CHAPTER 18

TIMOFEY

"You're kidding," Piper snorts.

She looks from me to Rooney and back again like she's waiting for one of us to break character and reveal this has all been some kind of practical joke. Even Rooney is standing stock still in the doorway, waiting for… Actually, I'm not sure.

"What the fuck are you waiting for?" I ask him.

"He's waiting for you to make sense," Piper interrupts. "You hired me to be Benjamin's nanny. Being in his room is not kidnapping, or whatever other bullshit accusation you're making up in your head."

"Funny—I seem to remember you saying you'll do 'anything possible' to get him out of my house. I'm no lawyer, but that sounds suspect to me."

"You were here the entire time!" she protests.

I step back, holding Benjamin over my shoulder and patting his back. His wailing has stopped. Silence descends in the room.

The shock is plain on Piper's face. I have to bite back my own smug smile. "And thank God I was," I say solemnly. "Who knows what would have happened otherwise?"

"Stop doing that!"

"Doing what?"

That!" She circles her finger in my face, her full lips squished into a frustrated slash. "Acting like you're the victim here. That police officer and I both know who you really are. Stop pretending."

I cross the distance between us in one step. Piper jerks back with a gasp, and I tower over her, eyes narrowed.

"Fine. I'll stop pretending," I snarl. "You refuse to accept your role in this little drama. Your job is to do what I say. That is it. You may think I'm the villain, Piper, and you might even be right. But that does not make you the hero."

That little jab might wound her more than anything else I've ever said to her. Angry red splotches color her cheeks.

But I'm not done yet. "You are nothing but a background character, momentarily pulled into the melee. You will make yourself useful to me or I'll rid myself of you. This trip downtown will be a taste of what I'm capable of."

Her eyes widened. "You're serious."

It's not a question, so I don't bother with an answer. I just turn around and gesture for Rooney to go ahead.

He sags with exhaustion, even though the day is young, and unhooks his cuffs from his hip.

"You're serious," she repeats, hysteria edging into her voice. "Timofey, no. You can't do this. I didn't—I didn't do anything wrong!"

When she sees I'm not going to offer her any mercy, she turns to Rooney.

"Please, Officer," she begs, folding in on herself. "I don't know why you're working for him, but I'm sure you're a good person. You don't want to do this."

I can't hold back a laugh. "James is the one who came to me to set up this arrangement. Didn't you, James?"

His jaw clenches, but he nods.

James Rooney is an unfortunate criminal—the kind with a half-formed conscience. The kind who wishes he was a better man, but knows he isn't and never will be.

I don't envy him. This world is much easier when you know who you are.

I offer Piper a cruel grin. "He and I were a match made in hell."

I can physically see the hope drain out of her. Rooney crosses the room, cuffs held out in front of him.

"Come on, sweetheart," he says gruffly. "Don't make this harder than it oughta be."

She jerks her arms away and tucks them behind her back. "No! No. You're not doing this. I'm not going with you."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, ma'am."

"Don't talk to me like I'm the crazy one here!" she cries out. "You're fucking deranged, both of you. You can't get away with this. I'll tell someone. I'll report you."

I shake my head. "No, you won't."

"Yes, I—"

"Does Ashley know where you are right now?" I cut in. "Have you told her I'm the one who broke into her apartment last night? Does she know to watch out for me?Does she even know who I am?"

Her full lips part in disbelief at my casual cruelty. They're good lips: full and pink. It's a waste, really. If she's going to be as stubborn as a mule, she should look like one, too.

A flash of determination sparkles in her green eyes. "Don't you dare touch her. Leave her alone."

"I will—if you keep your mouth shut." I reach out and stroke a fingertip down her cheek. "Show me you can follow directions, Piper. Prove to me you can be obedient."

She swats me away, her hand shaking in fury. Her nostrils flare. "I already told you: I'm not a dog."

"Call yourself whatever you like,kiska.But whatever you choose, know that I will take care of you. I will protect you. All you have to do in return is every single thing I say."

"Oh, is that all?" she snips sarcastically. "Sounds completely reasonable and not at all psychotic."

I click my tongue in disappointment. "We'll talk again later. After you've had time to think through my offer."

Rooney raises a brow, and I nod. No more fucking around. It's clear that this is the only way to get through to the stubborn girl before me.

But when he steps forward, the little bit of calm Piper manages to cling to and evaporates. In an instant, she's thrashing like a maniac, throwing herself back into the crib and lunging towards the door.

"No!" she shrieks, her voice breaking with pure fear. "Don't you dare fucking touch me! Get your hands off of me!"

Rooney grabs for her arms. As soon as he manages to get one, she frees the first. They go through the whole routine a few times over. It's a pitiful display of snotty crying, pained grunting, the two of them helpless and hapless against each other.

But she can only hold out for so long. When Rooney finally manages to capture both of Piper's arms behind her back, she collapses forward with a sob.

"Please," she begs me. "Please don't do this, Timofey. Please."

It's a far cry from the way she stepped forward during the meeting earlier, addressing a room full of Bratva lieutenants like she was ready to square up with them right then and there.

"Stop resisting," James barks. He drives a knee into Piper's lower back, taking her down to the floor.

I told him to arrest her, but the sight still sets off alarm bells in my head.

No one should be touching her like that.Ever.

It's the same sense of protectiveness I felt in the alley the night we met. I was there to scare her myself—but the moment that drunkard wrapped his grimy, unworthy hands around her neck, I wanted to slaughter him.

"Get her under control and get out of your car," I bit out.

"What the hell does it look like I'm trying to do?"

I ignore his tone and step out into the hall. Benjamin is trying to lift his little head to follow the commotion, but he's still too young. I'm grateful for that. He doesn't need to remember this.

A minute later, James walks out with a struggling Piper next to him. She's dragging her feet, but she's not fighting anymore. She's just limp and unresisting. Her breath is coming in quick gasps. Hyperventilating. Fear choking her out from the inside.

"Stand her up so she can breathe, Rooney. We don't need another dead body to deal with."

"Do you want me to arrest her or not?" he complains. "This is how it has to be done."

"It's going to be done the way I say it will be done. Do what I say or you'll be the one in cuffs,mudak."

He looks over his shoulder at me, his face twisted into a grimace. Then he releases her and backs off with a huffy sigh.

Piper stands up and sucks in a deep breath. Her trembling eases.

Then she turns and charges directly at the officer.