“No, sir.”
“Yet, here we are. Lucky for me, I was at Romeo Jones’s memorial to have a front-row seat, while a dead body falls out the ceiling. Now the whole city knows, before we could calm citizens!”
Commissioner Kane took out a cigarette and lit it. “This is why we wanted to keep these murders quiet until we knew if there was a connection.”
Jonathan smacked the lit cigarette out of Kane’s hand. “How many people need to die in order for you to understand that there’s a connection?”
Kane stared at the lit cigarette on the ground. “Sorry, sir.”
“And it’s an election year!”
I arched my eyebrows.
Also, these are dead human beings, Jonathan.
Commissioner Kane adjusted his hat as if needing something to do with his hands. “We will do better next time.”
A crowd began to gather around us. I knew Jonathan would seek this opportunity to make a show of it, due to it being election year. A few news cameras snuck over to capture the moment.
Here comes the political theater.
“Let's cut the bullshit right now, Commissioner!” Jonathan aimed his finger at Kane. “You kept it quiet because these victims were connected to the Diamond Syndicate. And no doubt the Diamond Syndicate made you shut your lips.”
Confused, Kane glanced at the people gathering around. “Sir, those are serious allegations that I will not stand for—”
“Oh, you’ll stand for it.” Jonathan faced the cameras. “This is the state of our city. This is why I need to be reelected for Mayor. Dimitri Ivanov’s hand is so far up our commissioner’s ass, puppeting every move.”
Kane began sweating under the flashes of light. “That’s not fair, sir.”
“Quick! You two!” Jonathan yelled at the medics heading to their ambulance van. “Come here! We have an emergency. We need someone to get Ivanov’s hand out of the commissioner’s ass!”
A few people laughed.
Meanwhile, a deep voice sounded behind us. “My hand is actually in my pocket.”
We all turned around.
Usually, Dimitri’s face wore a neutral expression. Tonight, everything was different. Anger blazed in his eyes. Rage dotted every inch of his face. He towered over us. Viktor and several of his men flanked his sides.
Holy shit.
A cold shiver ran through me.
Now I get it. . .now I’m close to pissing in my pants.
Several news cameras rushed over. Lights flashed. Probably not wanting any of it recorded, the police and Dimitri’s men began pushing them back and blocking the cameras.
I stepped back.
“It’s a new day, Ivanov.” Jonathan stalked Dimitri’s way. “You don’t hide bodies in my city anymore.”
If Jonathan had said this to any other man, I would have been worried for the other person. However, next to Dimitri, Jonathan look like a skinny teenager.
Too bad, Jonathan had not gotten the memo. He continued to point his finger at Dimitri’s chest. “Tonight, I draw a line in the sand. Stay away from my police!”
Dimitri looked down at his finger. “There are so many things wrong with what you’re saying. Your city? Your police?” He raised his view to Jonathan. “If we were not surrounded by witnesses, I would show you exactly how much you’ve displeased me.”
“You’re no king, so you can stop acting like one.” Jonathan laughed. “You may have scared other mayors in the past, but you won’t scare me. I will not—”
“You will and you will do so in the politest way.” Dimitri scanned everyone as if looking for something. Then, his gaze stopped on me. I tensed and didn’t relax until he returned his attention back to Johnathan. “Mayor Parks, you had one term, and you’re not new to Paradise. And you know how things go around here.”
“Oh, I know how things go. And they won’t go like that anymore.”
Dimitri bared his teeth. “They will.”
Jonathan widened his eyes and prepared to speak.
“Enough.” Dimitri placed one hand in front of Jonathan’s face. “I don’t have the energy for you this evening. But I do want to make something clear.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes.” Dimitri put the hand down.
“What’s that?”
Dimitri leaned forward and sneered at Jonathan. “I do not share!”
Johnathan blinked. “What? We all live in this city, so you. . .”
Taking off his jacket, Dimitri walked around Jonathan and headed my way.
Don’t come to me. Don’t come to me.
Jonathan turned to the news crews. “The audacity of Mr. Ivanov. He doesn’t want to share this city? Too bad. I’m here and I don’t share either.”
Shit.
Ignoring Jonathan, Dimitri stopped in front of me.
I opened my mouth in shock.
Dimitri placed the jacket over my shoulders. “It’s cold.”
The jacket came close to swallowing me up. I should have given it back but it was so warm and the material was very soft and smooth against my skin. His designer cologne rose from the fabric, cocooning me within him.
Dimitri shook his head. “You should be inside your warm bed. Plus, there’s a killer around here. My men will take you home.”