Tales of Chills and Thrills: The Mystery Thriller Horror Box Set (7 Mystery Thriller Horror Novels) by J. Thorn, Cathy Perkins, Taylor Lee, Nolan Radke, Richter Watkins, Thomas Morrissey, David F. Weisman
Authors: J. Thorn, Cathy Perkins, Taylor Lee, Nolan Radke, Richter Watkins, Thomas Morrissey, David F. Weisman
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voice was soft, consoling.
“Nikita, you are angry and upset. I understand that. I only ask that you give yourself time to decide if leaving ISA is a wise decision. If that is what you decide to do, I will support you. I will be unhappy if you leave, but I trust your judgment.” He paused for a long moment. “And, Nikita, I love you.”
To her dismay, his loving words prompted another flood of tears. Damn, what was wrong with her? She had never acted like this, never yelled at her father and never, ever burst into tears. But she knew she couldn’t talk any more. She couldn’t be sure that she wouldn’t say something that would upset her father further. All her life her father had tried to shelter her, went to great lengths to protect her true identity. He insisted that she use a different name and he was never was seen in public with her. Indeed, the number of people who knew that Yuri Petrakov was her father could be counted on one hand. They included her “parents” in Idaho, and of course Rafe. She thought Grayson and Caleb might know given that they were Rafe’s closest confidants. And now of course, she’d learned that Katya and likely Vlad also knew.
What she did know was that her father believed he needed to protect her from his past. It was ironic. Even as a young child she had felt that she was the one protecting him. From an evil she didn’t know or understand. But the raw pain in his eyes when he looked at her in unguarded moments, confirmed that it had something to do with her. And that it was something so hideous he would never tell her. Instead, he had lived his life as a virtual recluse, running his formidable financial empire under a raft of aliases and shadow corporations no one knew. No one, except perhaps Rafe.
“Papa, I…I love you too. I’m sorry I upset you. And yes, even if I don’t stay at ISA, I will help find those girls. I’m… I think I am close to discovering some important connections. I need time away, away from…from…ISA to follow my instincts. I will let you know what I decide. Goodbye, Papa. I love you. More than anything in the world.”
Yuri stared at his cell phone for a long moment listening to the dial tone. He disconnected and then pressed the number one key on the touchpad. When the cool voice he knew as well as his own answered, he didn’t hide his concern.
“What’s going on, Rafe? What did the hell did you do to my daughter?”
~~~
Rafe strode in to the dining room and looked around the table. He frowned and turned to leave. Grayson left the table and followed him out into the hallway.
“Looking for someone, Rafe?”
Certain that Grayson knew damn well who he was looking for, he didn’t pull any punches.
“Have you seen Nicki?”
Grayson shrugged. “Not since about three hours ago, when I saw the tail end of that hot little red 911 of hers peeling out of the garage at seventy miles an hour.”
Rafe glowered at him, debating whether to ask him more, but seeing the look on Grayson’s face, he decided he didn’t want to engage in a discussion with his too-perceptive friend.
“Thanks.”
He headed to his office and closed the door. Sinking into his chair he grabbed for his cigarette case, and realized that his hands were shaking.
He glanced up at a knock, to see Grayson enter. The tall man who filled the doorway closed the door and ambled over to the chair in front of the desk and settled in.
Rafe grimaced.
“Fuck. I knew I should have locked the door.”
Grayson chuckled, a wide smile creasing his handsome face. His slate grey eyes twinkled. Reaching for the humidor on the corner of the desk, he rifled among the aromatic treasures then selected one of the slender Bolivian cigars Rafe garnered especially for him.
Grayson tipped the cigar in a salute then busied himself cutting and lighting the treasure. Leaning back in his chair, he winked.
“That would presume that I don’t have a key.”
Rafe glared at him.
“Look Gray. I don’t
“Nikita, you are angry and upset. I understand that. I only ask that you give yourself time to decide if leaving ISA is a wise decision. If that is what you decide to do, I will support you. I will be unhappy if you leave, but I trust your judgment.” He paused for a long moment. “And, Nikita, I love you.”
To her dismay, his loving words prompted another flood of tears. Damn, what was wrong with her? She had never acted like this, never yelled at her father and never, ever burst into tears. But she knew she couldn’t talk any more. She couldn’t be sure that she wouldn’t say something that would upset her father further. All her life her father had tried to shelter her, went to great lengths to protect her true identity. He insisted that she use a different name and he was never was seen in public with her. Indeed, the number of people who knew that Yuri Petrakov was her father could be counted on one hand. They included her “parents” in Idaho, and of course Rafe. She thought Grayson and Caleb might know given that they were Rafe’s closest confidants. And now of course, she’d learned that Katya and likely Vlad also knew.
What she did know was that her father believed he needed to protect her from his past. It was ironic. Even as a young child she had felt that she was the one protecting him. From an evil she didn’t know or understand. But the raw pain in his eyes when he looked at her in unguarded moments, confirmed that it had something to do with her. And that it was something so hideous he would never tell her. Instead, he had lived his life as a virtual recluse, running his formidable financial empire under a raft of aliases and shadow corporations no one knew. No one, except perhaps Rafe.
“Papa, I…I love you too. I’m sorry I upset you. And yes, even if I don’t stay at ISA, I will help find those girls. I’m… I think I am close to discovering some important connections. I need time away, away from…from…ISA to follow my instincts. I will let you know what I decide. Goodbye, Papa. I love you. More than anything in the world.”
Yuri stared at his cell phone for a long moment listening to the dial tone. He disconnected and then pressed the number one key on the touchpad. When the cool voice he knew as well as his own answered, he didn’t hide his concern.
“What’s going on, Rafe? What did the hell did you do to my daughter?”
~~~
Rafe strode in to the dining room and looked around the table. He frowned and turned to leave. Grayson left the table and followed him out into the hallway.
“Looking for someone, Rafe?”
Certain that Grayson knew damn well who he was looking for, he didn’t pull any punches.
“Have you seen Nicki?”
Grayson shrugged. “Not since about three hours ago, when I saw the tail end of that hot little red 911 of hers peeling out of the garage at seventy miles an hour.”
Rafe glowered at him, debating whether to ask him more, but seeing the look on Grayson’s face, he decided he didn’t want to engage in a discussion with his too-perceptive friend.
“Thanks.”
He headed to his office and closed the door. Sinking into his chair he grabbed for his cigarette case, and realized that his hands were shaking.
He glanced up at a knock, to see Grayson enter. The tall man who filled the doorway closed the door and ambled over to the chair in front of the desk and settled in.
Rafe grimaced.
“Fuck. I knew I should have locked the door.”
Grayson chuckled, a wide smile creasing his handsome face. His slate grey eyes twinkled. Reaching for the humidor on the corner of the desk, he rifled among the aromatic treasures then selected one of the slender Bolivian cigars Rafe garnered especially for him.
Grayson tipped the cigar in a salute then busied himself cutting and lighting the treasure. Leaning back in his chair, he winked.
“That would presume that I don’t have a key.”
Rafe glared at him.
“Look Gray. I don’t
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