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“We need an assassin to take him out and make it look like an accident,” Nikolai announced, now considering a third bagel.
I hummed. “We need a fucking ghost.”
“I like this option. Sophia knows the dark web; she can find someone.” Uncle Igor settled it. “And as far as Volkov brokering peace, I’ll speak with him. He’s a fool who thinks himself too crafty; untouchable. I’ll make him think it’s his idea to save us. He can believe we owe him. We’ll use Sophia’s leverage if this route fails.”
It was all falling into place. I let out a long breath and finally allowed myself to approach the food.
“Did you only now realize how ravenous all that physical activity made you?” Briana whispered as we bent to select some items from the breakfast spread.
I growled, “I need fuel for later.”
An honest-to-goodness shiver skated over her flesh.
Chapter 38 – Briana
When I told Sophiathat I was going to call Mr. Avery and confront him, she’d pointed out that such a conversation would be better in person. That elicited an eyeroll from me. If only I could simply jet back to Manhattan and have a throwdown, it would be so much easier, but all the pieces weren’t in place to enable that just yet. I would have to play my part.
“He’s in LA this week,” had been my friend’s answer, and that had been the final response before flights and a motel were booked.
And here we were. Looking out the window at the downtown hotel on the other side of the street, I let out a long breath, taking one last moment to mentally prepare for my meeting with Avery. He held the keys, and I wanted access. Now that I knew he worked for the underworld, I wanted to learn the darker side of the trade—twisting the law. But first, he was going to spill the secrets about breaking this engagement contract between Manhattan’s princess and the West Coast prince.Here goes nothing.
“I’ll be right here,” Viktor murmured, eying me closely.
The bug I wore in my necklace was hooked to Sophia’s laptop. She would see and hear everything. One, if we ever needed blackmail, or two, if Viktor needed to come tear down the door across the hall where I was meeting with Avery.
“See you in a few,” I whispered, bouncing on my toes and plopping a kiss on his cheek.
I waved at the head-phoned Sophia and slipped from our room. My understanding was that money could get you a keycard and an empty room easily, yet another cooler aspect of this twisted underworld society. I felt a little like a double-O spy.
When discussing how best to handle the East Coast lawyer, I felt silly for thinking he would reveal his secrets. I’d known him most of my childhood and for all my adult life. It had been pointed out to me that I hadn’t learned his secrets in that time, and he probably wouldn’t thank me for bringing them up now. All I could do was hope he would take me on as an apprentice in the dark arts.
Putting that good thought out into the world, I lifted my fist and rapped on his door. There was a beat of silence, then my mentor opened the door. Shirtless. With his hair dripping and towel poised on his face, grey sweats hanging low on his cut hips.
“Holy shit!” I blurted out and immediately looked at the ceiling. My cheeks flamed hot.
“Briana? Um—wait just a second. Let me get a shirt.”
