Retribution (24 page)

“Hello Katya. You get
lovelier every time I see you.”

She gave her a hug and
murmured her thanks. Eveline Peirce had been planning her father’s
events for as many years as she could remember. She was an elegant
older woman with short grey, almost white, hair and a very kind
face. She always dressed very stylishly and for some reason
reminded Kat of English royalty. She mentioned it to her once and
the older woman was flattered. Now, her attention went to Ryan, and
Katya introduced him as her bodyguard, something she wasn’t going
to do at the party if her father was still having it. “People
aren’t supposed to know though. It’s for—precautions,” she added
about Ryan. She could trust Eveline. She was very discreet. She was
certain she must’ve known something about her father, but never
said a word about it. That’s why he trusted her to handle his
social engagements. Katya always wanted to use her to help her plan
her wedding, but now that was just dust. She had no sister, mother,
or family that would necessitate a large wedding and she certainly
wouldn’t hold it here.

“Well darling I understand
perfectly why you need the protection after what you’ve been
through. You poor dear.” She took her hand in hers and squeezed it
affectionately. “Your secret bodyguard is safe with me. I try not
to put too much into the media about the horrible things that
happened to you, but I am glad you are safe. I’m sure your father
is relieved to have you home.”

Sure he is. “Thank you Miss
Pierce.”

“Anytime. Nice to meet you
Mr. Casey.” Eveline turned and shook his hand.

“You too.”

She walked away calling to
people carrying tables through the halls.

“I’ll wait here,” Ryan
said. He looked past her to Peter who nodded.

“Shut the door Kat,” Peter
said from behind her.

She did as he asked,
sparing one last look at Ryan before the door severed her
view.

“Come in. Sit.” He pointed
to the chair in front of his desk.

She’d been in that room
only a handful of times in the last twenty one years. It was his
place of business and usually off limits to her and Anna. It was
dark—intimidating. Of course it was purposely made that way. She
made her way over to the chair he indicated and sat down with her
hands folded on her lap and her back straight.

He came around and sat on
the corner of the desk while looking down at her. “I want to know
how you are.” He reached over and nudged her chin so she’d look at
him.

“Fine.”

He tilted his head. “Mr.
Casey seems to be quite capable of protecting you.”

She clenched her jaw.
“He’ll do.”

“Do you like
him?”

She chose her words very
carefully so he wouldn’t know what was going on between them. “I
don’t like a man in my sister’s room, and I don’t like him so close
to mine. I have no privacy.” She added a slight edge of irritation
to her tone.

He chuckled. “I expected
so.”

“What do you really want? I
don’t want to be here any longer than I have to.” She was trying to
divert him off the subject of Ryan. She was afraid he would see
through the lie.

His expression changed to
anger. “You are ungrateful Katya.”

She shrugged. “I’m in a
prison.”

He waved his arm and stood
up. “You can leave at any time!”

“And have another drug gang
kidnap and abuse me. No thanks.”

“You blame me.” It wasn’t a
question.

“Of course I do! If you
were honest with what you really do, I could have taken more
precautions.”

He scoffed. “Yes, if I was
honest. What is honesty? There is no such thing Katya! You are
fooling yourself.”

“There is so. Mama
would—”

He raised his hand in anger
and she flinched. He paused and smiled lowering his arm. “No there
is not. Kat, you are continuously trying to anger me. This is going
to stop right now. I’m going to explain something to you. You are
not a man. If I had a son, he would be part of this business. But
women—a woman, does not need to know a man’s business or where his
money comes from. Their role is entirely different. She needs to
look good and listen to her father.”

“And I was raised in an
American city, not Russia.”

“It doesn’t matter where
you are raised, they are our traditions.” His voice rose again. “If
you were raised in Chechnya you would have been a whore on the
streets by the time you were twelve! I gave you privilege! You’re
mother overdosed on heroin and you use her against me!”

She looked away from him.
Her jaw trembled and her lower lip shook. She knew exactly what
happened to her mother and she hated him more than anything else at
that moment.

“
Hate me all you want, but
I am your father and you will obey me. I fired that psychologist.
What good is it to have him if you are this way?” He waved a hand
at her.

She still didn’t look at
him.

“From now on you will
listen to me. I will have no more outbursts in front of my men,” he
continued. “It is disrespectful, and I’ve punished people for less.
Do you understand?”

She never answered
him.

“Katya?”

“Yes sir.” She finally
turned her hot stare on him. She knew the punishments he was
talking about. After the blinders were off, she saw his scarred
knuckles, just like Ivan’s. He was responsible for hurting people,
beating them, killing them.

“Good. Now that we have
that settled, tell me about your captivity.”

She steeled herself, calmed
her voice and spoke. “I never saw anything.”

He tilted his head
assessing her with his steel blue eyes. “No? What about the second
time?”

“The last thing I
remembered was the horrible sound of exploding glass and crumpled
metal—the accident. When I woke I was in a cold dark
room.”

“That’s it?”

“Until R—Mr. Casey showed
up and rescued me.”

“You heard, or saw
nothing?”

She shook her head. He
didn’t look convinced at all. “Except the dead men.”

His brows popped up. “You
saw the men Casey killed?”

She nodded. “I did.” She
had to give him something because she knew he wouldn’t let her go
until he had some collaborating information. She’d make sure it
wasn’t much, but it had to be something. “He found me in the room
and got me out.”

Peter folded his arms
across his chest and stared down at her. “How many did he
kill?”

He was trying to confirm
Ryan’s story. Well, she honestly didn’t know that part. He didn’t
tell her, for good reason. It would have upset her. “I don’t know.
I just saw the two that were outside the door of my cell. We were
shot at when we were driving away. Mr. Casey pushed me down so I
wouldn’t get hit, so I didn’t even see where we came from or how we
got out of there. That’s when he got shot.”

“Did you know how many men
where there?”

“No, I have no idea.”
.

He seemed
convinced.

“I promise, that is all I
know,” she added honestly. Thank God he didn’t ask her about
blowing up the house. “Anything else?” God, she wanted away from
him as soon as possible.

“Yes, are you ready for
tonight? Do you have a dress for the party?”

You’d think after the last
kidnapping that he’d cancel it, but after seeing Eveline, she
should have known that wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t speaking
to her about canceling the party, just the fine details. She should
have known that he cared more about money than his own flesh and
blood. “Y-you’re still having it?” And, why was he so concerned
about her dress? She had a feeling that something more was going on
and he needed her to look exceptional.

“Of course.”

She felt her face heat up
in anger. She was nearly killed and he was still having this
useless party! “I have plenty in my closet that I’ve never worn.
I’ll wear one of those.” She was surprised at how calm she
sounded.

He nodded. “This year’s
fashion preferably. I have some investors coming to this party so I
need you to look really good. I need you to be
convincing.”

Like she always was. The
perfect hostess and loving daughter. “I will.” That really pleased
him. He grinned from ear to ear as if he just won a major
war.

When she came out of her
father’s office, Ryan was gone. She knew he’d be close by, but
must’ve got called away for the moment. She made her way back up to
her room. She knew now that her father did not love her. He never
did. It was all about appearances with him. The only one that
seemed to care about her was Ryan. Should she put so much faith in
that though? Who’s to say that he’ll stick around after this is
over, if it ever ends.

She stopped outside her
door and leaned her head against it. She could definitely survive
on her own if she had to. She was sure she could. She didn’t need
her father’s money or shelter after Ryan accomplished what he came
to do. It was important he succeeded and she would do everything to
help him so she could get away from here.

A large hand smoothed over
her shoulder startling her. She jumped and turned around. It was
Ryan. The level of stealth he possessed was still
surprising.

“Are you all right?” He
nudged her under her chin to make her tilt her head up to face
him.

“I’ll be fine.”

“You will,” he
agreed.

She smiled. “He’s just so
hard to take.”

Ryan nodded. Then he leaned
down, reached behind her and opened her door.

She closed her eyes and
inhaled his scent as her nose near brushed the skin at his
neck.

He turned his head and
kissed her forehead tenderly. “Let’s go for a run after
breakfast.”

“I’d love to.”

He took her hand and led
her into her room shutting the door behind them.

Down the hall Ivan stepped
out behind the corner while lighting a cigarette. He knew he was
right about those two, but his boss won’t listen. He’ll have to
deal with Casey on his own. Katya would be his whether she liked it
or not.

***

“Oh, be still my beating
heart,” Ryan murmured. He made a circular motion with his finger
for her to turn around.

Kat grinned from ear to ear
and swirled in front of him. She wore a form fitting deep plum
satin gown with off the shoulder straps. There was a long slit up
the side revealing one of her flawless legs up to mid-thigh. In the
back, the material dipped below the taunting curves of her shoulder
blades. The material spilled onto the floor behind her. It was a
perfect choice for her figure. It was exquisite and classy, just
like the rest of her.

Around her neck was her
mother’s tear drop diamond necklace. She also had the matching
earrings. Her hair was pulled up and piled neatly on top of her
head held in place by diamond encrusted pins and revealing her
elegant long neck.

He let out a long whistle
of appreciation. “You put the ‘class’ in classy,
darling.”

She blushed red at the
compliment and the endearment. He was no hobo either. She didn’t
know how he got his hands on the expensive stylish tuxedo he wore,
but it was definitely tailor made. “You’re no street urchin
yourself.”

He chuckled as he
approached and gathered her in his arms. “I could eat you up right
now,” he said huskily. He bent his head and gave her a long deep
kiss.

She felt her knees go weak
as his tongue caressed hers. Oh, this man knew how to seduce a
woman with his mouth, that’s for certain. “Do you really like it?”
she said breathlessly.

The corner of his mouth
pulled up. He took her hand and moved it between them so she could
feel his solid erection. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him.
He tilted his head handsomely and lifted a single brow. She burst
into laughter. She couldn’t deny that type of honesty.

He narrowed his gaze in a
mock glare. “I’m glad my condition amuses you.” He glanced at his
watch. “Time to go and receive your father’s guests.” He turned and
held out his arm for her.

She was still smiling when
she took it.

“You will be paying for
that later,” he whispered in her ear as they descended the
stairs.

“I’m praying on it,” she
softly countered. His deeply voiced threat had the muscles in her
pelvis contract suddenly. Gosh, how did that with just a phrase,
was impressive.

There was classical music
playing as they walked through the house to the back yard. Her
father didn’t spare any expense when it came to impressing these
so-called investors.

There was a massive buffet,
top of the line chiefs, servers, and small orchestra to create an
elegant atmosphere. He’d had the garden manicured to perfection and
extra lights set up. People were mingling throughout the house and
concentrated mainly in the back garden where the music was. If she
didn’t know anything about her father, she would have thought this
very enchanting and beautiful.