Black Kat (21 page)

Chapter Thirty

Kat watched in horror as no less than ten FBI agents swarmed around her.  Alexander’s eyes never left hers as he dropped the gun on the floor and put his hands on the back of his head.  He didn’t look away even as he was forced to his knees and put in handcuffs.  The sight of Alexander in the same position as the man she was going to kill was more than Kat could take.

Wrapping her arms around her waist, Kat bent over and began to cry.  Strong arms held her up.  But they weren’t the arms of the man she cried for.

“Kat!  Are you hurt?” Colin’s voice barely broke through the fog in her head as a million thoughts clouded her mind.

Why?  Why did Alexander take this from her?

“Kat!  I need a medic over here!” Colin shouted.

“No.  No.  No.”  That was all Kat could seem to get out.  She wrestled away from Colin and backed up until she ran into the wall.

Alexander was wrenched to his feet and pushed toward the door by two FBI agents.  And still he was looking at her.

Oh, God.  Seeing him in handcuffs tore her apart.  She wanted to reach out to him.  But she couldn’t do it.  The image of him taking the gun from her and taking her revenge from her flickered in the forefront of her mind.

How could he do that to her?

Colin was in front of her, leaning down to her eye level.  And he was talking.  At least his mouth was moving.  But Kat couldn’t hear anything over the rushing sound in her ears.  She turned her head to follow Alexander as he was led outside.  The second he was gone, a chill ran down Kat’s spine.  She was utterly frozen.

“Kat!  You’re shaking,” Colin said, his voice thick with worry as he rubbed his hands gently up and down her arms.

“I’m not…No…I’m okay,” she stuttered, brushing off his touch. 
She didn’t want anyone touching her.

“Let’s go outside, Kat.”

That was the only thing that made sense to Kat.  The barren room suddenly felt too small, and the smell of death was threatening to make her sick.  She hadn’t felt this out of control since she was first rescued, and she was desperate to regain her footing.

Pushing past Colin she ran from the room, only to stop in her tracks when she got outside.  Alexander, Luke and Drake were being loaded into black SUVs.  All were in handcuffs.

Colin’s partner appeared by her side.  “We’ve got to take her in too, Lewis.”

Kat watched the taillights of the SUVs disappear down the road as she listened to Colin argue with his partner.

“Back off, Bass.  She’s not part of this.”

“It sure as hell looks like she’s part of this.  She’s a known associate of
Petrovsky and we find her standing over a dead body.”  Bass rubbed his hand over his beard.  He lowered his voice as if she weren’t standing right there.  Maybe she looked as out of it as she felt.  “I know this is personal for you, Lewis.  But if we want any chance of sticking this to Petrovsky, we have to do this by the book.”

That got Kat’s attention.

“What?” she looked frantically at Colin.

“Listen, Kat.  I’ve got to take you downtown.  We’ll go over what happened and take your formal statement.  Don’t worry.  I’ll be with you every step.”

Kat frowned.  She wasn’t worried about herself.  That’s not what she meant.  She didn’t want Alexander going down for this.  It should have been her in there firing the gun.  Even if he betrayed her, she wasn’t going to let him go to prison.

“Yes, I want to make a statement,” she said.

“Okay.”  Colin exchanged a glance with Bass, who still didn’t look satisfied.  He probably wanted her in cuffs, too.

“Come on, Kat.  Let’s go.”

Kat followed Colin to his car and slid into the passenger seat when he opened the door for her.  Colin got in the driver seat, but he didn’t start the car.  When he just sat there, Kat looked over at him.  His head was back and he had both hands covering his face.

“Colin?”

He dragged his hands down his face, and when he turned his head his eyes were shimmering with tears.

“Colin…”

“Jesus Christ, Kat.  Do you know what went through my head when I heard that gunshot?”

Kat turned her head away to look at the warehouse that was surrounded by flashing lights.  “I’m sorry, Colin.”
  She was genuinely sorry that he had been dragged into this mess.  But right then, she couldn’t handle the emotions that were written all over his face.  Not when the man she both loved and hated had been arrested for a crime she should have been the one to commit.

Kat could feel Colin’s eyes on her, and finally he sighed and started the car.  The drive downtown was long and quiet.  The unspoken questions he had hovered in the air between them.  Kat offered nothing and stared out the window until they pulled into the underground parking garage beneath the FBI’s office building.  As much as she considered Colin a friend, he was first and foremost an FBI agent in this situation.  And it was no secret he was after Alexander with a vengeance.  She had to be careful what she said.

When Colin parked the car near the elevator, he once again just sat there.  Kat reached for the door handle, but Colin’s hand on her arm stopped her.  She immediately stiffened, and he dropped his hand.

“Kat…
”

“Let’s just get this over with, Colin,” Kat said, pushing her door open.

Again with the silence as they rode the elevator to the sixth floor.  The second the elevator doors slid open, Colin took hold of Kat’s upper arm - gently but firmly.  Kat didn’t protest.  He hadn’t put her in cuffs, but she was sure it couldn’t look like he was letting her roam freely.

Before they made it ten feet down the hall, their path was blocked by a man whose expensive suit, expertly styled blond hair and leather briefcase screamed lawyer.

“Miss Rossi?” he asked in a deep voice.

Kat opened her mouth to reply, but Colin beat her to it as his fingers flexed against her arm.

“Who are you?” Colin demanded.

“
I am Nathan Billingsley, Miss Rossi’s attorney.  It is my understanding she is not under arrest.  Is that correct?”

Kat glanced from
her attorney
to Colin.  Colin’s eyes narrowed and his mouth pressed into a flat line.

“Shouldn’t you be with Alexander?” Kat asked and ignored the incredulous look Colin shot her way.

“My partner is representing Mr. Petrovsky.  I am here as your representation, Miss Rossi.”

Colin looked like he was about to start spitting fire.  “Kat, can I have a word, please?” he asked through gritted teeth.  He clearly wasn’t too happy about Kat having a lawyer who was hired by Alexander.

“That won’t be possible, Agent Lewis,” Nathan cut in.  “Miss Rossi is not to be questioned without me being present.”

Colin took a deep breath and bit out, “Fine.  Follow me.”

He released his grip on Kat’s arm and strode off down the hallway, muttering to himself.

Kat glanced at Nathan
as they followed Colin.  “How did you get here so fast?”

He
smiled.  “Mr. Petrovsky is a very important client.”

Near the end of the long hallway, Colin opened the door to an interrogation room.  He kept his eyes on the floor as Kat walked past him and sat down at the metal table.  Colin left the room and shut the door without another word.

Nathan settled in the chair across from Kat and began to pull files from his briefcase.  Kat watched him.

“Is he okay?” she asked.

Glancing up, Nathan didn’t have to ask who Kat was referring to.  “Mr. Petrovsky is in good hands.  We will have this situation cleared up before dawn.”

Kat’s knee bounced under the table, and she drummed her fingernails on the metal surface.  “Who’s the better lawyer - you or your partner?”

Nathan smirked as he continued reading over the file in front of him.  “I am,” he replied without hesitation.

Kat frowned.  “Then why aren’t you with Alexander?”

He set his pen down and looked Kat in the eye.  “As I said before, Mr. Petrovsky is a very important client.  And you, Miss Rossi, are very important to him.  When he alerted us to possible legal complications arising from your business arrangement, it was always the plan for me to represent you.”

Kat sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest.  The minutes ticked by.  She wanted to get this over with.  She wanted to see Alexander
.  To hug him or to slap him, she wasn’t sure.

After what seemed like forever, but in reality had only been ten minutes, Colin came into the room with another agent, who introduced himself as Agent
Kerrigan.

“I am requesting that Agent Lewis be removed from this case
,” Nathan said before Colin and Kerrigan had a chance to sit down.

“Why?” Kerrigan asked.

“He has a personal relationship with my client that I believe will cloud his judgment.”

Kerrigan glanced at Co
lin, who was busy glaring at Nathan.  “Lewis?”

Colin looked at Kat, his gaze so intense she had to look away.  Not for the first time, she felt guilty.  Not for what she had done, but because Colin made her feel like she was betraying him in some way.

Without a word, Colin stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.  His partner, Agent Bass, entered the room a moment later and stood against the far wall.

Nathan
spoke first, taking control of the situation immediately.  “My client is prepared to make a statement.”

Kat looked up.  They hadn’t even talked about what she was supposed to say.  Then she realized that Alexander was giving her another choice.  It was up to her to decide what to say.  His fate was in her hands.

Kerrigan nodded.  “Very well.  Miss Rossi can make her statement, and then we will have a few questions for her.  Miss Rossi, please tell us in your own words what transpired at the warehouse tonight.”

Nathan
nodded at her, prompting her to begin.

Kat met Kerrigan’s eyes, unflinching as she began to speak.  “
Alexander shot him.”

Chapter Thirty One

Colin exhaled a breath as he watched through the two way mirror as Kat admitted that Alexander had been the one to pull the trigger.  Not that it hadn’t been obvious at the scene or the gunshot residue test on Alexander’s hand had confirmed it.  But it was a tremendous relief to hear Kat say the words.  Maybe he could finally get her away from Petrovsky.  Now that she had seen firsthand what the man was capable of.

Inside the interrogation room, Kerrigan’s eyebrows rose as if he was surprised that she had come right out with that.

“He was protecting me,” she continued.

Colin shut his eyes and prayed he was not hearing her correctly.  When he opened his eyes, he saw Bass looking through the glass.  The guy raised an eyebrow, and Colin wanted to reach through the glass and strangle him.  He didn’t need any of Bass’
I told you so
bullshit right now.

When she didn’t say any more, Kerrigan looked at her doubtfully.  “That’s it?  That’s your statement.”

Kat shrugged.  “What else is there to say?”

Kerrigan sighed, already annoyed with her flippant attitude.  “So, let me get this straight.  Alexander
Petrovsky shot a man who was unarmed and had his hands tied behind his back to protect you?”

Kat’s chin tilted up in the defiant gesture Colin knew so well.  “That’s right,” she said.

Her attorney was diligently taking notes, but Colin saw the corner of his mouth quirk up.  Add him to the list of people in that room Colin wanted to knock senseless.

“How exactly was this incapacitated man a threat to you?” Kerrigan asked.

“He lunged at me.  I had my gun, but…I was too afraid to shoot.  Alexander took the gun from me.”

“Why were you afraid?”

Colin watched Kat intently.  Her eyes took on a faraway look and when she spoke he had to reach over and turn up the volume on the speakers to hear what she said.

“Because he was the man who kidnapped and raped me eight years ago,” Kat whispered.

That got everybody’s attention - especially Colin’s.

Kerrigan frowned at Kat across the table.  He opened his mouth to ask another question, but Nathan interrupted him.

“That is
all my client has to say at the moment.  If you do your research, you will find Miss Rossi’s case from 2005.  This evidence coupled with the fact that your agents conducted an unlawful search of Mr. Petrovsky’s property should be enough to discredit your case.”

A sharp knock on the two way glass had Kerrigan and Bass exchanging frustrated glances.  Then both men exited the room.
  Nathan began to gather his files and put them back in his briefcase.  A couple of minutes later, Kerrigan opened the door.

With frustration clear in his voice, he said, “Miss Rossi, you are free to go.”

Kat glanced at her attorney, who stood up and nodded at her.  “Let’s go, Miss Rossi.”

When they were in the hallway, Kat whispered, “What about Alexander?”

“He will be released within the hour as well.  They don’t have enough to hold him, let alone charge him with anything.  Agent Lewis jumped the gun by entering the property without a warrant.  Everything that transpired after that is a moot point.  Especially considering your statement that Alexander was protecting you.”

Kat’s shoulders slumped with relief.

“There may be some follow up questioning, but they won’t get anything to stick.”

As they neared the bank of elevators, Kat saw Luke and Drake waiting for them.  They were both solemn as they nodded at her in greeting.

“These gentlemen will see you home, Miss Rossi.”

Kat turned to Nathan
.  “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

Kat stepped into the elevator with Luke and Drake.  Neither of them spoke, and Kat felt an incredible sense of guilt.  They were all in this because of her.  Granted it seemed as if it would turn out okay.

“I’m sorry,” she said to no one in particular.

“It’s all good,” Drake said from behind her.  “Not the first time I’ve been in handcuffs.”

“Occupational hazard,” Luke added beside her.

Kat was grateful that they didn’t seem to blame her for their shitty night.  “Shouldn’t we wait for Alexander?  How will he get home?”

Luke held the elevator door for her when they reached the lower level of the parking garage.  George was standing beside the limo just outside the elevator.

“Nah.  George will come back for him.”

Kat gave him a look.  “He instructed you to take me home, didn’t he?”

Luke said nothing, which gave Kat her answer.

Another car ride in silence back to
The Onyx.  Kat realized she had called it
home
.  A pervasive sense of sadness settled over her as they arrived at the service elevator and rode it all the way to the top floor.  This very well might be the last time she was in the penthouse.  She just didn’t know if she could get past what Alexander did.  It was everything she had lived for - to find the man who had ruined her and end his life.

The fact that he was dead was of little comfort to Kat.  She hadn’t been the one to do it.  She hadn’t felt firsthand the relief she had hoped to find.  Alexander had taken that from her and that wasn’t something she could get past.  Of all the choices he had given her - the most important one, he had taken from her.

Luke was tired.  Bone deep exhausted.  Drake got off the elevator on the employee floor, but Luke was under strict orders to accompany Kat to the penthouse and make sure she stayed there until Alexander returned.  Glancing over at Kat, he could see that she was somewhere else. 
Lost in her thoughts.  Hopefully Alexander would be released by the time George got back to the FBI office, and Luke could go to his room and fall into bed.

The elevator doors slid open into the foyer of the penthouse, and Luke and Kat were greeted by Natasha - hands on hips, eyes shooting daggers - at him.

“Where’s my brother?” she demanded in a voice just one notch down from a scream.

Kat slipped around Natasha and headed in the direction of Alexander’s room
, absently patting Blade’s head as he trotted next to her.  Luke wasn’t so lucky.  He made it one step off the elevator before Natasha was in his face.

“Where is he?”

“He’s on his way home,” Luke answered carefully.

“
Home from where?”

Putting his hands on her upper arms, Luke tried to push her back to give
himself some room to breathe.  But Natasha batted his hands away.

“Don’t touch me!” she hissed and all but ran away from him to pace across the
living room.

Luke cautiously followed her from a safe distance and leaned against the stone wall separating the foyer from the living room.  He could see that the door to Alexander’s bedroom was closed.  At least Kat was where she was supposed to be.  Now he just had to figure out what the hell was wrong with Natasha.

Her long dark ponytail swished back and forth when she stopped pacing and whirled to face him.  Her dark eyes, so much like her brother’s, were glinting with the Petrovsky temper.  Natasha was less skilled at keeping it in check than Alexander was.

“What do you do for my brother, Luke?”  Natasha’s voice was deadly calm when she spoke, belying the temper that flared in her eyes.  “And don’t give me that bullshit line about working for the casino.”

“What are you getting at, Natasha?” Luke stalled.  Alexander had always been diligent about keeping the true nature of his business a secret from Natasha.  As far as she knew he was the owner of The Onyx - and that was all.

Natasha pointed her finger in the direction of the flat screen TV that hung on the opposite wall.  “It’s been all over the news that Alexander was taken into custody for
murder
.  And that this might finally be the break the FBI has been looking for.  What does that mean, Luke?”

“I think you should ask your brother when he gets home,” Luke said, turning away and walking into the kitchen.  Swinging open the fridge door, he pulled out a bottle of water.  When he closed the door, he came face to face with Natasha.  Jesus, he thought, she moved like a ninja.

Tears shimmered in her eyes, and Luke didn’t know if they were from anger or betrayal - or both.  This, right here, was the reason he had kept her at a distance.  He couldn’t bear to think of the look in her eyes when she found out what a lowlife asshole he was.  And now that she was looking at him just like that, it made him angry.

Brushing past her, Luke spit out, “Oh, come on, Natasha.  Don’t act like you had no idea what your brother really does for a living.  You had to have heard the rumors.”

Her eyes went wide as if she hadn’t expected him to admit it.  “I never believed he could be involved with anything…”

“Anything what?
  Illegal?  Jesus Christ, Natasha.  You can’t be that naïve,” Luke said harshly.

Natasha just stared at him, eyes wide, lower lip trembling.

“Don’t look at me like that.  Don’t pretend you weren’t attracted to me because I’m just a little bit dangerous.  Well, guess what, Natasha?  I’m a whole lot dangerous.  Does that disgust you?  Because it should,” he shouted.  When this conversation had moved from what her brother did for a living to the attraction between them, Luke had no idea.  He guessed it had always been about that.

“Stop it,” Natasha begged, shaking her head back and forth.

Luke’s chest was getting tight as he watched the tears spill over onto her cheeks.  He wanted to pull her into his arms.  But she wouldn’t want that.  Not now.  Not after she knew the truth that he was little more than a glorified thug.

The shouting from the living room barely registered as Kat walked slowly around Alexander’s bedroom.  Had it only been a few days since she had first set foot in this room?  It seemed like a lifetime ago.  She walked to the wall of windows and watched the lights of the city, alive even at this early hour of the morning.  The sun would be coming up soon.  A new day.  That brought what?  Kat had no idea.  Her purpose for living was gone.  She would finally be able to move on with her life.  But what did that mean?  Twenty four hours ago, she would have expected Alexander to be a part of her new life.  Now?

Kat turned away from the lights of the city and stared at the bed where she had shared indescribable moments of pleasure with Alexander.  Would she ever find t
hat again?  With someone else?

Alexander had taught her to trust again, and then he had reminded her that she could only trust herself.

Her phone began to vibrate in her back pocket.  Kat pulled it out, fully intending to ignore the call - assuming it was from Colin.  But it was Alexander’s name that appeared on the screen.  He must be on his way back.

Kat accepted the call and held the phone to her ear.

“Hello.”

“
Katya?  Are you safe at home?”

Kat closed her eyes at the sound of his deep voice.  “Yes, I’m at the hotel.”  It wasn’t her home.  She didn’t have a home at the moment.

“I’ve just been released.  I…”

“Why did you do it, Alexander?” Kat interrupted him.

There was a long moment of silence.  “The FBI had arrived, and…”

“Since when have you been afraid of the FBI?  That’s bullshit, Alexander, and we both know it.  I deserve to know why you did it.”

Kat heard him take a deep breath before answering.  “Because I have been where you are.  Because once you go down that road, there is no going back.  Because I want better for you.  Because I love you, Katya.”

Kat sank down to sit on the bed, because her legs couldn’t hold her up any longer.  He loved her.  And yet it wasn’t enough.
  He had taken something from her.  Something she couldn’t get back.

“
Katya?  Katya, please talk to me,” Alexander pleaded.

“I know who you are, Alexander.  I don’t need you to decide what I deserve.”

“Katya, I will be there in ten minutes.  Please wait for me, so we can talk through this.”

Kat gripped her cell phone so tightly it was a surprise it didn’t break in half.  Talking wouldn’t help.  Seeing Alexander’s handsome face and piercing eyes wouldn’t help.  Nothing would help.  He was right about one thing though.  Once you make a choice, there’s no going back.

“Goodbye, Alex,” Kat whispered before dropping the phone on the bed.  She was vaguely aware of Alexander’s voice shouting through the phone as she pulled out her duffel bag and stuffed her things inside.

Luke and Natasha were in the middle of a heated discussion in the kitchen as she clipped Blade’s leash onto his collar and quietly left the penthouse.  Blade nudged her hand with his cold wet nose as they rode the elevator to the lobby.  Walking through the modern luxury of The Onyx, Kat’s vision blurred with tears.

The sky was streaked with the pinks and oranges of the sunrise as Kat and Blade stepped out onto the sidewalk, just as a familiar black limo pulled into the underground parking garage.