Sonata (Butcher and Violinist 2)

“I can do that.”

I quirked my eyebrows. “Can you?”

How much power do you have over the Lion?

As if she heard me, she whispered, “I have my limits.”

This could be helpful.

I continued, “This is an interesting topic, but you won’t talk to him before I do. Perhaps, we should discuss what you would do once we exchange.”

“I can’t make promises if I don’t know what Kazimir has in mind.”

And I’m sure Kazimir has something in mind.

Louis and Emily had been stressed about the exchange. Rafael had brought it up too. No time had I thought about the consequences. And even now as everyone worried, I just wanted Eden back in my arms. It didn’t matter if there would be a war after that. I just wanted to hold her again and know that she was okay.

If I had the fight the Lion, the Dragon, or any other criminal with a supped-up animal name, then I would.

Emily studied me.

What went on in this little woman’s head? How had she grabbed the Lion’s attention?

I glanced back at the ballerina on the poster. Had I kidnapped that ballerina Olesya, I doubt Kazimir would’ve gone to so much trouble.

The Mouse tapped her thigh with one hand. “We… we could be friends, Jean-Pierre.”

“And what does a friendship involve?”

“Lots and lots of trust.”

“I’m not letting you go, Mouse.”

“But if I go—”

“You won’t.” I snorted.

“If I do, give me time to stop this.”

“Stop what?”

“A war between us.”

“I haven’t even thought beyond that.”

Strain hit her voice. “That’s the problem.”

She sounded as bad as Louis.

“Okay.” I still didn’t understand where she was going with this, or how it could ever be a friendship between us. “If you go to him first, then I’ll give you time.”

“Let us leave Paris?”

“Oh yes. Kazimir and you leaving Paris would be fine with me.”

She returned to pacing. “And no war?”

“Not on my side, if Eden is back to me unharmed.”

She eyed me. “Define unharmed.”

“Not injured.”

“Kazimir wouldn’t hurt her. If others did, then that’s your problem with them. Not ours.”

“Fair.”

“Okay.” Emily walked over and held her hand out to me. “We exchange with a few hiccups, but we don’t stress about those hiccups.”

I quirked my eyebrows. “What am I shaking to?”

“Our friendship and no war.”

War had been coming close to erupting between me and Kazimir for years. I had helped his biggest enemy try to kill him. While Kazimir didn’t know, he might find out.

But I’d done the worst to him now. I’d taken the love of his life. Some would say I had my reasons. Kazimir wouldn’t.

And if she’s pregnant with his child… well… I would need her friendship.

The Mouse kept her hand out. “Jean-Pierre, to friendship?”

I shook her hand, not thinking that it could hurt.

Our hands connected.

She gently pulled me in for a hug.

Before I could respond, she kneed me in the crotch.

What the fuck?

Shocked, I doubled over.

Goddamn it.

Again, she used my leaning against me by pulling me into the bookshelf of ballerina figurines and shoes.

Fuck!

Pain exploded, still I reached out to grab her. “Get back over here!”

“I can’t.” She slammed my head against the shelf. It crashed on top of me. Ballet shoes fell around. My vision blurred. Agonizing shards shattered in my head.

I felt her take my gun. Heard her footsteps rush away.

She’s really becoming a pain in the fucking ass.

Blinking out through the dizziness, I reached up and shoved the shelf away. More shoes fell on me.

Shots came next from the hallway.

“Goddamn it!” I pushed everything away. “Get her!”

My men must’ve come in.

More shots.

A slam.

“What the fuck?!” Rafael yelled out from somewhere in the apartment.

More rumble.

I finished wrestling with the shelf, jumped up, stumbled forward, and hurried out into the hallway, stepping over one of my men lying dead on the floor.

That’s three of my men, Mouse, that you’ve killed. And you want friendship?

The rest of my men had run out of the apartment.

The front door swung back and forth.

Rafael rushed off the balcony with Gwen. He had a plate of food in his hands. “What just happened?”

“Where’s Louis?” I grabbed for my gun and realized Emily had it. “Fuck!”

Gwen widened her eyes. “Louis walked Natalie downstairs. Are my sister and Benji going to be okay?”

“Fuck!” I rushed out there. “Yes. They will be.”

Gunshots came from the stairwell. She was shooting up at my men and getting away.

Like Lion. Like Mouse.

Rafael and I ran to the hallway. People were all in the staircase. Some screamed. It was probably residents of the building.

My men yelled.

One cried, “Up here!”

Another yelled, “No, down here!”

Movement came from both sides.

Rafael looked at me. “Which way should we go?”

I leaned my head to the side of the railing and looked up. “It wouldn’t make sense for her to go up, but. . .who fucking knows today. Shit. I can’t believe I let her get so close.”

“Exactly. She’s been whipping your ass all day; you would think that you would have handcuffed her by now.” Rafael headed up. “Louis should be signaled right now. He’ll be down that way. We should run up just in case.”