Page 74 of Weeping Roses
It’s as if he’s stabbed her in the heart because she gasps for air and glances around with real fear.
“What about him?”
“I asked you a question, Marsha, it’s in your best interests to answer it.”
She peers down at the floor and says with a tremor in her voice, “I’ve met him once.”
“For what reason?” Valentin says simply and then leans forward, glaring at her with an expression that could chill the sun.
“Think extremely hard about your answer, Miss Steele, because I’m guessing if that man paid you a visit, you are involved in some serious shit.”
“It’s not that easy, Mr. Romanov. You see–” She lifts her eyes and I’m surprised to detect a hint of defiance in them and she says with animosity, “He knew of my close friendship with Veronica. He came to me for help, which I was reluctant to give because I pride myself on my loyalty, Mr. Romanov and she was one of my closest friends.”
I study her as she says in a harder tone. “She has something he wants. Hidden in one of her homes. He narrowed it down to Thorn House and told me of Polly. I resisted, of course I did, but if you know of him, Mr. Romanov, you will realize I was a fool.”
I detect the hard edge to her voice as she hisses, “Veronica was heavily involved with your father. Their relationship went back many years and I can only guess she was hiding something of importance for him. Nikolai informed me that it was of great interest and offered me no choice but to help him.”
“No choice?” Valentin asks, and she nods miserably.
“He threatened my life, and I’m kind of attached to that. Poor Veronica was obviously not so lucky.”
“So you came here to finish the job. Do you have any idea what he wants?”
I listen eagerly and she nods. “Documents that are printed with the Russian presidential crown.”
Valentin says nothing, and Marsha shakes her head in dismay.
“Listen. I’m not sure what Veronica was involved in and knowing my friend, neither did she. It was your father who used her and your father who made her a target.”
I sense Valentin’s anger as she directs her vitriolic tirade at him and, if anything, I admire her bravery.
She turns her attention to me and hisses, “Wake up, Polly. The Romanovs use women for their own gain. It’s the same for you. You have this house and he–” She jabs her finger in Valentin’s direction. “He wants what they all want. The documents and you will pay a heavy price for your ignorance.”
Her words hit home because she’s not wrong. It’s what brought him here in the first place, and I don’t feel good about myself right now. I can dress up his apparent infatuation as something more, but I must also listen to the niggling doubts that have called me a fool ever since I first let him into my body.
I’m surprised when Valentin reaches out and his fingers lace with mine as he faces Marsha with a frown.
“My relationship is none of your concern, Miss Steele. Do you really believe I would marry Polly to get what I want when I could just take it?”
She flinches under his disdainful glare as he hisses, “Look around you. I don’t travel alone and we had already searched this entire house long before I made Polly my wife. You see, this woman was happy to help. To help me find my father’s killer and I will, Miss Steele, make no mistake about that.”
He nods to Artem, who is standing by his side and hisses, “Escort Miss Steele from the premises with the usual word of warning.”
The alarm on Marsha’s face almost makes me feel sorry for her as she stutters, “What are you doing? I told you everything.”
“Did you? For some reason, I doubt that.” Valentin fires back and then jerks his head to the door.
“You may leave.”
His men move to her side and reach down, taking her arms and pull her roughly out of the chair.
“Let go of me!” She yells, but they remain impassive and pull her protesting from the room.
As they leave, Artem whispers, “Nikolai has boarded a jet for New York.”
Valentin appears thoughtful and then says softly, “Do we know why?”
“No, but I have alerted our men there and they will be waiting for his arrival.”