Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“What the hell happened last night?” he asks, not taking his eyes off the screen.
I tell him everything. From seeing Anya fight in that alley, to dragging her back here against her will.
“What was I supposed to do?” I ask him seriously. “She would have run. If Mikhail had found her, he probably would have killed her.”
He nods, exhaling slowly through his nose.
“That’s probably true,” he admits. “But I don’t understand why you got involved in the first place, Viktor. This isn’t like you. Are you really willing to lose everything you’ve built over some princess?”
“If we’re lucky, Mikhail will never put two and two together,” I tell him mildly, though we both know that’s not likely.
Mikhail is going to leave no stone unturned in his quest to find out what happened last night. His future bride is missing, but that’s just the cherry on top of the disrespect. The slain bodies are the real offense. I took out his men with no provocation. He’s going to escalate this to the highest order, and probably pretend that finding Anya is his real aim.
“What’s the chatter?” I ask again.
“Grinkov’s in a rage,” he says slowly.” He’s already pulled men from Sunset Park and Coney. They’re canvassing the area trying to figure out what the hell happened. They’re going to pull any and all security cameras they can find.”
“That’s predictable.” I nod. “I doubt they’ll find anything of use.”
“What if they do?” he asks. “What if they figure out it’s you and start going after our interests?”
“It’s why I told you to lock down the docks.” I shrug. “And I’ve increased security on our other assets tenfold. We’re ready if it escalates.”
“Viktor.” He sighs warily. “You could still return her. Use her as a bargaining chip to request clemency. Or, better yet, don’t tell him it was you who killed his men. Tell him you found her wandering and knew she belonged to him. Say you kept her safe, but for a price.”
I glance at the monitor again. She’s back in the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets for something. Food, maybe, but more likely a weapon.
“She’s not a bargaining chip,” I tell him seriously. “She’s a person with agency.”
“So kidnapping her was what? A way for you to test her agency?”
I meet his gaze and wonder how I can possibly explain this. I knew the risk. I put us in this position knowing what it could mean. Leaving her in that alley was simply not an option.
“She isn’t a bargaining chip,” I repeat, hoping the gravity of my tone will put an end to the line of questioning.
Silence settles between us. He knows better than to press me.
“Then we’d better prepare,” he finally says in resignation.
“That’s what I’ve been doing all morning,” I remind him. “Everything is going to be fine.”
“Are you sure, Viktor?” he asks carefully.
I look at the man who’s been my family’s confidante since I was a child. He was my father’s closest friend when they were young men. I trust him with my life and he trusts me not to make decisions that would hurt the business.
I simply nod in response. He nods back and gets up, leaving the house without another word. I’m sure he’s angry with me. He’s probably questioning my sanity, which is fair. I’m not acting in anyone’s best interest right now, and I know that. What I need is for him to have my back anyway, and I know that he will.
I know he’s right. I should return her. If I hand her back through an intermediary, it would be a show of strength. It would be a reminder to Mikhail of what I’m capable of, and a warning not to fuck with me.
I could still step back from the edge and regain control of the situation. The thought lingers for exactly five seconds. Then it disappears.
I look at the screen and see that she’s back upstairs, practicing defensive positions. She’s certainly making the most of her captivity.
I remember the heat of her body when I restrained her, and her unflinching determination to fight back. She’s not weak. She proved that last night when she didn’t look away as I murdered her final captor. Most people don’t watch.
She’s a fighter. If she’s not fighting me, she’ll be fighting Mikhail, and I have a feeling I have a lot more patience for it. For whatever reason, I can’t allow myself to put her in that position.
I know what I’m risking here. I know that Mikhail’s hunt for her will be relentless, and it just might lead him to me. As much as I don’t want that to happen, I will be ready for it if it does. I get up and walk over the cabinet where I keep some of my deadliest weapons. I inventory for a moment, letting my eyes linger over the pieces.