Ivan’s back ripples with tension before he turns on his heel and comes back to me.
“Vivienne,” he says my name dangerously low. “Is this true?”
The question hangs between us, a heavy pull that keeps us grounded to the floor. To each other. My vision tunnels, leaving only him in my view. I can’t look away. I need the storm in his eyes to draw him in from the chaotic winds of panic. I open my mouth then close it again.
If I had just gone to him. If I’d asked Meredith to send a message upstairs, this probably wouldn’t be happening. He’s shown me at every turn; I can trust him.
Finally, I answer him, my voice low and steady. “Yes.”
Before I can go on to explain myself, he turns away from me, stepping back to the table.
“Given the circumstances, I’m going to overlook the disrespect of firing a weapon in my club.”
“The disrespect?” Frank’s eyes narrow.
“We’ll handle cleaning up this mess. You and your men should leave now.” Ivan flexes his hands at his sides.
Frank stares at him a moment, his nostrils flaring as his anger slowly subsides.
“Yourfiancéehelped him cheat us. What will you do about that disrespect?” Spittle collects at the corner of his mouth.
“She’s mine to deal with, and I will deal with her how I see fit.” Ivan’s words are uttered with cold finality.
“Yeah. Fine.” Frank looks around the table. “Game’s over, fellas.”
“If you’ll bring your chips with you, you can cash out in the room next door.” One of Ivan’s men opens the door, a signal for them to get their shit and go.
The room clears, chairs left out from the table, a cigar is left smoking in the ashtray. Anthony swipes Kieran’s pile of chips and is the last to head out of the room. Ivan’s men follow, shutting the door behind him and leaving only him and me inside.
“Ivan—”
“What was Kieran doing in my club?” He walks around the table, pushing the chairs back in place. “I gave orders for him not to be allowed in. How’d he get in, Vivienne?”
“I let him in. I told him how to get to the employee entrance without being noticed and let him in that way.” I take a deepbreath. “I know you’re mad, and you have a right to be, and whatever you decide to do with me because of this I deserve, but Ivan, you have to listen to me.” I step forward, avoiding the puddle of blood.
“Listen to you about what?” He folds his arms over his chest, casting me in his dark stare.
“Caroline is missing.” I blurt out. “She’s been kidnapped. Kieran told me if I helped him win back all the money he lost to those men, she’d be released. He had pictures, Ivan. She’s hurt bad.”
Kneeling beside Kieran’s still body, I go through his pockets. The gunshot to his throat has stopped bleeding, but there’s so much blood everywhere it gets all over me as I search him for his phone.
“Vee, what the fuck. What are you doing?” Ivan is at my side, pulling me to my feet.
“His phone. He has pictures of Caroline on his phone. Devon is the guy who took her; I need his phone.” I jerk my hands at Kieran.
Ivan walks me back to the bar. “Stay here; don’t fucking move.”
Frozen in place, I watch as he rolls Kieran to his side and finds the phone in his back pocket. He swipes across the screen.
“No lock,” he mutters as he taps on icons.
It’s only a second before he finds the photos Kieran flashed me earlier. His jaw tightens when he sees her.
“Who the fuck is Devon?” He asks me.
“A guy she met at Blue Diamonds when we were out the other night. She went home with him, and I––”
“You what?”
