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He threw his hands up, also standing. “You’re a motherfucker if you think I’d do something like that to my own flesh and blood. You’re the only animal I know who’d eat their young.”
I laughed. “Your attempts at insulting me mean nothing. It’s entirely possible that her near abduction had a direct connection to your father’s unscrupulous activity surrounding the trade council. If you ask me, I think he pissed off the wrong people. Not accounting for the Kozlov family of course.”
“That’s bullshit. My father…” He exhaled, doing his best to keep his gaze pinned on me. I could tell by the doubt in his eyes that he didn’t necessarily approve of his father’s activities. Good. That would also work to my benefit.
“Does the name Rory ring any bells?”
At first, he acted like he had no clue. Then a light went off in his gaze. “I don’t know him, but he does some work for my father.”
“Interesting. Here’s how we’re going to play this, Rian. In exchange for your life as well as that of your cousin’s, you’re going to find out the identity of the three men who were involved. While I’m certain you’ll want to ask your father who they are, that’s not going to happen. As soon as you discover the information, you’ll contact me directly.”
“Why can’t you track them down and ask them yourself?”
Grinning, I leaned further over the table. “They don’t seem to be in a position to answer any questions at this point.” I allowed the information to sink in. “However, there is no doubt they didn’t act alone. In addition, you’re going to advise your father that it’s in his best interest to stop leading the attack on the Kozlov construction projects. Nothing good can come of his continued interference. Do I make myself clear?”
“How in the fuck am I supposed to identify these assholes? What does it matter anyway?”
“Today is your lucky day, Rian. I’m in a generous mood. Ask your good buddy and manager friend about him. Candy served him the night before last. With any luck, they paid with a credit card. As far as why it matters, well, I do think that’s obvious. They’re either working for your father directly or are a rogue group of individuals.” Another light popped on in his brain as he realized that his family might be the direct targets. Maybe he’d do the work for me.
I moved around the table, lowering my weapon. When I was only a few feet away from him, he squared his shoulders, trying to assert whatever authority he believed he had in his tee shirt and boxer shorts.
“I’ll do what I can to find out what you need, but you better keep your slimy hands off her. She’s a good girl. She doesn’t deserve to be touched or even forced to stay in the same room with scum like you.”
The asshole had a way of riling me. I took a deep breath instead of smashing the pistol against the side of his head. I would try to keep this civilized.
For now.
I offered a smirk and closed the distance. We were of the same height, our weight approximately the same, but the man was no match for my training and he knew it, backing down almost instantly. “Don’t hurt her.”
“I have no intention of hurting the lovely Candy as long as you keep your end of the bargain.” As I moved toward the door, I gave him a hard glare over my shoulder. He was already preparing to grab his weapon. “Tsk. Tsk, Rian. You will learn that fucking with me will only end with your family forced into selecting your coffin. And Candy’s.” I walked out, confident he’d follow my orders.
If not, there’d be no place on this earth where I couldn’t find him in order to fulfill my end of the deal.
* * *
I stood outside the apartment building, scanning the buildings and street around me. If Rian had been part of her attack, he’d already called the people he was working with, which could mean an ambush even though it was almost noon. But if I had to guess, I’d say he was demanding he talk with his father right about now, determined to find out what he’d been forced into the middle of.
While nothing seemed out of the ordinary, I had a sense that the building was being watched. It felt like a twisted game of cat and mouse.
After a few seconds, I moved inside, taking the stairs and heading toward my apartment first. Dimitre’s message had been of interest. Just as I slipped my key into the lock, my phone rang again. Dimitre. I opened the door and immediately he swung around, the weapon in his hand.
Snarling, he lowered his phone, shoving it into his pocket. “Goddamn it, Kirill.” He continued to walk closer, cursing in Russian.
What the hell has gotten into him?
“Who were you expecting?” I growled, slamming the door and remaining where I was. Dimitre wasn’t the kind of soldier to allow anything to get under his skin. When it did, that turned him into a formidable assassin. He continued to hold his weapon in his hand, glancing over his shoulder toward the door.
“Let’s just say someone managed to get inside. Where the hell were you? You were supposed to be here last night gathering information.”
“I had something more pressing to handle, Dimitre. Don’t push me.”
“Don’t push you? That’s bullshit.”
Something had crawled up his ass.
“How the fuck do you know someone got in? And why are you so rattled?” Nothing seemed out of order. In circumstances of this nature, the place was usually tossed if for no other reason than to show off their entrance abilities.
He lifted a single eyebrow before nodding toward the boxing bag. As I headed closer, I was forced to walk around to the other side to see what he was talking about. Then I chuckled. “At least there’s no need to decipher their bullshit.”
