“Good. Anything else?” She wanted to lie down and sleep for an hour to see if that helped.

“Just one question. If Linda is that close to Casey, it makes me think it’s not a coincidence,” Nina whispered. “My question is, though, how did Casey know anything about Linda to help her?”

“That’s a good question, and we’ll add that to the list I have. Stay and take the couch if you want to, but I’ve got to sleep for a little while. Wake me, though, if you get any more news.”

“Will do,” Nina said, appearing concerned when Nicola had trouble getting up. “Is there anything I can get you?”

“Tell your guy not to ease up on Boris. I want him found so I can hand him his dick once I rip it from his body. I’ll follow that by ripping his heart out of his chest.”

“I remind him of that every time I talk to him.” Nina followed her into the bedroom and pulled the covers back for her. “I’ll call you in a few hours, but really, why not try to sleep for the rest of the night? You can trust Zoya to take care of anything and come back here.”

“Fine, but keep me in the loop. Don’t wait until morning if something comes up.”

She took deep breaths until the pounding receded to a throb, and her mind filled with images of Abigail. The woman she’d chosen to have her children had been mesmerizing in college. Her blond hair and blue eyes attracted her from the first time she’d seen her, and Abigail had been easily swayed. It hadn’t taken much effort on her part to get her into bed, and that had been more of a test to see if she’d get easily bored once they were in the same house together.

The day they’d had the ceremony, Nicola knew Abigail was in love with her. She didn’t waste time on that kind of emotion except when it came to her family, but she gave Abigail credit for finishing medical school and her residency with a toddler and a baby. They’d have to have one more until they had a boy, but children disgusted her even when they were hers.

They were a compromise to who she was and what was expected of her. It was her responsibility to keep the Antakov line going, and she was glad to have Fredrick. He was responsible for the conception, but the children were hers, and everyone knew and accepted that. Her brother had been her double in every sense except for his sex. They were raised together, and they’d shared one mindset. It was their job to grow the operation and crush anyone who stood in their way.