me.”
He exhaled but remained where he was, leaning against the counter and folding his arms. “As I said, I’m sorry for what just happened, Chloe. You have to understand that the situation is going to become even more difficult.”
“What I understand is that you remained angry because of your father’s death. While I can’t imagine the horror of finding him yourself or the method used to snuff out his life, I’m not your enemy. Neither are the majority of people in this country. You chose a life all those years ago. You allowed the greed and desire for power to change you. But guess what? I’m not buying it. The real man is the one who taught his students every day, not the brutal soldier determined to exact revenge when you aren’t entirely certain who is behind this or your father’s murder. And it’s difficult to understand but so much when all I know about your past life is from the limited stories you told in class, but of course, they were all very true.” I could tell my words stung, just like his accusations had toward me. Good. I wanted him to feel as much pain as possible.
“I told you before. Don’t ask if you’re terrified of the answers.”
“I’m asking. I doubt anything could faze or shock me at this point.”
A full twenty seconds of silence ticked by.
Of course he wasn’t going to tell me. It was some crazy attempt to protect me.
Nikolai moved closer. “My buddy spotted a group of them in town. They are blanketing their search, which is one reason I’m being extremely cautious. They have methods of surveillance that would surprise you, let alone their reconnaissance abilities.”
“You have to be kidding me? They really want you taken out of the picture,” I huffed then reined in my own anger. “Where did he see them?”
“They went to the diner, likely asking questions. Don’t worry. My friend did tell me there were no incidents.”
“But? I know there’s something else. Just tell me. There certainly has to be another reason you attacked me for saying a few words in Russian.”
His anger flashed once again but he took a deep breath. “They went to your apartment. It was torn apart.”
Lights erupted in front of my eyes. “Then how could you think I would be involved if the bastards went after me?”
“They might have thought you betrayed them. That’s happened before.”
I laughed bitterly, the ache in my hand almost as substantial as the one in my heart. “Well, I guess you’re going to believe what you need to. There is no way of proving my identity to you. You took care of that as well.”
Another round of silence settled in.
“You are correct on all points, Chloe. Point taken. I overreacted. On budet vzyat. Is that what you heard? While I don’t deserve your help, I’m asking for it. The more information I know, the more likely it is I can stay ahead of them.”
“Yes. I think that’s what I heard, although the asshole was trying to be careful talking around me, which is why he spoke Russian. You should know I’m not fluent in Russian, no matter what you think.” I found it crazy I was still trying to convince him.
“As I said before, I believe you. Did a single one of the mercenaries mention a name?”
“No, but there was something about a Pakhan.” Mercenaries. I couldn’t get the word out of my mind.
“Think for me, Chloe. This might be important.”
I wanted to continue giving him a piece of my mind, screaming at him, but I did what he asked, trying to remember as closely as possible. “All I can remember is Pakhan shit, which doesn’t make any sense.” I studied his face, trying to determine what he was thinking.
“Pakhan reshit?”
As soon as he said the two words, I could hear the bastard from the diner saying them. “That’s it. What does it mean?”
“Only the Pakhan will decide.”
“You?”
Nikolai shook his head. “I am dead to the majority of my people. They certainly wouldn’t call me their Pakhan. Anything else?”
“Other than they warned me to stay away from you because you were a killer, no. Why would they bother telling me that?”
“So that you would feel obligated to tell me about your conversation. Did you see any markings on their bodies?” He wore a wry expression on his face, but I could sense his continued rage.
“Like yours?”
“Yes, anything at all?”
“Just on one of the assholes. It almost reminded me of some