The Fire Within

by Dana Marie Bell

  Because he was the only one he trusted to have her back completely.

  That thought startled him. He should be able to trust his brothers, especially Seth and Damien, but the very idea of sending her out alone with either one of them made him extremely uneasy. He needed her where he could see her, touch her. He had to be the one who ensured she was safe from the Shem who’d threatened her.

  “I’m going with you to Piotr’s if I have to follow on my bike.” He held out his own plate, smiling when she placed his pizza down far more gently. She didn’t seem to want to jar his bad arm, something he appreciated. It was aching, but not nearly as badly as he’d feared it might, so he’d chosen to ignore the pain and keep a clear head. The pain pills made him too loopy to properly protect her, so he’d stopped taking them. He’d only taken them yesterday to appease her.

  Elizabeth studied him through, her expression turning crafty. “I’ll make you a deal.”

  Uh-oh. Dante studied her right back. “Anything that puts your safety in jeopardy is off the table.”

  “Fine. Get me in to interrogate Kensington and you can come with me to see Piotr.”

  He snarled. “You’re not getting within ten miles of him.”

  “Then you’re keeping your injured ass home.”

  It was a stand-off, one he knew he’d wind up losing. “Fine. But I’m in the car, waiting for you. If you’re not back within half an hour, I storm the precinct.”

  She grinned. “Deal.”

  As he watched her saunter off into the living room, he just knew he was going to regret saying yes.

  * * *

  It didn’t take long to get in to see Romanov. Dante had called Gabriel after eating the pizza the night before, and today he and Elizabeth had waltzed into Romanov Enterprises like they owned the place.

  “We’re here to see Mr. Romanov.”

  “He’s expecting you.” Piotr’s secretary smiled at them sweetly. “Follow me, Detective Zucco, Ms. Rand.”

  Dante gestured for Elizabeth to walk ahead of him.

  The secretary opened the door. “Mr. Romanov? Detective Zucco and Miss Rand are here to see you.”

  “Send them in, Stapleton.”

  The young man stood aside. “Refreshments, sir?”

  “That won’t be necessary. Spasiba.”

  “Yes, sir.” The secretary closed the door behind them with a quiet click.

  Sitting across the desk from Piotr, Dante tried to picture him hiring a killer. He looked the part. Icy cold, ruthless and handsome as sin, the man had always made Dante leery. If the circumstances were right, he could even see Piotr pulling the trigger himself. For him, it would be a calculated risk, one where the preferable outcome outweighed the risk of discovery.

  Elizabeth sat, crossing her legs and pulling out her notebook. She flipped through a few pages before glancing sharply at Piotr. “I have some questions concerning the money that you contributed to the Blessing campaign.”

  The cold smile that crossed Piotr’s lips had Dante moving closer to Elizabeth. “I thought we had, what is the phrase, covered this base, Ms. Rand?”

  She sighed. “Look, Romanov. Seth, Abby and Andi are my friends, and they trust you.” Gray eyes met crystal in a clash of wills Dante could almost physically feel. “So I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt.” She ignored the raised golden brow, refusing to be intimidated. She leaned forward, uncrossing her legs. “Tell me about the money. You say you didn’t contribute anything, yet the files are there. Missing, but traceable. Next, I have a blackmail scheme on my hands, involving the death of a woman. Again, your financial files are the only ones missing. All are recovered, except for the ones with your name on them. My apartment gets trashed, my hard drives stolen out of my computer, my laptop stolen and my back-up tapes melted on my stove.” Her gaze never left his, but he reacted to none of what she was saying. “Tell me what’s going on.”

  “You think I destroyed your apartment?”

  If Dante didn’t know better he’d think there was a hint of hurt in Piotr’s voice.

  “I have to cover my bases, and so far you’re a prime suspect.” Elizabeth shrugged. “Look at it from my point of view. Why would you, or someone else, hide the fact that the funds were missing? Or were given to the campaign at all? It doesn’t make sense, unless you are the one doing the hiding.”

  Piotr sat back and folded his hands. “What would you like me to say?”

  “I want you to tell me who hates you enough to steal your money and make it look like you’re a murderer.”

  Dante stared at her, shocked. He hadn’t thought that the true blackmail victim might be Piotr.

  Piotr smiled slightly, and for once it reached his eyes. “You are very persistent, Ms. Rand, and intelligent.” He glanced at Dante, and the smile turned wicked. “I approve.”

  Something in Dante warmed at that look, something Dante didn’t want to acknowledge. If he did, he’d have to admit that most of his problems with Piotr were because he was a Romanov. And that would mean the man really was his brother after all. “I don’t need your approval.”

  The chill returned to Piotr’s features, but for once the coldness didn’t appear unfeeling. Piotr seemed...lonely. “No. You do not.” He turned his attention once more to Elizabeth, and Dante felt two inches tall for hurting someone who seemed genuinely pleased on his behalf. “I have no idea who hates me quite that much, although—” and once again the amusement was a tangible thing, “—I imagine there are any number of people who would love to see me behind bars.”

  “Most enemies want to see their quarry dead. This one wants to see you hurt.” Beth studied his features. “Could it have something to do with you being Nephilim?”

  Piotr’s expression became startled, his gaze darting to Dante. “You told her?”

  Dante shrugged. “She figured it out. She already knew about Seth.”

  “I see. You’re very observant, Ms. Rand. Perhaps I should hire you to look into the matter for me.”

  “Consider it a freebie. Andi’s my friend, and she trusts you implicitly. That’s good enough for me.”

  “Spasibo.”

  “You’re welcome.” Beth pushed her glasses up her nose. “So. Tell me what’s going on.”

  Piotr did. Dante wasn’t going to pretend he didn’t understand. Elizabeth had that effect on people, and Piotr seemed just as vulnerable as everyone else to her allure. “Money started disappearing out of my personal account about six months ago. I have as yet been unable to trace the source of the missing funds. I know through you that they went to the Blessing campaign and then out to the Cayman Islands—”

  “I don’t believe I ever mentioned the Cayman Islands,” Beth interjected, sending Romanov a sharp glance over her glasses.

  He shrugged elegantly. “The money then began moving around a great deal—where to, I am not entirely certain. Some of that money, I believe, was deposited into the account of one Robert Kensington, currently under arrest for blackmail, murder and attempted murder of a police officer.”

  “And you haven’t been able to trace the rest of it?”

  “Whoever did this is extremely good at laundering money. They’ve kept it hopping around the world, into different accounts with different names. As yet, I am unable to track all of the locations.”

  She nodded. “I’ll see what my tracker can do. She’s pretty good.”

  She was looking down at her notes, and so missed the triumph that flashed ever so briefly across his face. But Dante saw it, and was worried for Beth’s friend. As a Cambion, Piotr would find himself drawn to the dreamy, highly emotional Sam. Dante resolved to keep an eye on the fragile blonde. “Anything you can add that might help? We’re definitely dealing with at least one Shem.”

  Piotr nodded. “Other than I’ve never met Mrs. Blake, Mr.
Blessing, or any of the other players in this little game? I’m afraid not, but I’ll speak with Micah and Zeke. It’s possible they might know something.”

  Micah and Zeke worked with Piotr in much the same way Dante worked with Seth and Damien. He’d always wondered before how the two men could stand to be around him.

  He still wondered, but now it was whether or not he really had misjudged Piotr. Perhaps he wasn’t as unfeeling as he seemed. Maybe he longed for that brother to brother connection that Dante had denied him because of his last name.

  Shit. Now Dante was going to have to apologize for being a dick.

  “This isn’t business. This is personal.” Elizabeth’s words interrupted his train of thought. “Whoever is doing this feels he or she owes you.”

  “Sheer speculation, I am afraid, but quite possibly accurate.” Piotr stood, pressing a button on his desk and signaling that the interview was over. “If you find anything, anything at all, please notify me immediately. I’ll take it from there.”

  She smiled grimly. “Mr. Romanov, if I find anything I’ll make sure you hear about it.”

  She sailed toward the door, Dante hot on her heels.

  “Dante?”

  Dante turned to find Piotr watching him with an odd expression. “Prebyvaniem bezopasny, moĭ brat.”

  The traditional parting words were spoken softly, almost hesitantly, in Russian, but Dante understood them. So, for the first time, he gave them back to Piotr without feeling like a liar. “Stay safe, my brother.”

  The lightning-quick smile he received haunted him as he left Piotr’s office. He needed to talk to Seth. It seemed he’d made a serious mistake with Piotr, but he had no idea how to fix it.

  The man needed his brothers in the worst way, and they’d shunned him repeatedly. Dante was going to fix that, and he knew just who to ask for help.

  Dante needed his family. But first? They needed to catch the Shem that seemed to be targeting not only his lover, but the man he finally acknowledged as his brother.

  Chapter Nineteen

  She pulled up in front of the precinct, eager to get to Kensington. “You’re sure you cleared this, right?”

  Dante rolled his eyes. “Purvis managed to get us the okay. The cops are hoping you’ll be able to get something out of him that they couldn’t.”

  She nodded. “What if he turns out to be the Shem?”

  “If he is, he’s better at hiding it than anyone else I’ve ever met.” He sighed deeply. “It’s possible he’s working with them, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Find out what you can, but don’t be surprised if there isn’t much there. He seems...immature.” Dante frowned. “Like—”

  “He’s being used.” She had the same gut feeling. “That gun. He said he never kept it loaded.”

  “I know.”

  “So, the question becomes, who loaded it?”

  His gaze was full of fire. “The same person who tried to run you over.”

  “Then maybe Kensington can tell me who that is.”

  He grabbed her arm before she could climb out of the car. “Be careful. When a Shem is cornered they become vicious.”

  “You said he’s not a Shem.”

  Dante’s cheeks flushed. “I did. But if I’m wrong...”

  She kissed his cheek. “I’ll be careful, tesoro.” She was close enough that she felt the shudder that ran through him. “Stay in the car.”

  Before he could reply she’d climbed out. She barely heard the string of Italian as she walked up to the precinct doors. Walking into the warmth of the precinct, she smiled at the officer behind the desk. “Hey, Koelling.”

  The officer, an older, grizzled man she’d dealt with many times before, grinned. “Hey, Rand.” He stood and waved her over, offering her a hug. The man looked like he’d been dragged facedown over three miles of bad road, had tattoos that would make a sailor blush, and was a complete squishy bear on the inside. He scared the crap out of all the juvenile offenders who were brought in, and he was also the one who volunteered at the youth centers, trying to turn their lives around. “How’s Purvis? We sent a fruit basket to his house, but I haven’t heard anything other than he’s home and recuperating.”

  “I saw him at the hospital when he went to visit Dante. He’s doing well.”

  “You’re here to talk to that scumbag who shot Detective Zucco, right?” Koelling got back behind the front desk and began typing. “You’ve been cleared thanks to Detective Purvis.”

  “Thanks. Has he asked for a lawyer?”

  “Yeah, he has, but it’s not gonna do him any good. He shot a cop, he’s gonna do time.” For a split second Koelling looked just as scary as the kids thought he was. “Zucco’s good people. He doesn’t deserve getting shot by some asshole who didn’t even know his gun was loaded.”

  “Told you that, did he?”

  Koelling’s harsh expression relaxed. “It’s the only thing he’s told us. Over, and over, and over.”

  She shook her head and laughed. He sounded thoroughly disgusted with Kensington. “Let me go see what I can get out of him then.”

  “Good luck with that.” Koelling waved her through into the precinct.

  It didn’t take long for the officers to bring Kensington to an interrogation room. They had him in the lock-up within the precinct. Apparently he hadn’t been processed into general population yet. She sat across from him and stared at him in his prison orange jumpsuit. He looked thoroughly miserable, his pretty face scruffy. “You need to help me,” he whined. “I didn’t mean to shoot that detective, I swear it!”

  She smiled, and had the gratification of seeing him shiver. “Tell me about it.”

  He took a deep breath. “Okay. My lawyer told me not to talk, but I figure I wanna cut a deal or something, I gotta talk, right?”

  She nodded slowly. “I’m not a cop, so I’m not bound by the same rules. You understand that?”

  He nodded eagerly. “Yeah, yeah, I get it, but you’re banging a cop. I figure you can put in a good word for me.”

  Was it that obvious that she was together with Dante? “How do you know I’m seeing Detective Zucco?”

  He rolled his bloodshot eyes. “Please. The way you two look at each other? A blind man could see it.” He took a deep breath and began speaking. “I saw them, Todd and Jennifer, together. They were in her office, and it looked like, well, you know. Anyway, there they were, going at it right on her desk. And I thought, hey, golden opportunity, make some cash, split for the hills after I have a couple grand in the bank.” He shrugged. “I wasn’t gonna hose them for more than that, you know? Todd’s never going to get elected, and even if he does he’ll hire all new staff. We’re all going to be out on our asses.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  He scrubbed his face. “Jennifer hated almost everyone in the office. Cranston and I overheard her telling Todd to fire us all and start fresh, that we were going to wind up bringing the campaign down. She especially hated Candy and Oates.”

  “Oates?”

  “Yeah. She said he was too interested in the money, despite being Todd’s accountant.” He laughed bitterly. “How can your accountant be too interested in where the money is going? That’s his job.” He paused, apparently to gather his thoughts. “Anyway, I had Blessing pay me. Not much, just a couple grand, then a couple more. Figured I’d stop when I hit twenty in the bank, take a little vacation, then find work somewhere out in California. Nice and sunny there, you know? Anyway, Jennifer up and gets killed, so I lay off the blackmail. Figured it would do more harm than good to have him keep paying me like that. I didn’t want someone to think I’d killed her. Then, the freakiest thing happened.”

  “Twenty grand was mysteriously deposited to your account.”

  He looked surprised. “How’d you know?”
>
  She smiled grimly. “Lucky guess. What did you do?”

  “I was getting ready to head for the hills when you and that detective showed up. Figured I’d better get the hell out of Dodge before you decided to either pin the murder on me or Blessing. Either way, I’d wind up doing jail time.” He sighed roughly. “I didn’t do it, Ms. Rand. I didn’t kill Jennifer. You gotta believe me.”

  She did, but she wasn’t certain the cops weren’t going to nail the murder on him anyway. It wasn’t like Dante could walk up to them and tell them that a Shem had been the murderer. But she couldn’t leave this guy twisting in the wind, either. He’d still do time, but she wanted him to do it for the crimes he’d actually committed. “I do, actually.”

  “You do?” He looked surprised, and hopeful. He leaned forward, but didn’t touch her. “Listen, I didn’t mean to hurt that cop. Like I said, I always kept that gun unloaded.”

  “Can you think of anyone in the office who would have it in for either Blessing or Romanov?”

  Kensington turned white as a ghost. “Romanov?”

  She nodded slowly. “Yes, Romanov. Anyone come to mind, Kensington?”

  He shook his head slowly. “No one I can think of would deliberately mess with Mr. Romanov. That is one scary-ass dude. Why?”

  “Anyone in the office ever mention his name?”

  He shrugged, still shaken. “Cranston, once, but that was in connection with a campaign contribution he’d made. Cranston seemed confused about it, because there wasn’t a file on it.”

  Beth frowned thoughtfully. “That’s odd. He told us that Romanov had never made a contribution.” Cranston had lied to her. She needed to dig deeper into his past.

  Kensington laughed. “Maybe he lied to you because he’s terrified of Romanov, just like the rest of the sane world.”

  Beth looked at Kensington mildly. “You know, Romanov’s really not that bad.”

  “Neither is a grizzly until you piss it off.” Kensington began making ripping motions with his hands. “Then it tears you into very tiny little pieces and devours what’s left.”