Headhunter (With Me in Seattle Mafia #2) - Kristen Proby Page 0,67
information, and if we can’t handle it today, we’ll tuck it away and push it aside until tomorrow.”
Annika turns to him, her bottom lip trembling.
I want to pull her into my arms and assure her that everything will be okay.
But I can’t.
She wouldn’t welcome it, and I don’t know that everything will be okay. I can’t lie to her.
“Photos.” She passes them to Nadia. “Do not show those to Carmine.”
Nadia frowns, looks at the images, and then gasps. “Annika.”
“What are you guys doing in here?” Ivie asks as she and Shane walk in.
“Close and lock that door,” I say to Shane, who frowns but does as I ask.
I quickly fill them in on what we know, which isn’t much, and Nadia shows Ivie the photos.
“Jesus, Annika,” Ivie breathes. “What in the ever-loving hell is this?”
Annika shakes her head, fights tears, and I go to her and take her hand, giving it a firm squeeze as I smile down at her.
“We’re your friends and your family. You’re safe here, honey.”
She takes a deep breath.
“I really wish we didn’t have to have this conversation right now—or ever.” She licks her lips. “For now, let’s just say that Richard was a son of a bitch. And after we got married, he turned into someone I didn’t know. He had certain…preferences. If I denied him, he punished me, but also if I agreed—so to speak. Obviously, someone took photos, and they’re trying to make a buck or two off of it. No biggie. I can afford to pay them to go away.”
“Fuck that.”
“No way.”
“Absolutely, not.”
Annika stares at all of us as we fume around her.
“You pay them this time, and they’ll just come back for more,” I inform her. “Besides, it doesn’t say they want money. It doesn’t specify the demands. I assume they’ll be in touch again.”
“I’ll handle it.” Her chin comes up, and she squares her shoulders. “I. Will. Handle. It. Now, I want all of you to go back to the party. Me, too, actually. I need a stiff drink.”
“We’re sticking close,” I insist.
“Of course, you are. You’re my people. Now, let’s go have cake and champagne and get damn good and drunk in celebration.”
We all exchange looks but nod and follow Annika back to the ballroom.
Carmine, Shane, and I hang back a bit as Ivie and Nadia flank Annika as they walk down the hall.
“We meet in the office at oh-nine-hundred,” Carmine says. “All six of us. We’ll figure this out.”
“Copy that,” I agree.
“Oh, my God, I’m hungover.” Ivie walks into the office, makes a beeline for the coffee and donuts set up on the credenza, and sinks into a brown leather chair, her eyes closed. “Sugar will help.”
“I feel great,” Nadia says as she pours herself some coffee. “Must have been all that married sex we had all night long.”
Carmine winks at his bride and takes a sip of his own coffee as Shane and Annika walk through the door.
“I found this one in the kitchen, sulking over a bowl of Cocoa Puffs.”
She’s still carrying the bowl.
“I’m not sulking.”
“Well, you weren’t smiling,” Shane says and sits on the arm of Ivie’s chair. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey. I’m consuming all the sugar to help fight this hangover. I know better than to get drunk on champagne. It hurts.”
“Drink lots of water today,” Nadia advises her. “Okay, we’re all here.”
Carmine closes and locks the door. “I want to keep this between the six of us for a while. I don’t think we need to involve the parents at this time.”
“You don’t have to be involved,” Annika says. “Really, I can handle this.”
“Can you?” Shane asks before I can. “Okay, what’s your first move?”
“Nothing. I wait.”
“Wrong,” Shane replies. “We’re going to question the staff. We’re going to look at security disks. We’re going to hunt these motherfuckers down and kill them.”
“Can’t I just sue them? Why do people have to die all the time?”
“Because they deserve it.”
They deserve much more than just death.
And I’ll be the one to hand it out.
“Nadia and Carmine are headed out on their honeymoon,” Annika begins, but Nadia shakes her head.
“We’re postponing, but only for a little while.”
“No. No, Nadia. You deserve this break. Go on your honeymoon. I have these three looking out for me—whether I like it or not.”
“Hey,” Ivie says with a scowl, and I feel my lips twitch.
“Do you really think I’ll just leave when this is going down?” Nadia demands. “Not a chance in hell. Besides, we’ll get it wrapped up quickly, and I’ll