Stone Cold Angel (The Perfect Order Book 2)

by Amy Deason

  “Hid them in plain sight,” Charlie murmured. “Brilliant. Too bad the girl decided to go searching for him. On the other hand, if she hadn’t, we might never have found out where the key to the formula was.”

  “True. I’m not sure I could have convinced Bishop Vasilevsky to give up the letter. He wouldn’t budge about any details concerning Montgomery’s visit.”

  “Well, none of it matters now. We have the letter and we have the locket.”

  Nikolas sensed there was more she had to say and he was positive he knew what would be coming next.

  “Nikolas, the girl . . .”

  “I’ll deal with her,” he growled, the defensive quality overtaking him again.

  The heavy silence on the other end of the phone dragged out. He was just about to speak when Charlie’s voice snaked through, cold, deadly, final. “I trust you will. You always do.”

  With a sharp click resounding in his ear, Nikolas replaced the phone to his pocket, his mind buzzing. Just what in the hell was he going to do with Cadence? He wasn’t going to kill her.

  At least, he was pretty sure he wasn’t. Everything in him screamed at him to keep her alive. But how was he going to do that and make sure she didn’t talk? Or that Dmitry didn’t get his hands on her?

  “Shit, shit, shit.” Standing, he paced the room, running his fingers through his hair.

  If he could just keep her here until Dmitry was dealt with, then her chances of survival would increase considerably. Maybe if he could arrange another meeting with the Bishop, he could convince the man to keep Cadence here under lock and key until it was safe enough for her to leave. He wasn’t sure how the holy man would feel about holding someone against their will though . . .

  One thing was for sure, he couldn’t stay here with her. He had to get this locket to Charlie so one of their laboratory geniuses could crack the code.

  A bullshit excuse and he knew it. There was no reason someone from their organization couldn’t come to Valaam and retrieve the locket while he safeguarded Cadence. Charlie wouldn’t like it but it wasn’t entirely out of the question. On occasion, innocents had been spared. It just wasn’t a usual practice to keep witnesses alive. There was no reason he couldn’t stay here with her. Lord knew, he couldn’t go after Dmitry like he’d planned. Now that the Russian bastard had his photo, it would be suicide to try and get close to him.

  But he didn’t want to stay with Cadence. Or perhaps more accurately, he wanted to stay too much.

  He could think of nothing more appealing than being locked in this hotel room for days.

  Just he and Cadence and a comfortable bed. The things he could do to her, show her, teach her . . . The possibilities were endless. It would take a lifetime to share everything with her. The thought of spending his life with her took hold, sinking barbed hooks into his heart but the idea didn’t hurt. Instead, it was . . . freeing.

  To be able to have someone by his side, someone he could talk to, laugh with, be himself with . . .

  Oh what would that be like?

  Shaking himself, he grimaced. A pity he would never know. To bring someone into his life, this life, would be a monstrous idea. He knew it, felt it, but the notion of being with Cadence wouldn’t let go.

  And that was exactly why this had to stop. Now.

  Getting a hold of himself, he checked his watch. Cadence had been gone too long. Which could only mean two things. She was in trouble or she was up to something. Neither option held any great appeal for him.

  Reassuring himself that the locket and the letter were in his pocket, he left the room, locking it behind him. He was getting tired of chasing Cadence down. Between the Hotel Dostoevsky and here, it felt as if it was all he had been doing. Well he was done being a babysitter.

  Either he would find a way to keep her here until Dmitry was out of the way or he would put her back on the next plane to the United States. Charlie knew people and it might take a major favor or two on his part to convince her to pull a few strings in order to keep Cadence safe. But maybe he wouldn’t need Charlie on this one.

  He could call Henry Collins. The man had been Montgomery’s best friend and partner. Surely he could be counted on to take care of his only daughter.

  Stopping in an empty hallway, Nikolas pulled the letter from his pocket and scanned it quickly. Phillip had been pretty adamant about Cadence not confiding in anyone but Henry. He wanted to believe her father had good instincts about people but considering his decision to come to Russia in the first place, he had serious doubts. But what other choice did he have?

  I could stay with her.

  No, no, absolutely not. But there was one other person he could turn to. Phoenix Jordan. She was the only one who came close to really understanding him. She should anyway. Her childhood was much like his. He’d always been able to count on her. And besides babysitting Cadence for him, she was the only one that could remove this troubling notion of falling for Cadence from his head.

  Digging out his phone, he placed the call. As quick as he could, he filled her in, relaying what had been happening over the last couple of days. She’d just finished some undercover work in Mongolia but she agreed to be on the first plane to Valaam.

  He replaced the phone to his pocket, trying to not feel guilty for pawning Cadence off on Phoenix. It was something he had to do. There was no other choice. Because the longer he was with her, the more she got to him and the more he wanted her. To give in would probably be the stupidest thing he would ever do. And the most deadly.

  Crumpling Phillip’s letter in his hand, Nikolas shoved it deep into his pocket and resumed his search for Cadence.

  God, this girl was such a pain in his ass. And in his heart.

  ~ ~ ~

  Rounding the corner, Cadence saw Nikolas before he saw her. Instinctively she jumped back and retreated the way she’d come. There was no reason for her not to face him but she had an idea he would not be happy having to come search for her.

  He didn’t have to though. He could cut her some slack and trust her a little. For the most part, she hadn’t given him any reason not to. But she was beginning to understand Nikolas had some serious issues. Trust, anger, truthfulness.

  So if she realized the lack of those things, those important parts of any relationship, how could she possibly be falling for this guy? How could she ever imagine what it might be like to be with him? Not as his hostage or as some girl he had to babysit but to actually be with him, a part of his life? It made no sense. But then, none of this did. The last several days had been nothing but a whirlwind of sexual tension, violence, frustration, and fear. No wonder her brain wasn’t working correctly.

  Taking the long way around, she went back to the bedroom. She grabbed the doorknob and turned it. It didn’t budge.

  Really? He locked the door? Geez, what did he think was going to happen? The monks might come in and clean?

  Cadence released a frustrated sigh. This guy really needed to relax before he snapped and went postal on someone. And from what she’d seen, it would definitely not be a good thing. Nikolas was a crack shot and killing obviously didn’t affect him like it did normal people. But given what little he’d told her about himself, how could anyone remain normal? She couldn’t help but wonder what else he was hiding from his past. But maybe it was better she didn’t know. He was already growing on her. Any more personal revelations and she might not be able to leave him behind easily.

  Not sure where to go or what to do, Cadence made her way to the bathroom. Opening the door, she peeked her head in, making sure the small room was empty. Thankfully she was alone. Slipping through, she snapped the door shut behind her and with her back pressed against it, slid to the floor, eyes closed and forearms resting on her drawn-up knees.

  According to the clock on the wall, it was almost four p.m. In just over
twelve hours Henry would be here and she could leave this God forsaken country and never look back. She only had to survive being around Nikolas until then. Too bad she couldn’t just hide out here in the bathroom. But the longer she was missing, the worse his attitude would be. And the more he would press her about where she had been. She was a terrible liar so any attempt to lie her way through his questioning would be useless.

  “Bite the bullet, Cadence,” she whispered to herself. “Just suck it up and do it.”

  Inhaling deeply, she rose from her crouched position and crossed to the pedestal-style sink. Staring at herself in the mirror, she was shocked at how old and defeated she looked. Her skin was no longer red but instead it was the color of long-burned ashes and her blue eyes, usually bright and lively, were now dull and abnormally large in her face. She didn’t even look like herself anymore. Which was just as well because she no longer felt like herself. She looked and felt like a stranger.

  Turning from the worn-out image, she left the bathroom, heading in the direction where she had last seen Nikolas. This place was huge but she had no doubt she would run into him sooner or later. She only hoped he would not be too pissed when she did. She hated to see the black look in his eyes. It chilled her more than anything else she’d ever known.

  Funny how one moment he could freeze her into place and in the next she felt like every nerve ending was on fire. No one had ever given her such emotional whiplash before. It left her head spinning.

  “Cadence, where have you been?”

  Behind her, the anger struck like a physical blow, nearly buckling her knees. On shaky legs, she turned around, her stomach quivering like jelly and her throat seized up tighter than a vise.

  Standing only an arm’s length away, he made no move to touch her.

  God, why did he have to be so handsome? Why couldn’t he have been an ugly troll or better yet, a woman?

  Without speaking, she let her eyes slide over him from head to toe and back again, allowing him to read his mood and also giving her larynx time to unclench. She had to decide if she would attempt to lie to him or tell him the truth.

  I haven’t lied to him yet, so why start now? No sense breaking tradition.

  Lifting her head, she stared straight into those black eyes, forcing herself not to look away. “Nikolas, I called Henry.” There, it was out in the open. She prepared herself for his anger, ready to give back as much as she got this time.

  “Henry Collins? Your father’s partner?” Lines creased Nikolas’s forehead as his sculpted eyebrows shot up.

  He was obviously taken back by her admission. It was almost like he had been expecting her to lie. Well score a point for her.

  “And best friend,” she added. “Yes, I did.”

  Nikolas continued to gaze at her, everything about him unreadable. The longer he stood there, not saying anything, the harder her heart pounded.

  Say something, do something, she wanted to scream. Just don’t stand there looking at me.

  “Well, that’s one less phone call I have to make.”

  “Wait, what?” Now she was the one caught off guard.

  “I had planned on calling Henry myself. It seems as though your father trusted him and since I intend to get you out of here alive, I thought it might be best if you went with someone you knew and trusted. But since you’ve already taken care of the phone call, I don’t need to do it.”

  “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say?” She had been prepared for a flash of anger in his obsidian eyes but instead she received an almost flippant attitude. The unexpected emotion threw her off guard.

  Stepping closer, Nikolas took her hand. The instant he touched her, a warm tingling shot through her fingers and sizzled up her arm. The familiar and not-at-all-unpleasant sensation was so powerful that for a moment she forgot to breathe.

  This was wrong. So wrong to be feeling this way about this man.

  But she did feel it. There was no denying it. She couldn’t even manage to tell a believable lie to herself.

  “Cadence,” Nikolas replied, her name rolling off of his tongue like honey, “what else would you like me to say? That I’m furious with you? That I should just lock you in the bedroom until I can figure out what I’m going to do with you? Believe me, the idea of locking you in the bedroom had crossed my mind but not as punishment . . .”

  His full lips turned up in a smoldering smile and she felt her knees turn to water. It took everything she had to not collapse right at his feet. Something in her belly clenched and she felt a dark pool of desire begin to form.

  Oh Lord . . .

  “Come,” he said, pulling her forward, “you and I have some things to discuss and I’d rather not do it right here in the hallway.”

  “Discuss?” she repeated, feeling like a drunken fool. She couldn’t shake the elicit thoughts running through her brain.

  “Yes. Like exactly what you’re going to tell Henry and anyone else who decides to question you. I can’t have you squawking to them about me or my organization now, can I?”

  Of course. He wanted to protect his identity. Nothing more. How could she be so stupid? He already said he didn’t like inexperienced lovers and she was about as inexperienced as they came.

  Get your shit together Montgomery, she told herself. He’s no longer interested.

  Silently trailing beside him down the hallway, hand in hand, she felt a spear of pain enter her heart and begin to bloom like a poisonous flower.

  This sucks.

  Chapter 24

  Running his fingers through his hair, Nikolas blew out a frustrated breath. Maybe he should have told her about Phoenix but if he had, she might have gotten angry. And when Cadence got angry, she could be unpredictable. Besides, Phoenix probably wouldn’t be here until after midnight, long after Cadence had turned in for the night, which would enable him to make a quiet and hassle-free getaway.

  And you won’t the chance to have second thoughts if she’s staring at you with those big blue eyes . . .

  With the idea of second chances rattling around in his head, Nikolas sat on the bed opposite of Cadence. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. And not only because he was trying to explain how important it was that she didn’t tell anyone about him or The Perfect Order. He was falling in love with her. With her personality, with her loyalty and bravery. Even with her stupid ideas of risking her own life for someone she loved. Everything about her was beautiful and he wanted her. Right here, right now. Always.

  But he couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t do it. Not to her. So instead of telling her or even letting her see just how much she was affecting him, he kept his feelings locked down and remained cold and reserved. But as they talked, it was becoming harder for him to do. Like an iceberg nearing the sun, he felt himself beginning to melt in her company.

  “So, you want me to lie?”

  “Yes Cadence, that’s exactly what I want you to do.”

  “But we both know I can’t lie to save my life,” she argued, her nose crinkling.

  Such an adorable gesture . . .

  “That’s true,” he allowed, nodding. “But I’m going to give you a crash course.”

  Cadence flailed her arms open wide. “A crash course? Nikolas, Henry will be here in less than twelve hours and you expect me to learn how to lie in that amount of time? If I haven’t learned to lie by now, what makes you think I can do it now?”

  “Because, princess,” Nikolas said, shooting her a crooked grin, “I’m one hell of a teacher.”

  Sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, Cadence dropped her eyes to the floor. The blush creeping into her cheeks lent a rosy glow to her pallid face. The effect stalled his bravado for a moment. God, she had no idea how lovely she really was.

  Shake it off, Kozlov. Now is not the time to be admiring th
e scenery.

  “Good teacher or not, I can’t learn do it. It’s just not possible.” Chocolate strands of hair swayed as she shook her head, her eyes still downcast.

  “Anything is possible. The key to lying is to believe the lie yourself.”

  Blue eyes met his in a lightning flash. “How? It’s not like I can make believe you aren’t real.”

  “I know it will be hard for you to do but after you leave here, you have to make yourself believe I don’t exist. You have to make them believe it.”

  “How can I do that?” she asked, becoming more and more exasperated as the conversation continued.

  Nikolas sighed. If she got too frustrated, she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on what he was trying to get her to do and that wouldn’t get either of them anywhere. Except dead.

  “Cadence, I was twelve years old when I told my first real lie. There was no one there to teach me. I just had to do it. It was either that or starve. Only back then my name was Aleksander, not Nikolas.”

  The frustration in her eyes began to bleed away as curiosity took over. She stopped fiddling with her fingers and leaned forward, paying attention.

  “What do you mean?”

  Well, here goes nothing . . .

  “Remember back at the sewer when you asked me if I had lived on the streets?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, in a way I did. My mother and I had a home, if you could call it that. More like a rundown motel room. Full of cockroaches and cigarette smoke. But it was a place to lay your head at night.”

  Across from him, Cadence’s intake of breath was sharp.

  “Oh Nikolas, I . . .” she began.