Series: Penny Dee
Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Mikhail grabs his whiskey as we sit in our steel-colored leather couches, looking outward through the glass and at the performers. Valen and Mikhail’s second stand outside the room. We prefer speaking in private. His dark eyes flash with intrigue, and I don’t like it when Mikhail is interested in something. Especially my little raven.
“So have you tracked back to who it is?” Mikhail asks. “Word on the street is you’ve been plucking off Nero’s crew with a ruthless vengeance.”
My jaw tics. He’s one of the few I’d actually divulge the information about my uncle to. By now, it’s being spoken about among the crews because no one’s seen him for weeks. My hand tightens on the glass.
“The only lead I have is that my uncle was last seen at his favorite bar. When I went there, they advised he was visiting Apollo Nero beforehand. Hours later, he was dead, and his phone had disappeared.”
“Ah.” Mikhail clicks his tongue. If it’s the only lead I can go off, then of course I’m going to continue tracking it relentlessly. But it’s the fact that Apollo hasn’t yet confronted me that agitates me most. In fact, I can’t get a hold of his whereabouts, which is problematic. His sons are busier than usual as well and never in one spot for long.
Mikhail runs a hand through his short black hair before pulling out a piece of paper from his suit pocket and sliding it across the desk. I hate to admit it, but Mikhail has the best trackers and resources for intel. Although I have good people working for me, it’s as if Mikhail sees everything that’s happening all at once. In contrast, I work to knock down every competitor one by one. Calculated but not as conservative.
I flip it open, and my eyebrows dip slightly. “I’ve never heard of this town.”
“It’s small and about a four-hour drive from here. The Nero crew has been going there once a month for the past three months.” My jaw tightens.
“When was the last meeting?” I grit through my teeth.
“A week ago.”
Fuck. If they’re meeting monthly, that means the next meetup is still three weeks away. But it’s a lead.
I grab the suitcase positioned beside me and slide it across the table. Mikhail opens it expectantly, and his eyes admire the weapons inside. “You do know how to spoil me for my birthday,” he says admirably, showing his fangs now.
“You think every day is your birthday.”
He casually shrugs as he clips the suitcase closed and puts it beside him. “Well, considering what we do, tomorrow is never guaranteed. For me, perhaps, but not so much you, with how recklessly you’re sticking out your neck openly opposing the Nero crew.”
“It’s my uncle,” I grit, not giving a fuck about whose toes I step on. The other crews have been quiet in the meantime, most likely curious about how it will fall and whether I open an opportunity befitting enough for them to cover more land or profit.
“Couldn’t intimidate the Grim into giving you more information as to who dropped off the body?”
My hand tightens once again around the glass. I throw back a harsher amount, irritated simply by someone having her name on their lips and how her smart mouth has haunted me ever since she kicked me out of her office again.
“She’s difficult to … motivate.”
He barks out a laugh, way too entertained by this.
“Wow, I never thought I’d see Silas Vescari struggling to deal with one single woman. Though she is bound to discretion.” Which is precisely why I didn’t tell him about her saying a man wearing a mask dropped off the body. Because even if slight, I can’t even have Mikhail know that she’s provided me with information she wouldn’t offer others.
Then again, nobody else knows the body has gone missing, and I especially left that part out to Mikhail.
At this point, my faith is wavering in finding the body. However, I will seek my revenge, no matter what. We’ll mourn him appropriately, but the fuckers who did this won’t survive.
I look back at the note and location he’s given me. I can start looking into such matters myself, but while I’m out of town, I’ll have one of my men watching my little raven closely, ensuring she’s not up to anything she shouldn’t be—like betraying me.
11
LEONORE
It’s been almost a week since my last run-in with Silas, and it’s put me on edge for all the wrong reasons. He pushes and shoves so hard to get his way and then simply vanishes. I should be relieved by the fact, but I know, instinctively, that it’s not a good thing when Silas goes quiet. I suspect I’ll most likely have more bodies than usual come across my table.
I haven’t managed to see Nessa since my last sleepover, so when I walk into her work, I spot her right away. She’s standing at the bar talking to Soph, who immediately sees me and waves me over. I don’t know a lot about Soph, just that she is always friendly when I come in, and I like to tip her. Nessa told me that she is caring for her mother who is bedridden and has to pay for a nurse full-time. Other than that, I don’t know much else about her. She is young, with a pep in her step, much younger than my thirty-three years, and always seems positive.