V

she's not in the green dress anymore. It's puddled around her feet and

nd me. "No one is sup

rself up, not that it does much good. I'd have to be

ell, she'

ipping, hiding, I don't give a shit wha

ls the one she gave the Greek mutt o

st be j

m? I call bullshit. Ever

kin-but she doesn't shy away. "So, not security, then? Probably s

e skulking through a s

eferably in sweatpants and a hoodie with a parka on top, but beggars can't be choosers. I'd a

, and instead of bragging to me about who desig

n't be

oman in front of me shivers. Before I can secon

you doing?

t time in my life I've voluntarily

from me. Like a dog that's been kicked so many times it's s

dangle my jacket in the air bet

er long breath before she lunge

et absolutely swallows her, but I'm not laughing. Somehow, the image of he

arms to secure it. "Thanks. For a second, I thought you

t tem

aten me," s

d be all bad. You'd be

all women want

ll dolled up and marched in here to sell your so

this, Ivan that. Everyone can't get

at the partygoers below. "Everyone i

r nose and points at a paunchy man stand

onjures up the relevant facts. Valmor Shundi. Albanian underboss. Like

to get caught for stealing money from his clients. He needs his da

you kn

n, my mind hums and pulls up what I need to know. Alfonso Marciano. A Rossi fami

ing a pink polo with a popped col

the brown bedazzled dress who is scanning the lawn like a vulture. "Though I

nces shyly. "Fair enough. But I looked be

disagree,"

ut that slipped out before I could stop it. H

" she asks, obviously

of the one man I would have most preferred not to think about. The la

's not, like, a terrible poker player or secretly

's the father of the woma

aid out loud inste

ide, dark hair spilling over her should

doesn't know who I am. I'm still not sure I believe her,

e yours

?" she c

you out for

sure you aren't head of securit

e world shrinks around us. "I'll an

only a second. "

nd contacts and allies and enemies, but the

art and grab two glasses. "Ca

easily. You're supposed to tell me i

ip. "If I was head of security,

bad at your j

lass to her. "I'm n

e you." She tastes the drink a

ee-hundred-do

est thing I've ever tasted." She pa

after everything that happened with Konstantin and Katerina Sokolov, I'm positive it will

hers in a toast to wherever this nigh