Whatever. That wouldn’t last long. Once she upped the crazy a little more, he would forget about the way she looked. Most people did.
“Listen up, Oz. I’ll make this simple. I have questions I need to ask. If I think you’re lying or holding out on me, I will slit your throat. Understand?”
He laughed a little. By the sound of it, he wasn’t sure if she was joking or not.
She didn’t laugh with him. This was nothing to laugh about.
“My God, you’re serious, aren’t you?”
“First question,” Dominika began. “Where is your father?”
“How should I know? I haven’t spoken to that bastard in years.”
He hadn’t spoken to his father? Oz had been Maxwell’s only son. His pride and joy. She hadn’t expected to discover the two of them weren’t close anymore.
She stood up, crossing her arms. “That’s not helpful.” It didn’t matter that they weren’t speaking. She was sure he could easily track his father down.
“Well, that’s all I’ve got, sweetheart. My guess is he’s sitting behind his corporate throne at Ryder Industries.”
There was little to no fear in his eyes as Oz stared her down. Wasn’t he afraid of her? He should be scared. Why wasn’t he scared?
“Look, I don’t mind answering your questions,” he said. “Hell, I’m happy to answer them—that’s how excited I am to see you, Nikki. But you don’t have to wave your knife at me like a damned lunatic to get me to talk. What’s wrong with you, girl? I’m your friend. I’ve always been your friend.”
She sighed, rubbing her temple with her free hand. Stabbing Oz might be necessary after all. She didn’t want to do it, but she could tell he was going to be difficult.
“Second question,” she tried again, hoping he would play by her rules this time. “Do you know anything about Project 27?”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t know, but your father is listed as a contributor to the project.”
“Like I said,” Oz ground out. “I. Don’t. Speak. To. Him.”
Nika frowned at his determination to be uncooperative.
A few photographs lined the walls. She looked over them, seeing Oz’s mother and little sister. Seeing their faces and how much they’d grown pulled at her heart in a way she wished wasn’t possible. She breathed out through her nose, collecting herself. There were no pictures anywhere of Oz’s American father anywhere. She inwardly sighed, supposing they could have had a falling out.
“Third question.” She turned around, facing a very curious looking Oz. “Do you know the names of the men your father sent to murder my family?”
She kept her expression devoid of emotion as she watched Oz’s face morph into shock.
“So then you know…” He slowly shook his head, his eyes glimmering. “God, Nikki, I swear to you I didn’t find out until I was older. I tried to turn his ass in, but—”
“When you found out is of no importance to me,” she said, her voice hardening. “Do you know their names or not?”
Oz stood up, crossing the room to stand in front of her. He looked like he wanted to touch her but held himself back. “No,” he said weakly. “I wish I did.”
The room began to feel hot. For the first time in ten years, Dominika felt her eyes burn with the threat of tears. Coming here had been a waste of time obviously. She should have known all it would do was dig up old memories.
Oz was useless. She needed to leave now before she killed him just to make herself feel better.
“Nikki, I cut myself off from him for a reason. You were that reason. I found out my junior year of high school while I was interning for Ryder Industries. It was all there in my dad’s personal files.”
“What was there?”
“Will you sit down?” he asked, pleading with her. “I promise I’ll tell you everything I know.”
Sitting down and scooping information from Oz could be beneficial. It would bring her one step closer to getting revenge on Maxwell Ryder. And that’s what she wanted, right?
She shook her head. “I’ve got to go,” she said, turning towards the door. “This was a mistake.”
Despite everything, she didn’t want to stand in Oz’s presence a moment longer. His tone was too gentle, his eyes too caring. She couldn’t let him see her fall apart.
She felt his hand wrap around hers as she reached for the handle. Turning around too quickly, the tip of her knife cut Oz’s forearm. Dominika tensed up, dropping the knife to the floor.
“It’s okay,” Oz assured her. “It’s just a scratch.”
Dominika stared at the small cut with wide eyes. Bright red blood dripped across his skin. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Nikki, it’s nothing.” He pressed his arm into his shirt, using his free hand to turn her chin up. “I’m fine,” he said, smiling as if to prove it. “How can I not be fine? My best friend in the whole world is here to see me…I’m just hoping she doesn’t hold me accountable for my father’s crimes.”
Dominika closed her eyes. Being here with Oz brought out the scared, innocent little girl that she had worked so hard to let go of. That girl was no more. She died the same day her family was murdered.
“I have to go.”
Because she didn’t hold Oz accountable.
Maxwell had taken away everyone in her family. Killing his son would be justified. She should want to do it. But she didn’t.
“Don’t, Nikki,” he pleaded. “I know it’s hard, but stay. I can help you. In whatever way I can, I will help you.”
Dominika ran out of the apartment before she lost it, hurrying for the elevator. She looked over her shoulder, half expecting Oz to follow her, but he wasn’t there.
When the elevator door closed, she crumpled to the floor. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she touched them, stunned to see she was still capable of producing tears. After losing her family, she cried for days on end. All at once, she lost her mother, father, sisters, and brothers. She remembered wondering, in that childish way kids wonder about things, if her body would dry out inside once she cried out all of her tears. Would she die too? She hoped so. Because then she could be with her family again.
Dominika sighed, wiping her eyes. She pressed the lobby button on the elevator wall.
Maxwell damn well better be grateful his kid had been such a good friend growing up. It was also a good thing his kid was smart enough to despise him. If Oz Ryder had been anything less, she would have stabbed him to death.
Twenty-Three
Kennedy bundled up in her jacket, trying to stay warm. She was decked out in layers of thermals, gloves, scarves, and socks, but none of it seemed to be working. It wouldn’t have been so bad if she wasn’t standing outside like an idiot, trying to peek in through the window of the house she sincerely hoped belonged to Eva Duchovny. If it didn’t, that would make her a random Peeping Tom. Problem was, she couldn’t read any of the street signs, and she was too embarrassed to ask Matilda for help. Knocking on the door wouldn’t help either, especially if Nika was, in fact, hiding in there. If this lady was protective enough to keep her ex-husband’s niece hidden, then she would lie for her too. Getting the door slammed in her face was not how she wanted this to play out.
Voices came from inside. Kennedy tried to rub the icy glaze from the window, but it wasn’t coming off. She tried to move it with her mind, but ice was harder to move than water. Ugh. Where was Colton when you needed him?
After a few minutes of intense focus, she managed to clear enough of the ice to sneak a peek into the house. The window was high up, so she stood on top of her suitcase to see better, and…holy bejeezus. Dominika was literally right there next to the window. Thank God she had her back turned for the moment.
Kennedy lowered her head beneath the windowsill, listening to bits of the conversation coming from inside.
“You need to let this go, Nika. Your parents would not want this for you. They would want you to live your life, to be happy an
d free of your pain.”
“Auntie, I love you, but don’t tell me what they would want!”
Long moments passed before Nika spoke again, this time so quietly Kennedy strained to hear her.
“Their screams fill my dreams at night. I hear my sisters crying while watching our brothers die. I hear my mother struggling wildly to get to her children before they shut her up too…I see pieces of it from under the bed. I can see out into the living room, and do you know what I see? I see my father’s eyes go blank as he falls to the floor, blood streaming across his forehead.
“So, no, Auntie. I don’t think they want me to move on. They want to be avenged. I will give them their justice, because it’s no less than they deserve…and because I can’t stand to hear them in my dreams anymore. I need peace. They need peace. The day that Maxwell Ryder finally burns for their murders is the day their screams will stop haunting me.”
Kennedy sniffled, feeling her own heart break a little. So Maxwell Ryder had been the reason Nika disappeared in the St. Petersburg alley. That’s why she was here, to get revenge. She didn’t blame her for wanting it. If it were her, if she’d had to watch that happen to Ashley…or Reagan and Linc…
She wiped a tear from her eye, swallowing. She couldn’t even begin to imagine that kind of pain.
It had been silent for a while now. Kennedy kicked some snow off her boots, debating what to do. She supposed she could pretend her lead had been a bust. The idea of someone putting an end to Nika’s plans seemed so wrong. If Maxwell Ryder was behind those murders, then he deserved whatever was coming to him. No one, herself included, should get in the way.
Kennedy gasped as her whole body slammed against the wall of the house.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Nika shouted.
Kennedy tried to catch her breath, wondering what in the hell just happened. Nika was there, standing in front of her, wearing a murderous expression. “I’m here alone. I-I swear.”
She slowly slid down the wall, her eyes widening when she saw that nothing but wind had been holding her up. Good God, she hadn’t realized how powerful Nika had become. This girl was going to kill her if she didn’t start explaining.
“I came to help. I researched your family, and when I thought you might be here, I came.”
“Help with what?”
“To get your revenge on Maxwell Ryder.”
Another burst of wind lifted her up. She winced, grasping at the wall behind her. “How do you know about that?” Nika shouted, moving closer. She hovered beneath Kennedy, choking her with the force of the wind. “Tell me I didn’t make a mistake when I put air back into your miserable lungs, number twelve!”
Holy mother of God, someone needed to make sure she never eavesdropped ever again. Clearly it wasn’t her forte.
“Put the girl down, Nika.”
Distracted, Nika’s hold on the wind broke, sending Kennedy tumbling to the snow.
“Oof,” she moaned, feeling all those achy spots from her fight with Phoenix begin to throb again. She could’ve been a little gentler about it. Sheesh.
Lying there in the snow, she inhaled as she looked up at the starry night sky, wondering why on Earth she was chosen to be a keeper. “This is so not cut out for me,” she breathed.
Nika argued with her aunt on the porch until the woman who must have been Eva leaned over Kennedy’s spot on the ground. “You all right, little girl?”
“I don’t know. She may have paralyzed me with that stunt.”
“Oh what garbage,” Nika said from the porch. “Brush it off. You’re fine.”
Eva grabbed hold of her arm, lifting her from the ground. “Heavens, you’re soaked. You’ll need to come in and dry off.”
“Auntie, don’t you dare bring that girl inside. Send her packing straight back to Olympus where she came from.”
Kennedy fisted her hands. It was hard to believe only moments ago she was in tears on Nika’s behalf. Now she felt like slugging her. “I’m not going back there,” she said, hoping she sounded like she couldn’t be bullied. “I came here to help you, dammit, and you’re going to let me.”
Nika rolled her eyes. “Look, I don’t know how you found out about Ryder, but I don’t need your help. You’re wasting your time.”
Kennedy crossed the space to the porch. “I’ll admit I overheard you talking about Ryder just now, but he’s been on my radar lately anyway, seeing as how his name keeps popping up. I’ve done my research. He the billionaire of a huge tech company—practically untouchable. So let’s face it, Nika. Bringing him down won’t be easy. You need someone’s help. Mine’s as good as anybody’s.”
Nika crossed her arms over her chest.
Hope sparked inside Kennedy. Those few seconds of silence meant she was at least considering her offer.
“No one back on Olympus knows this address,” she assured her, knowing that it was the only thing that would make a difference. “They sent me to bring you back, but I swear if you let me stay, I won’t do that.”
“Why?” Distrust laced Nika’s tone.
Kennedy shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Well, to be honest, I really do want to help you. Aside from that, I need a break from Olympus.”
“What do you need a break for?”
“I just do, okay?”
Eva wrapped her arms around her chest, and said, “For crying out loud, Nika, it’s freezing out here. Let the girl come inside.”
Nika stared hard at her aunt, then again at Kennedy. “Listen, Twelve, I swear to God if you bring DOE officials here, you’re dead. Do you understand me?”
Kennedy nodded.
Nika opened the door. “Did you bring any extra clothes?”
She found her suitcase where she left it by the window. “Yes,” she said, picking it up and feeling extremely embarrassed from being caught so obviously peeping inside their house.
“Come in then. The fire is going. Go warm up.”
Kennedy stepped inside, thankful she was getting a chance. She peeled off her wet jacket and gloves, and Eva placed them on the hook by the door. “I’m Eva Duchovny, Nika’s aunt,” she said. “Though I suspect you already know that.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Eva. I’m Kennedy Mitchell.”
“Ah, and here I thought your name was Twelve.” Eva smiled warmly. She was short, probably a foot shorter than Nika, with soft hazel eyes and black hair. She took Kennedy’s hand into one of her wrinkled ones, patting it. “My Nika must like you. I’m glad she has a friend here with her.”
“Really? If that’s the case, someone needs to tell her how friendship works.”
Eva chuckled, the sound rich and musical. “She takes a while to warm up to.”
That was an understatement if there ever was one.
“You must be hungry,” Eva said. “Dinner just got finished. It’s homemade beef stew. Would you like a bowl?”
Kennedy felt her stomach growl at the mention of food. She hadn’t eaten all day, too worried about getting here without being followed. “Yes, that’s so nice of you,” she said, smiling.
“Good, good. Go warm up while I make the table.”
She pointed to the fireplace on the far side of the room. Inside was cozy but small. The main floor of the house was all one big room. The kitchen, living room, and dining room were spread out across the space.
“Did you need any help?” Kennedy asked.
“No, I’m about finished. You just relax. You’re our guest.”
“She’s not a guest, Auntie,” Nika said while stoking the fire. “Guests are typically invited.”
Kennedy stepped around Nika, lowering herself onto the hearth. She scooted close to the burning flames, holding out her chilled hands. Man, that felt good. Growing up in Amelia Island must’ve thinned out her blood. She didn’t like the snow.
As much as she wished it didn’t, the fire reminded her of Phoenix. As soon as she was warm enough, she turned away from it and looked at her brace.
&nb
sp; There was a message from Lexie waiting for her that she’d ignored in the cab. Now that she had a chance, Kennedy inhaled a deep breath, then texted Lexie back.
Lexie: Nix flipped out when he found out u left. Heard shouts come from Mason’s office.
Me: What did he say?
The brace Phoenix bought her processed communications rapidly, even those coming from Olympus. Lexie wrote back right away.
Lexie: He wanted 2 know where u went. Was mad when Mason told him u wanted 2 keep ur meeting w Nika private.
Me: Oh…wow.
What was she supposed to do with that? She expected him to be annoyed, but not enough to yell at Mason for letting her go.
Lexie: Btw he’s not going 2 Mexico. Mason put me in charge. We leave 2morro.
Me: What! Why?
Lexie: Bc Nix wants 2 find u. He’s worried about ur safety or some nonsense. Good luck avoiding him. He’s determined 2 hunt u down.
Kennedy’s heart slammed beneath her chest. She looked over at Nika helping her aunt set the table, oblivious to the panic attack Kennedy was having. Oh God. If Phoenix trailed her here, Nika would never trust her.
Lexie: Btw did u find Nika?
Me: Yep
Lexie: How is she?
Me: Doesn’t want me here. Tried 2 kill me once. Keeps glaring at me…
Lexie: So then she’s fine.
Me: Lol. I guess. There’s some stuff I want to help her with. Tell Mason I’ll be back as soon as I can.
Lexie: Ok. B safe.
Me: u 2. Good luck in Mexico.
Lexie: tx.
The beef stew was delicious. For the first time since she’d arrived in this country, Kennedy felt warm all over. She even took off her scarf and sweater.
“So Kennedy, what element do you control?”
Kennedy gulped her bite of stew, not used to being asked that question by a civilian. Now that she thought about it, Eva had watched Nika bend the air to her will outside without so much as flinching. At the time, she’d been too concerned with trying to stay alive to notice that Eva knew all about her niece’s ability. This must have been something she’d known for a while now. She glanced at Nika, wondering what to say.
Center of the Universe (Twelfth Keeper) Page 17
