AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nodding, I stubbed the cigarette out in the bottom of the glass. I glanced across the club, scanning the crowd before whistling sharply. As soon as Valery looked up, his dark gaze pinpointing me quickly, I tossed my head toward the door.
Before I stepped away, Misha’s hand caught my arm, pulling me in close. “Watch yourself.”
Giving him another nod despite my furrowed brow, I slipped out of his grasp and pocketed the list. Not that I needed it.
Valery joined me as I cut through the busy club. Two men of our stature had little difficulty making our way to the front and out onto the sidewalk.
“Where are we going?” Valery asked, matching my strides as we headed toward my Mercedes.
“Across town.”
“Did he say why?”
“To clean up someone else’s fucking mess. Why else?”
Valery shrugged. “I didn’t know if it had anything to do with that dead broad from last night.”
I stopped short, throwing my forearm across his chest. “Why the fuck do you think this would be related?”
He glanced down at my arm before answering. “I don’t. It was a guess.”
Stepping closer, my eyes narrowed as they swept over him. “Pretty specific guess. Why were you there last night, anyway?”
He cocked his head, a challenging little smirk on his face. “Why was Iwhere, Sasha?”
Fisting a handful of his shirt, I swung him backward and slammed him into the closest building. I shoved my forearm up under his throat and unholstered my gun at the same time his hand disappeared behind his back.
“Don’t even fucking think about it,” I growled, jamming the barrel into his pelvis. “Now answer the question.”
He withdrew his empty hand slowly, putting both of them up for me to see. “I went with Misha.”
“Dariawent with Misha.”
He straightened, lifting his chin slightly. “I didn’t realize you knew her.”
“I don’t give a fuck about her. What wereyoudoing there? Do not make me ask again.” I pressed harder with the gun, angling it downward against his body. Even if his dick survived the shot, the internal workings would be so fucked up it would still be useless — if he didn’t bleed out first.
He expelled a short breath before caving. “I drove them. Ok? That’s it.”
“Where was Anton?”
“I don’t know. Misha called me last minute, told me to pick him up. Then we went to the Birchwick Hotel and picked up the woman. I dropped them off and stayed with the car. I didn’t go in until the cops showed up. That’s all I know.”
I didn’t believe that was the extent of it, but it was at least enough for me to go on. Withdrawing my gun slowly, I returned it to its holster once I knew Valery wouldn’t do anything stupid. “If I find out you lied to me, I’ll make you wish we never met.”
“You know my orders come from Misha. Same as you. So the question you should be asking isn’t if you trust me — do you trust Misha?”
There was something in his eyes, in his voice, something that couldn’t be faked. It was the truth and it made my insides twist sharply, like I’d swallowed razor blades. I lowered my arm from his throat and stepped away, resuming the trek toward my SUV.
Valery posed a fair question and I was disheartened to realize I didn’t have an immediate answer. Did I trust Misha? He saved me. He saved Roan. He knew we had the jump drive, yet he didn’t tell Sergei. He knew we were queer, yet he didn’t tell Sergei. With my swift and sudden promotion to his inner circle, I could safely say he’d advocated for me, vouched for me, and insisted I walk out of that room alive. Would he go through all of that trouble, risking his own life, only to turn around and fuck me over now?
I wanted to say he wouldn’t, but I honestly had no idea. Coupled with the suspicions I had about Daria’s murder, I was even less sure of Misha’s motives.
But all of that would have to wait. Valery and I were about to unleash a bloodbath and I couldn’t let myself be distracted.
Although, the thought of what was to come left me with a strange, unsettled feeling. Why, I had no idea. My victims were countless — including varying levels of friends and acquaintances. People I liked were always the hardest, but I knew it had to be done. There wasn’t a switch inside my head that controlled my feelings; they weren’t something I turned on and off when it came to shit like this. No, it was much more basic than that. It was either them, or me.
I chose me.
