Sonata (Butcher and Violinist 2)

And then he met the Mouse.

Emily spoke, “I can help you.”

“Can you now?”

“I’m good at solving problems.”

Rafael shook his head. “And yet the Lion is still a psychotic maniac. Maybe you can fix that problem first.”

She glared at him. “I’ve found from my time in the European crime world, that being a psychotic maniac goes with the job title.”

I touched my chest. “Are you calling me crazy too?”

“No. I understand your actions.” She nodded. “I get why you took me. Not smart, but effective. You’ll get Eden back faster than you would have, if you hadn’t.”

“Why?” Louis asked.

She looked at all of us. “Because Kazimir had no idea any of this had been going on. Someone did something and was hiding it from him.”

“Who?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Maybe, Misha.”

“Misha is definitely involved in this. And Celina.”

“I don’t know who that is.”

“But you know Misha?”

“Yes.”

Then, you’re as high as any women can be in Kazimir’s life. No wonder he’s destroying Paris.

I knew that he would have some affection for the woman. He’d surely expressed that with his cock when we’d walked in on him. But tear-up-Paris, affection? I hadn’t been prepared for that. He acted as a man that was barely holding on. He moved like he was scared. Kazimir defended. He was too big. There was no need for him to ever attack.

But now he was racing around the city, trying to hurt and destroy anything that was connected to the Corsican.

Maybe the Mouse can do something. Kazimir found her helpful.

I nodded at her. “I’ll take your help.”

Shock filled her gaze. “You will?”

“Yes.”

“How will you help?”

“Keep me by your side. Let me see what you see.” She extended her hands. “Anything I can add. Any information I can find, I’ll do it. We’ll get Eden back. Safe. That’s the most important part.”

I found myself believing in her. Although, I didn’t know if that was part of her skill. I would have to be careful. “You’re smarter than Kazimir. You provide a softness that he definitely doesn’t possess.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

We pulled up to the location where Shalimar had been hiding. My vans of men pulled up around us.

“It’s quiet and empty around here.” Louis scanned the space. “Where are our men?”

Rafael took out his gun. “Here we fucking go, again. The streets are clean, like the Bratva have been here.”

Had Kazimir been here? Had he really taken the steps to find Eden?

Louis opened the door and held his hand up. “Everyone stay here. I’ll go in with my people.”

“No.” Rafael jumped out of the limo. “I’m going in with you. I don’t like the smell of this. I want to make sure Shalimar is okay.”

Rafael and I exchanged looks.

If Shalimar wasn’t okay, then Rafael didn’t need to see it.

I shook my head. “Stay here.”

“Fuck you. I’m a big boy.” Rafael marched forward. “I’m going.”

“Have your men watch Emily,” I said to Louis. “Put the chef in the passenger side with the driver. She’s already freaked out.”

Louis grimaced. “I told Gwen a story, explaining something about Emily being a criminal, and us helping the authorities with the terrorist.”

“So, she thinks we’re on some official investigation for the government?”

“Or, she’s too scared to call bullshit and just nodding and smiling until we take her home.”

“Make sure you smooth things over with Gwen. Money. Whatever. Give her a nice story. We don’t want to freak her out. She’s the best thing that happened to Shalimar’s.” I hurried after Rafael.

I glanced over my shoulder.

Behind us, Louis yelled out orders. The chef left the limo. Three of Louis’s men entered on the other side, sat with Emily, and shut the door.

Okay. Let’s see what’s happening.

I rushed in.

A van of men had already unloaded and hurried ahead of us, knocking down the front door and holding their guns out. A rotting stench hit my nostrils.

Shit. Someone’s dead in here.

I hurried to the door before Rafael and grabbed his shoulder. “Let me go in first.”

“No.” His face already showed dread. “I’m fine.”

I got in front of him, anyway, almost tripping over a pile of bodies. It made me stop. More men went by.

Damn.

We stood in the doorway. I would’ve opened my mouth in shock, had the smell not been so bad. Both Louis’s and Rafael’s men had been watching Shalimar’s house. They all lay dead in a stack. Some had been sliced by their necks. Others decorated in bullet holes.

Rafael muttered, “This isn’t the Russians.”

We walked further. We were making noises, but I didn’t hear it anymore. Foreboding silence seeped into my head. I sank deep within myself.

This won’t be good. We should’ve come here before the damn restaurant. Fuck!

More bodies stacked the living room. Old fast food bags sat on the table. The food had been uneaten. Blood splattered a few burgers and fries.