She was right. He knew she was right. But damn, he hated this.
He sat with his profile to the window. Movement caught his eye. He turned to the door as Nadia entered the office, carrying a pitcher of sangria, of all things. “Mr. Laskin asked me to bring you refreshments.”
He highly doubted that.
“Thank you, but I’m not drinking while I’m working.”
He rose from his seat and moved away from the computer. The last thing he needed was for her to spill a full pitcher on the laptop that was the main portal to all the computers and phones that were logged in to Wi-Fi.
He took a step toward her. She smiled broadly, taking his movement as a sign of interest.
She set the pitcher on the table and raked him with her gaze, her eyes narrowing in a way he’d bet she practiced in the mirror. She bit her bottom lip. “You are so big.”
She really needed to work on her come-ons. But then, she was so very young.
How should he play this? Nadia was a potential source. Sending her away could shut that door. He also didn’t want to get her in trouble with the boss, not when Teague could keep tabs on the Laskins through her.
But then, the boss could well have sent her to distract him.
In his ear, Freya said, “Be receptive, but cautious.”
He was in view of the camera on the laptop and the camera in the room. Everyone was watching.
He studied her from head to toe, then smiled approvingly. “Did your boss really send you here?”
He was sixteen years older than her. He felt like a dirty old man.
She cocked her head and took another step toward him. When she was right in front of him, she leaned in and whispered, “No.” She ran a finger down his chest. “I thought you might be lonely.”
He gently removed her finger from his chest. “I’m here with Kira.”
She pouted. “Haven’t you heard? She’s going to marry Aleksandr.”
He let out a sharp laugh. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh, she will. He has assured me. I tried to stop her from coming here and stealing my Aleksandr, but she is here.”
The hair on the back of his neck came to attention. In his ear, Freya said, “The fuck?”
He definitely needed to get this woman to talk. “And because she’s taking your Aleksandr, you’re here for me?”
She grinned. “You are very handsome. And big.”
“I’m not a piece of meat.”
He imagined Teague and Chris and the others snickering as they watched. He’d bet anything one of them had used the word himbo in the last ten seconds. He’d laugh if the situation weren’t so deadly serious.
“Kira won’t marry Aleksandr. She hasn’t even met him.”
“She’s met him. While you are stuck here. He is very handsome and richer than you, and he doesn’t have to waste her vacation with boring work.”
“She’s not interested in money.”
“Oh, but she likes art. Aleksandr can give her her heart’s desire.”
“She’s been offered that before by a man just as rich. She said no. It happened very publicly. It was even on the news.”
Nadia pouted. “Yes. That was when Aleksandr saw her. The woman from the painting. We were watching the news in bed, and suddenly, he shouted, ‘It’s her! It’s her!’ then he left me and ran to speak to his father.”
He’d figured the Kuliks had found Kira because her face—so like her mother’s—had been on the news many times since December. This was the first confirmation they’d had of this theory. “When was this?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Months ago.”
“Before Christmas?” He’d heard Kira say her portrait had been stolen sometime after the new year, but Aleksandr could have seen the painting at the Kulik villa.
“After, I think. I don’t know.”
Kira’s face had been on the news periodically since then, as the investigation continued and trials drew near.
“And when did you find out Aleksandr intends to marry her?”
Her brow furrowed with thought. “A week ago. He told me she was coming and they would get engaged.”
“Last Monday? Or before?” Monday was the day before the gunman shot two sailors on base. The only person who knew Kira was going to Malta at that point was Cousin Andre. Not even Freya had known until she’d called and asked Kira to substitute for Diana.
“Yes. Sunday. Monday. Sometime then. I was big mad. Aleksandr said I could still be his mistress. Like Juliette.” Her lip curled. She clearly considered herself above the renowned glass artist.
“And you tried to stop Kira from coming. What did you do?”
