“Well, that’s because Via wasn’t just his mistress,” Evette said. “She was his Dominatrix, too.”

“His what?” Frieda said, scanning the entire group as though she wasn’t sure she’d heard right.

It all came together for Cassie in a single whoosh. “He was a submissive. A male submissive—especially one doing what Alfonsi did for a living—couldn’t withstand that kind of information getting out.”

“Ricci kept his secret for years,” Roman said. “In exchange, he paid for all of her needs.”

“And when Alfonsi went poof, so did all of his support,” Frieda said, finally piecing the last of the information together.

Kir dipped his head in a slow nod. “Correct. And she blamed Sergei for the situation, so she decided to use Evette to extort the money she needed to make up for the loss.”

“Holy crap. It’s almost too crazy to believe.” Cassie shook her head, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. She scanned Evette and Emerson once more. “What do you two need? A punching bag? A bath? Ice cream?”

“I want ice cream,” Emerson said, looking up at his dad.

Olga, who’d braced herself behind her young charge, tapped his shoulder. “You will have ice cream. And cake. And anything else you want.”

Evette smiled down at her son and ruffled his hair. “Probably for dinner and all three meals tomorrow. For both of us.” She faced Cassie and her expression sobered. “Seriously. Thank you. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t figured things out and tracked down that lady’s name. She was batshit crazy.”

“It wasn’t just me. Lizbet had a hand in it, too. But yeah. I’m glad it all came together, too.” She looked to Kir then Sergei. “What happened to Via?”

Where the mood had been thick with fatigue and relief before, a chilling darkness swept in. A sinister pall weighted by deeds too dark to be spoken.

Sergei looked to Kir, a silent communication moving between them she had no hope of translating.

Kir’s voice dropped, but rather than resonate with its usual warmth there was a brutal finality to it. “At the moment, she is in custody, but I had an opportunity to...talk with her before she was taken away.”

“And?”

He hesitated only a beat. “And she eagerly admitted to taking Kevin’s life.”

And she will pay.

He didn’t say the last part out loud, but the message hung in the air as sure as the strike of a judge’s gavel.

Cassie cleared her throat, nodded and shifted her attention to Emerson who looked like he could either pass out on the spot, or run laps around the pool. “You should all rest. Or dig into the ice cream at least.”

“God, yes.” Evette said moving back into the curve of Sergei’s arm. “You should come over and have some with us.”

It was tempting. Feeling the unbending protection of those around her and their warmth was a welcome sensation, but she needed Kir more.