Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Unable to resist, I go closer. At the sound of my footsteps, he leans back.
I cup his nape and hold him in place so that I can look into his eyeless face. “How does it feel? Crushing your windpipe and letting you choke on your own blood will be a merciful end compared to what you’re suffering now, but you don’t deserve mercy, do you?”
Sweat beads on his forehead as he strains in my hold.
“I could step on your face and pin you to the floor as I cut off your dick.”
He shudders.
“It’s a pity you wouldn’t be able to see that.” I tighten my hold. “I guess it’s a good thing you can still feel.”
“Dante.” Reino touches my arm. “Let’s go.”
An uncontrollable urge to squash the pathetic man in front of me like that cockroach under his clothes compels me to keep him in place.
“Dante.”
I look at Reino.
He tilts his head to the door. “Let’s go.”
I release Teszner with a shove. “I think I’ll let you rot. It’ll be more fun.” Turning my back on him, I follow Reino to the doorway. On the threshold, I stop and look back at the man cowering like a shivering poodle on the chair. “And don’t bother to lock your door. I’ll drop in often.”
The day breaks over the rooftops when we leave the shabby house.
Reino walks quietly next to me to the car. He only speaks when he’s steering the vehicle into the street. “I’m not going to say I told you so.”
“I didn’t kill him.”
“But you wanted to.”
My phone rings. I take it out of my pocket. It’s Sav. He knows I’m always up early.
I swipe the button to take the call. “Morning.”
“You need to come see me.”
“I can be there before breakfast.”
“I’ll get croissants.”
“Good,” I say before hanging up.
“Sav?” Reino asks, shooting me a sidelong glance.
“Who else?”
We arrive at the club before the bakery where Sav gets his croissants is open. A few men do the rounds, mostly for protection. It’s too early for the cleaning staff to be in. Anya, Sav’s wife, greets us downstairs.
Her smile is warm. “It’s good to see you, Dante.” She nods at Reino. “Now that you’re married, you’re too busy to visit us.”
“Circumstances.” I give her a friendly pat on the shoulder. “I’ll rectify that soon.”
Sav’s quiet but deadly voice reaches me from the top of the staircase. “If you don’t get your hand off my wife right the fuck now, I’ll cut it off.”
Following the threat up with action, he descends the stairs with heavy steps.
Unfazed, Anya shoots him a smile. “That’s a nice way to welcome your friends. You’ll give them the impression that you’re not happy to see them.”
Out of respect for Sav, I step away from Anya.
Sav stops next to her and wraps a possessive arm around her waist. “Dante knows the rules.”
Anya rolls her eyes. “We’re not starting with that again.”
“Give us a moment, treasure.” Sav kisses her temple. “Dante and I will talk in the office.”
“Sure.” She looks between Reino and me. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“It’s kind of you to offer.” Reino makes his way to the bar. “If that’s all right with you, I’ll just help myself to a coffee from your fancy new Italian machine.”
Sav tilts his head toward the stairs. “Shall we?”
Upstairs, Sav leads me into the office and closes the door. “The bakery isn’t open yet.” He goes to the seating area and lifts a carafe from the table “Coffee?”
“Please.”
“How’s Tatiana?” he asks, watching me as he pours.
“Good.” I walk to the desk and lean on the edge. “At least physically.”
He hands me a mug before serving himself. Holding my gaze over the rim, he takes a sip. “Mentally?”
I keep my expression neutral, not showing him how the whole situation is eating like acid into my gut. “The same.”
“I looked into the psychiatrist. She’s good.”
“Yeah.” I cross my ankles. “Her reputation precedes her. But you didn’t ask me here to discuss my wife’s mental state.”
“Care to tell me why six civilians were killed in a boat accident?”
Naturally, I brought him up to speed with Tatiana’s involvement in the explosion at the bank. I haven’t had time yet to brief him on my plans.
“It was unavoidable.” I lift the mug to my lips. “You know why.”
“Couldn’t you buy their silence?”
“Too risky.”
“Six people, Dante. We’re not talking about casualties in a war with our enemies.”
I straighten. “Do you think I don’t know that?”
A deep line cuts between his eyebrows. “You should’ve offered them money first.”
“No.” I put the mug down hard on the desk. “What would you have done if it were Anya?”
He purses his lips.
Yeah. If he were in my shoes, he would’ve done the same.
Shoving a hand in his pocket, he studies me solemnly. “Does Teszner know about his sister?”
“Everyone knows she’s back, but I’m keeping her amnesia quiet.”