Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Next to me, Gennadiy tensed. I could feel the vengeful anger throbbing from him. “The men who shot up my car were Russians. Looked like mercenaries.”
“Which means he probably hired a Russian hitman, too,” said Mikhail.
I turned to Valentin. “That’s your area. Think you could figure out who?”
Valentin was silent for a moment. I could tell he was still hurting: whatever anniversary was tomorrow, it cut deep. But then he seemed to steel himself, and he nodded slowly. “There’s a bar where all those guys hang out. I can take you there. Would you recognize him if you saw him again?”
I thought about it. It had been dark, and he’d been wearing a ski mask. “Maybe,” I said uncertainly. “He’d sure as hell remember me.”
“We’ll be right there with you,” said Gennadiy, and slipped a protective arm around me. I flushed, but a warm bomb went off in my chest. Mikhail caught my eye and gave me an I told you so look. Radimir, though, frowned coldly at me. Working with me was one thing, but an FBI agent in his brother’s bed? I wondered if he’d ever trust me.
Everyone stood and started moving towards the door. But Mikhail blocked Gennadiy’s way for a second. “I’ve seen Grushin in action before,” Mikhail said quietly. “You haven’t. Don’t underestimate him.” I could see the fear in his eyes. Grushin had taken his friend from him...and a woman he’d loved. He didn’t want to lose his family, too.
Gennadiy squeezed Mikhail’s shoulder. “I won’t,” he said. “Now let’s go get some answers.”
38
ALISON
The bar was behind an unmarked metal door, half covered by peeling posters. I shook my head in disbelief: I’d ridden down the street a thousand times and I’d no clue there was even a bar there, let alone that it was an underworld hangout.
Inside, the place was long but incredibly narrow, only about ten feet from wall to wall. The ceiling was low and covered in pipes and ducting, giving it the feel of a submarine. The lights were red, which made the place even more claustrophobic and unsettling. Nine men were gathered at small tables, drinking, and every one of them froze instantly when we walked in. It went so quiet that I could hear the panting of Mikhail’s dogs and the click of my heels. Everyone around us was a trained killer, most of them probably former Russian military. And every one of them was terrified of the Aristovs. Is this what it’s like, being a gangster?
Gennadiy scowled and put his hand on my back. “Is he here?” he asked tightly. I’d felt the anger building in him ever since we left the mansion. I hadn’t realized, until tonight, just how mad he was about the attempt on my life. Back when it happened, he’d been hiding his feelings for me. But now…I could hear the vicious edge in his voice, and so could the men. A few of them cursed under their breath. The Aristovs were terrifying enough, but Gennadiy Aristov, out for vengeance?
I forced myself to focus and think like an FBI agent. Those three were too tall. Those two not tall enough. He was too wide. That left three who were all solid possibilities. I pointed to them, and the Aristovs moved closer, surrounding them and herding them into a line-up.
I stepped right up to the men and looked at each one in turn. They glared back at me, silently fuming and jumpy with fear.
It wasn’t the first time I’d been face-to-face with murderers, but there was something uniquely disturbing about knowing that one of these men tried to kill me. I don’t think I would have been able to do it if Gennadiy hadn’t been next to me, brooding and watchful, his face absolutely thunderous.
I looked at their eyes, the only part that had been visible through the ski mask, but they were all too similar. I sniffed, wondering if I’d remember their scent, but none of them was wearing a strong cologne. It could be any of them.
At that moment, one of the men took a swing at me, a vicious right hook that would have broken my cheekbone if it had connected. My martial arts training kicked in, and I swayed to the side, grabbed his arm and twisted, and he was bent over the bar with his arm up behind his back before he knew what was happening. Gennadiy stormed forward, furious, but it was already over.
Radimir muttered something under his breath that I couldn’t hear, but he sounded impressed. Gennadiy gave me a rare smile, and I felt a warm glow of pride.
“So it’s him?” asked Valentin, already reaching under his coat for a knife.
“Wait,” I said. I was looking down. Being bent over the bar had made the guy’s pant cuffs lift, and it gave me an idea. “I kicked the guy, hard, in the shin. There’ll be a bruise.” I used the tip of my shoe to lift his pant cuff a little more. “There isn’t one. It’s not this guy. But we can check the others—”