“Why not?” Maxwell handed me the joint.
I took it. “His mother walked through those halls. It would be disrespectful for any regular whore to be there.”
“Well, he moved Em in.”
Inhaling the joint, I returned my attention to the horizon. “The lion is truly in love.”
“I think so. That’s if he can love.”
I blew out smoke. “We’ll see.”
“But about those monkey heads—”
“Kazimir will handle it.” I waved his worry away. “Of course. There will be violence.”
“I’ll be there to help.”
“Me too.” I nodded. “But it will have to wait until next week for me.”
“I don’t know if it can wait that long.”
“It will. Whoever put monkey heads into Kazimir’s bedroom. . .” I gave the joint back to Maxwell. “They are heavily connected. It would be hard for even me to do it. This will not be a quick fix. This enemy is hidden. You also must understand that it will be more than one person doing it. A large group possibly.”
“Probably.” Taking a quick hit, Maxwell handed me the joint back. He must’ve been pretty nervous about the situation.
“Did Kazimir’s security get anything on the cameras?”
“Nothing.”
“So, the person went through my system.” I placed the joint to my mouth, inhaled, did my best not to cough, and then exhaled.
“Who could get through your system?”
“It is not who. It is what?”
“Then, what could get through your system?”
“Power, Maxwell. Lots and lots of power.” I shook my head. “They would have had to mess with a satellite.”
“This is bigger than we think.”
“It is.” A sadness hit me, but I didn’t let it take me over. “When do you leave?”
“I don’t know.” He grabbed the joint from me. “I called Em three times on her phone. A message came up and said her phone was not taking any calls. I dialed this guy that she had on her side named Boris.”
“What did he say?”
“Boris said that Kazimir took Em to Paris and had shut down all communication.”
“That means Kazimir has his men on this monkey head situation and is keeping Emily away from the threat.”
Maxwell passed the marijuana back to me. “You think I should go to Paris?”
“Not if you don’t want to get shot.” I grabbed the joint. “Paris is the city of love. I am sure that is what the lion is thinking of right now. Love and his cock.”
Maxwell didn’t look pleased.
“We can call her later. My people can get through the block on her phone.”
“Maybe I should head to Moscow and—”
“No.” I blew out smoke. “Any threat to Emily is a threat to you. I will not allow it. You are my homey.”
Maxwell chuckled. “You say that weird.”
“Homey?”
“Yes, man, but we should keep it to brother.”
“I like homey. It says home, but more.” I inhaled the Black/White Russian, enjoying the feeling of euphoria that took over me. “I like you, Maxwell. A lot. More than any guy.”
“Okay, man. You’ve smoked too much.” Maxwell shook his head and grabbed the joint.
I quirked my brows. “You do not like me?”
“I like you, man.”
“Good.” I patted his back.
Sighing, he shook his head.
“Put on a suit. Let’s go.” I pulled out the pacifier and headed off the balcony. “We have things to do.”
“Where are we going where I’ll need a suit?”
“Everywhere, my homey.”
“Wow. I don’t think I’ve heard homey this much in a day.” Putting the joint out, he looked to be heading to his bedroom, but then he spotted the pacifier and stopped. “What’s that?”
“A baby’s pacifier.” I gestured for my main guy to come over. “Put this in a bag. Do not get it dirty. Have the lab do a paternity test.”
The man quirked his brows, but carefully took the end of the pacifier.
I pointed at him. “Make it top priority. I want to know the results by the end of the day.”
“Uh. . .” Maxwell raised his hands. “Is that from. . .wait, man. Is that from Valentina’s baby?”
“Correct.”
“So. . .” Maxwell watched the man leave with the pacifier. “Did Valentina give that to you?”
“You are a smart man. What do you think?”
“Hell no. She didn’t.”
“Correct.”
“Man.” Maxwell still had his hands up. “I don’t know, if you want to open this up yet.”
“Why not?”
My man left the suite with the pacifier.
Terror filled Maxwell’s eyes. “Well. . .okay. Just have the paternity test be about you. And if you’re not the daddy, then leave it alone. Don’t look any further.”
“Because?”
Maxwell rubbed his face with both hands. “This is Valentina’s story.”
I held out my hands. “But we are homeys. What could be the secret?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Why not?”
“Trust me.”
Intrigued, I stepped forward. “I do.”
Maxwell rubbed his hands together and looked around. “I don’t know, man. If I tell you and this shit gets out, no one will save me from Valentina. Now she may be pissed with me, but at least she doesn’t want to kill me. I don’t want to be dead with a book up my ass. You know what I’m saying?”