Secured By The Seal

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Britt ducked closer to the painting, her hand to her throat. “A tattoo? They tattoo the women who work for them?”

Alexei almost stopped himself from correcting Britt. Why did he always have to drag her onto the dark side where he resided? Then he shook his head. She never once asked him for protection, and if they were going to find out what happened to Leanna, she had to know the whole ugly truth.

“Maybe I wasn’t clear before, Britt. Tatyana doesn’t work for the Belkins. She’s part of their sex network. They pay her in room and board and drugs.”

“And those women at the Tattle-Tale?”

“The waitresses and dancers work and get paid just like you, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Sergei was using the Tattle-Tale as a feeder system for the sex ring.”

She released the clip at the top of the easel and tugged at the corner of the portrait. “I’m taking this with me. Tatyana and Leanna must’ve been friends. She probably told my sister about the trafficking.”

“Putting Leanna’s life in danger.” Alexei refused to discuss whether or not he believed Britt’s sister was already dead. He had no doubt the Belkins would murder Leanna for her knowledge, but she may have been able to slip away before they got their chance.

As to why Leanna hadn’t contacted her older half sister and told her everything? Britt seemed to have romanticized her relationship with Leanna into something it clearly wasn’t. If he wanted to give Leanna the benefit of the doubt, which he gave anyone, maybe she was protecting Britt. But disappearing without a trace was not the way to do it.

Britt knelt on the floor and rolled up the painting. “If Belkin’s people did search Leanna’s apartment, or...packed her things to make it look like she’d gone of her own free will, they missed this painting. There’s no way they would’ve left this here for the police or anyone else to find, would they?”

“No, especially with that tattoo prominently displayed, but that means Jerome knows something, as well. He definitely looked at this painting before he came into the bedroom for his breakdown.” He put out his hand to help her up.

“Thanks.” She tucked the rolled paper under her arm. “I’m going to get to know Jerome better tonight.”

“Is that a good idea?” Alexei scratched his jaw. “We don’t know anything about him.”

“Yet. You were going to use your resources to investigate him, right?”

“Yes.”

“And while I’m at it, I’m going to get to know you better, too, Alexei Ivanov. I know you’re not an artist or a boxer.”

Of course Britt had checked him out. She wasn’t stupid, or particularly trusting...despite her angelic looks and her halo of blond hair.

“You should know by now you can trust me, or Sergei would’ve fired you before your shift tonight.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I can trust you, but can you trust me?”

He narrowed his eyes, noticing for the first time that Britt’s pretty face included a stubborn chin. “What does that mean?”

“I offered to help you, too, but I have to know who you are and why you’re investigating the Belkins if it’s not the sex trafficking. And if you don’t tell me—” she dragged Leanna’s keychain from the front pocket of her jeans and dangled it in front of his face “—I’m going to have to complain to Sergei about a suspicious man who comes to the club by himself and doesn’t even watch the dancers.”

He raised an eyebrow as humor and annoyance battled in his face. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not kidding. You know everything about me and what I’m doing here, and you just keep tossing out these tantalizing hints. If we’re gonna be a team, I don’t want to be kept in the dark.”

“You do realize that if you mention me to Sergei, I’ll have to out you, too.”

She snorted, her delicate nostrils flaring. “You wouldn’t do that and put me in danger.”

Alexei studied her face, his gaze moving from her dark green eyes to her resolute jawline. He’d prided himself on playing it close to the vest, but his protective instincts must’ve been on full display. “Pretty sure of yourself, huh?”

“Oh, yeah. I work with people every day, their deepest, darkest feelings all out there in the room between us.”

“What if I told you you’d be compromising national security if you told Sergei about me?”

“I’d tell you that you’d better start talking.”

* * *

AS BRITT SAT across the dinner table from Alexei, she ripped a roll in half and dredged one piece in the small plate of olive oil between them.

She wouldn’t really have exposed him to Sergei, and he probably knew that—at least she hoped he did. If Alexei had decided to tell her his secrets, he was doing so because he wanted to. The man across from her wouldn’t allow himself to be forced into anything.

She held up the bread, dripping oil, and asked, “Why’d you choose this place for dinner?”