I leaned against the door for a long time after Damon left, my heart feeling heavy, my stomach in knots. Last night had been amazing. These last couple of days the most beautiful of my life. Our attraction was electric, the sex intense, but it was more than that. Being with him, I felt safe. I felt…at home.

But we were on borrowed time.

I knew my heart would break after Florida. I’d known it going in. Damon wasn’t mine, not to keep at least.

I’d lied to him when I answered with an ‘okay’ when he said he’d see me in a few hours. I wouldn’t be here. I had to go. I had to take care of my business, finish this thing with Alexi. Damon couldn’t get involved. He’d only get hurt. If Alexi knew about him—no, Alexi could never find out.

I packed up my things and dialed the airline to change my ticket. I’d leave now, go back to New York, finish this thing with Alexi. I could sort through the loss of Damon then, after it was done. I could feel what I had to feel after.

Damon would be pissed to find me gone, but I had to do it now, had to do it this way. Besides, he’d be gone all day. Maybe I could have everything straightened out by the time he got back to New York City.

Changing my flight was easy enough, and I promised myself I’d pay Damon back the fee the airline charged to his credit card as soon as I could. I grabbed a taxi to the airport, and by early afternoon, I was back in New York City, where the pristine snow of a few days earlier now looked like a gray slushy mess along the side of the road.

I checked my phone, but apart from Alexi’s messages, there wasn’t anything new. Damon didn’t know yet that I’d left. I had a few more hours.

Not wanting to take a chance Alexi would be at my apartment, I didn’t go there. Instead, I retrieved a card from my wallet and dialed the number to the car service before I lost my nerve. Sergei had put my name on the club’s account as an authorized user when I first started working for him. When I called and told them who I was, it took them no time to tell me they’d have a car out to meet me at the airport in twenty minutes. It wasn’t long before the black sedan with its tinted windows pulled up. I waved, recognizing the driver from the few times I’d used the service. I’d always felt guilty to take advantage, opting to take the subway or walk instead. But Stanley had driven me every time I had used it, and I knew he was Sergei’s personal driver.

After bringing the car to a stop, he climbed out and gave me a warm smile.

“Miss Kat,” he said with his English accent.

Ever since Damon had come into town, I had to think twice when someone called me Kat.

“It’s very nice to see you again.”

I swear Stanley was about eighty and the politest man I’d ever met.

“Hi, Stanley, it’s good to see you too.” I almost hugged him but held back.

“It’s been a long time.”

“I’m glad you remembered me.”

“Mr. Markov wanted to make sure I take good care of you when you call. Hop in, and tell me where you want to go.”

I settled into the back of the warm sedan with its tinted windows, and once Stanley climbed in behind the steering wheel, I met his eyes in the rearview mirror and told him I wanted him to take me to the prison to see Sergei.

He didn’t miss a beat, and if he thought it strange, he didn’t say so. Instead, he nodded his head and began the hour and a half-long drive to where Sergei Markov was being held.

When Sergei had first been taken into custody, he’d added my name as an approved visitor. I still remembered when he’d called me to tell me he’d done that about two weeks after his arrest. I’d found it so strange, but he’d said if I ever needed anything, that I should come see him. I wondered now if he’d expected me to come all along.

Once we arrived, to my surprise, Stanley told me he’d walk me in as far as he could. I was grateful. I’d never been to a prison before, and the building with its tall double fences topped with barbed wire was formidable, to say the least.

“Terrible, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” I followed him. To my surprise, the guard at the first door greeted him by name. We walked through to another window, where he leaned in to talk to the woman behind the counter. She glanced at me, gave me a once-over, and told me I’d have to leave my purse, which I handed her. She gave me a claim ticket. She then pushed a button that buzzed another door open.

“Come on,” Stanley said.

I followed, meek and quiet, too intimidated to say a word.

“Mr. Markov will be pleased to see you.”

“Stanley, I’m confused,” I started when we were told to wait in a small room that contained a very old and worn sofa.

“About what?”

“I wasn’t even sure they’d let me in to see him.”

“Mr. Markov has as many friends as he does enemies.”

He gave me a smile that told me that was all he’d say about it, but that left my mind whirling to fill in the blanks.

A buzz announced another door opening.

“This way,” the guard said.

I got up, but Stanley remained seated. “Aren’t you coming?”

“I’ll be here when you’re finished.”

“Um…okay. Thanks.”

I followed the guard down a long narrow hallway and into a room on the right where six tables were arranged in three rows. Each table had four metal chairs on either side. A vending machine with candy and another one with sodas stood at one end, and the walls, ceiling, and floor were painted a drab beige.

The guard pointed to a table. I took a seat and waited. A few minutes later, a door opened and a guard entered, followed by Sergei, who was talking to the other guard.

“Well.”

He stopped short when he saw me.

“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

I smiled, rising, not sure if I was supposed to stay seated or what.

“Kat,” he said, coming around the table to give me a hug while the guards stood back and let us. “I’m glad you came.”

“You look good, Sergei.” He did, remarkably so. He wore a uniform in the same shade of beige as the walls, but I guess I’d expected him to look thinner or older or something. But he looked the same, and he was even smiling like he used to.

“My boys take good care of me,” he said, gesturing to the guards.

His boys?

Wow. We both sat down.

“How are you, Kat? I hope that son of mine is treating you all right?”

“I’m okay. Club is doing well. It’s always busy, you know.”

“I know. And Alexi?”

I glanced at my lap for a minute then told myself I had to do this. I needed to. “That’s why I’m here, actually.”

He didn’t look surprised. “Go on.”

“I appreciate everything you did for me and realize now maybe I shouldn’t have been so eager to accept—”

“Accept what?”

“The advance. The apartment.”

“It was a trade. I needed you to play piano, and I needed you to look good doing it. You made me money, Kat. It was a business transaction.”

“Alexi thinks I owe that money to the club. He’s been taking it out of my checks, and…” I shook my head and looked away. “I wouldn’t have come, but I’m…he wants things, Sergei, and I can’t—”

Sergei’s eyes hardened, and he raised his hand to his chin, rubbing the stubble there, studying me.

“My son is overstepping. As usual.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sure this isn’t a great time for me to come—”

“Does he want you to work one of his parties?”

“You know about those?”

Sergei’s lips curved upward. “I always appreciated your naivety.”

More like my stupidity.

He sat back in his chair and cocked his head to the side. “Say yes,” he said out of the blue.

“What?”

“Agree to work the party.”

“But—”

“I’ll double whatever he pays you and make sure any debt is wiped out.”

“I—”

He leaned in close, smiled a little, and gave me a wink. “Come now, let’s be straight with each other. It’s not as though you came to me without your own agenda, is it? Lina?”

My mouth fell open, and I found it suddenly hard to breathe. He knew who I was all along? Was I so stupid?

“I’ve always been curious what it was you were looking for, honestly. Your grandfather and I… Well, we were friends once.”

He watched me, letting the awkward pause hang in the air between us.

“There’s nothing to tie me to your grandfather now, is there? If there were, I’m sure it would be very bad for him…for you, and well, everyone…so let’s be on the same page about that. There’s nothing to that, is there?”

“You knew who I was all along.”

He sat back in his chair, ignoring my comment. “Is there?”

I shook my head slowly, feeling color drain from my skin at my lie.

“Good. Then we can move on. A server, Kat. Nothing more.”

“But…”

“I want to know about a few possible attendees. I’ll have my attorney forward the particular names and faces I’m looking for.”

“I don’t understand, Sergei.”

“Nothing to understand, Kat. I need something, and you need something. This is a business transaction. Do this for me, and I’ll make sure to get Alexi off your back. In fact, you’ll be free of any ties to my family at all. I’ll guarantee it.”

“Mr. Markov,” one of the guards said.

“Just a minute.”

Sergei kept his eyes on me, soft as stone.

“Think about it. You’ll be free. You’ll have to leave town, of course. Alexi never did like for me to take away his toys.”

He stood.

I watched him tower over me. I’d thought he was like a father to me. Had I been so desperate for parental affection that I’d clung to the tiniest bit of it? Because Sergei—this Sergei—wasn’t the man I remembered.

“Thanks for coming in to see me.” He spoke casually again, a smile not quite warming his face. “I’d much rather look at your pretty face than at these two,” he said about the guards.

They all chuckled, and Sergei leaned in to hug me. I realized why when I felt his hot breath at my ear.

“The apartment is bugged,” he whispered. “Stanley will arrange everything. Just let him know on your way back.”

When he pulled away, and I opened my mouth to speak, he set his finger over his lips to tell me to be quiet.

“Thanks for coming, Kat.”

I watched the guards lead him out. The door behind me opened, and the one who’d escorted me in now escorted me out to a waiting Stanley. Even him I saw in a different light now. They were all involved in this strange and dangerous game. And if I’d thought I was involved before, well, I was entrenched now.