AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A deal was made. They would assist us in baiting Nikolai, but in return, Angel needed to be removed from the picture. It was an arrangement Angel had made without my advice or knowledge.
Not even Lulu knew, with her vital part in the ruse. It would have been difficult, asking her to trade one sibling for the other.
"There are clothes here for you to change into," I say, picking the bag back up and tossing it onto the bed.
Angel glances at the bag, then back at me with a raised eyebrow. "A bit of a waste of money, wouldn’t you say?"
I sigh, frustration bubbling up. "You should have let me handle everything. I could have made another deal."
He chuckles, shaking his head. "Aw, Romanov. Have you grown soft for me?"
"No," I snap. "You irritate the fuck out of me, but my wife loves you. Hurting you hurts her."
Angel’s smirk falters for a moment, replaced by a rare, genuine expression. "Honestly, that’s the only part I regret about dying. Hurting her and Lulu."
The sun is dipping close to the horizon, its beams catching the glass of the buildings outside the window, creating a golden glow behind Angel. It’s an uncomfortable image for a soon-to-be-dead man, a halo of light framing his silhouette.
"Tell me about Azrael," I demand, needing to shift the conversation back to something actionable.
Angel turns back to the window, the glow catching his face. In the soft light, I notice the familiarity in his profile, the part of him that looks so much like Vivi. It’s a painful reminder of the stakes involved.
"There isn’t much to tell," he says quietly. "They don’t talk directly to me."
"But you contacted them. How did you do this?" I press, stepping closer.
"That church you got married in, Our Lady of Pompeii," Angel begins. "They have a bunch of wooden boxes on one of the walls.Most of them are for donations for the various missions and charities the church supports. One has the symbol of Azrael on it. When I need to contact them, I leave a note in that box."
I stare at him, my mind racing. I was just in that church not too long ago. So close to the first clue in bringing down Azrael. I could strangle Angel for not telling me this sooner.
After all the torture, Angel never let anything slip. He’s only talking now because of Vivi.
"How often is this box checked?" I ask, needing every detail.
"I have no idea," Angel replies, frustration evident in his voice.
"So, Azrael is based in New York City?" I press further.
"I don’t know, but it would make sense," he says, turning back to the window. "The birth of our world in the United States happened here."
A knock at the door interrupts us, and one of my men pokes his head in. “Your wife is awake, boss.” Relief washes over me, but it’s quickly overshadowed by the grim reality of our situation.
Angel turns from the window, his expression serious. "I need to say goodbye this time."
"I don’t think that’s a good idea," I say, hesitation clear in my voice.
"I have to," Angel insists. "I left her once and didn’t say anything. Don’t make me do that again."
I stare at him for a moment, seeing the determination in his eyes. Finally, I nod. "All right."
“Get changed first, and I’ll wait outside for you.” I don’t like granting him this final wish. It will only upset Vivi, but never seeing her brother again will also upset her. It’s the lesser of two evils.
After a few moments, Angel appears at the door. I give him a quick nod.
“A bit short?” He shakes his feet, showing how the bottom of the pants doesn’t cover his socks completely. Despite the circumstances, I grin in reluctant response. He always finds humor in the hardest moments.
I lead Angel to the other room. When we walk in, Vivi is dressed and looking relieved to see us both. Her smile fades when she sees our expressions.
"Ivan? What’s going on?" she asks, worry creeping into her voice.
