message from Rand or Freya. Nothing.

She rose from her seat. “I’m going to find Rand. We’ve got a megalithic site to see.”

“No, dear sister. You’re staying here with me. Tell me about this man named Kinder.”

She swallowed. She’d thought their father was the scarier of the two men, but Reuben’s chill gaze and tone raised goose bumps. “Ben Kinder’s name was on the news last week. In Virginia. I thought it was an interesting coincidence. Since you said Benny is there.” She took a step toward the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find Rand.”

“You need to dump the greedy prick.”

“As if I’d take relationship advice from you. You think I should marry Aleksandr.”

“Marrying Aleksandr would at least be useful.”

“Sorry, but I have no intention of ruining my life to be useful to you. I’m content with Rand.”

“If he cared about you, you wouldn’t be here. But he sees opportunities for himself with your new wealth, so he cozies up to Laskin.”

“What new wealth? We’re here because there’s a problem with his publisher. After he fixes that, we’re leaving.”

“Last night, he told me he was willing to entertain an offer from me to pay him to take you back to the US.”

She stepped forward and poked him in the chest. “You think I don’t know that? I’m fucking him, Reuben. I was in the bed next to him when you called. We laughed at you and your dumbass foolishness for falling for it.”

Her phone chimed with a text. She hoped to hell it was Rand or Freya.

Her heart sank at seeing it was neither.

Juliette

Grigory asked me to send these to you.

What followed were two video files, then another message.

I’m so sorry.

She hadn’t heard from Rand in over an hour. Had Laskin discovered he was a SEAL? Was he okay? Surely Freya would have messaged her to get out if something like that had happened.

Her fingers trembled as she hit the Play button.

She watched as Rand proposed making her life the central twist in his book. She suppressed her relief. He was fine. This was fake. But damn, he was a good actor. And the woman she was pretending to be had to fall for it.

She didn’t even have to work to squeeze out a tear. She was full of tears today. They burst forth at the slightest pressure.

The ugly video was over, but another one waited. Again, she braced herself.

The sound in this video was muffled. Rand and Nadia were farther from the camera and whispering. But she didn’t need to hear the words to feel the blow.

Rand with his hands on Nadia’s hips. Their lips touching. First briefly, then deeper. Rand’s lips at her ears, so like the whispers and kisses he gave Kira. His hand on Nadia’s ass, and she remembered how that felt too. His big palm, holding her close as he pressed his erection to her belly and said words that made her knees weak.

She understood the situation, but still felt the sting. She’d underestimated Nadia. But the poor girl was no Valkyrie.

Not like Kira.

Valkyra.

She straightened her shoulders. Felt her wings spreading. She needed out of this house. It’s what the person she was playing would do, but that person would also refuse to leave with Rand after watching that video. With Juliette gone, there was only one viable exit route.

“Give me Papa’s number,” she said to Reuben.

“No.”

“Fine, I’ll get it from Grigory, then.”

He frowned, but then recited the numbers.

Kira

This is Kira. I want my mother’s paintings.

Luka

No. But you can see them.

I think we can make a deal.

What do you have to offer?

Does the Russian government know about the spying?