Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 45957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
I’d never been close to Jaxon’s wife, but I knew enough about her family to know there would be no love lost between her and her mother. Hell, she might even send me a gift card as a thank you for getting rid of her.
The thought made me snort. Adrian cast me a confused look, but I shook my head. When I held my hand out, Adrian handed me his knife, letting me take the reins for this one.
Stepping closer to Boris, I pressed the flat of the blade beneath his fatty chin and tilted his head back. “I hope you enjoyed the game while we played it, Boris. Because now, I have all the pieces, all the cards, and I hold the dice. We’re going to play it my way now. And how easy your loss is will depend entirely on your cooperation.”
“Fuck you,” he spat.
I smirked. “I’ll let that one slide, but the next disrespectful thing to come out of your mouth will result in a lost fingernail. Got me?”
He clenched his jaw and nodded. I patted his cheek condescendingly. “Let’s begin, shall we?”
25
Ivan
“The quicker you answer my questions, the sooner this will be over,” I assured Boris as I tossed the knife into the air, catching it by the blade without even nicking myself. “First order of business, Boris.” I pressed the knife beneath his chin again, letting the tip press into his throat just enough to make a trickle of blood run down his neck. “Who did you pay to drug my pilot and my flight attendant?” I asked.
Boris spat on me instead of answering my question. Sighing, I wiped the spit off my shirt, and then, just as I promised, I grabbed his hand and shoved the blade of the knife under his fingernail. He screamed, doing his best to free himself, but he could barely move due to his restraints. I popped the nail of his index finger off, letting it fall to the floor. Tears ran down his cheeks as I straightened back up.
“Didn’t I promise to take a fingernail every time you disrespected me, Boris?” I asked calmly, cocking my head to the side the slightest bit. I pointed my now bloody knife at Ninel, not bothering to actually look at the traitorous bitch. “I’m cutting off a chunk of her ear next if you don’t give me the answer I’m looking for,” I promised. Ninel made a panicked sound in the back of her throat. “This knife is very sharp, Boris. Adrian takes very good care of his weapons just for occasions like this.”
“Wait!” Ninel cried, and it took everything in me not to fucking grin. She’d played right into my hands, just as I knew she would. I didn’t have time to pussy foot around. I was hungry and tired, and I just wanted to get my man upstairs in his bed and fuck him until the sun came up. And then, I wanted to crash for a good twelve fucking hours.
“Yes?” I asked, looking at her with a frown.
“I did it,” she rushed out. I arched a brow because I hadn’t been expecting that. She wasn’t the type to get her own hands dirty. “Boris was going to hire some incompetent asshole who could barely even understand the instructions he was being given. So, when your pilot went to take his last bathroom break before your flight, I paid your flight attendant to slip you the tea with the drug in it, along with the pilot.” She huffed. “I heard she died. Stupid bitch must have drunk the wrong damn tea.”
“Well, that sure was out of character for you, Ninel,” I drawled. “After all, you were always so quiet and docile. What happened?”
“You happened,” she spat at me. “It should have been my husband taking the Pakhan position. Not you. You’re just the bastard son of the consigliere. You did nothing to earn it, yet my husband stood at Adrik’s side his entire life. We even gave up our daughter for the old man’s own fucking gains!” she yelled.
I scoffed. “You didn’t give a fuck about Inessa,” I retorted. “Don’t even try to play that card with me. Your relationship with your daughter was so toxic, she happily allowed Jaxon to end all communication between you and the rest of your fucked up little family months ago, and she’s been happier for it.”
“Fuck you,” she snarled.
I hummed. “So, what was the grand plan here?” I asked. “Take me out. Take the Jacksons out. And then…. what? Somehow rise to power? You really think the Bratva would allow that, Ninel? Those men respect me, and they respect Adrik’s decision to name me as the Pakhan. We are flourishing. Taking me out would have just signed your death certificate.”
“You’re going to burn in hell,” she growled.