“Starkov…” Russo mutters. “You said sons?”
“Three, used to be four.” Teddy nods. “Pavel, Afanasy, Vladimir, and Ilya. Afanasy had a fallout with the rest of the family right as old Timofey started to make serious cash. He left Russia, and as far as we can tell, the family business too. And for that, Timofey disowned him entirely. We’ve surveilled him in the past, but he’s come up clean for years.”
“And the other three?” I ask.
“Name a crime, any crime, and I bet you’ll find a rap sheet with their name on it.”
Russo grunts, unimpressed. “In other words, you have nothing for us. Russia isn’t our jurisdiction.”
“It’s not,” Teddy acknowledges. “But your serial killer clearly has a bone to pick with the Starkovs. With your permission, Captain, I’d like to speak with Detective Cantiano alone.”
“Keep it short.” Russo’s voice carries an edge now as he walks to the door. “And until you have something concrete forus, just do your best to stay out of our way. Cantiano is my detective, and this is stillourcase.”
Then, he walks out and slams the door shut behind him.
I can’t help but feel a surge of appreciation for Captain Russo right now. As much as he can be a hard ass, there’s no doubt that he cares about everyone who works for him. Me especially. It’s been that way ever since he specifically requested that I be transferred over here.
He took me under his wing right away.Over the years, he became the closest thing to a father that I’ve ever had.
Hell, he’s the only person other than Ida and Teddy who knows the full story of what happened to Serena.
“How long have you been working at this office?” Teddy asks once we’re alone.
“Six years.” I close the folder, set it between us like a buffer. “Russo pulled me out of Vice personally when I first joined.”
“Why?” Teddy asks.
“He was the one who worked on Serena’s case fifteen years ago,” I reply and find my voicewavering unexpectedly. “I guess it stuck with him and he’s felt like he owed her that much. Couldn’t save one Cantiano, so he might as well watch over another one.”
“Small world.” Teddy mutters.
“Not that small when you come from a family of alcoholic cops.” I sigh. “What about you?”
He shrugs. “They sent me to D.C., then Quantico for a year. Now I’m stuck working nothing but Bratva cases.” His laugh is self-deprecating. “Probably because I know all the Russian curse words.”
I can’t help laugh at that. That had been how Teddy and I bonded in the first place. Both of us had a penchant for swearing in Russian. But as soon as the laugh leaves my throat, my phone buzzes.
Mypersonalphone and not the burner that my stalker gave me.
When I glance down at it, the message preview is just five words:
If he even thinks about…
The air leaves my lungs, but my thighs instinctively squeeze together as a trickle of warmth dances down my spine.
The full message is longer:
If he even thinks about touching you, little viper, I will split him open from balls to brain.
I suck in an involuntary sharp breath.
Fuck.
“You okay?” Teddy steps closer, but not too close. He remembers boundaries. I wish I did.
How the fuck is my stalker even seeing me right now? My apartment is one thing, but this is the goddamn precinct! If there’s anywhere on earth that should be able to keep him out…
I glance up, see the security camera, and feel the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention as if I’m staring right at his glacier blue eyes.
