by SR Jones
There’s a long pause, and Denis sighs again. “No, not from him. Not without him knowing it was me. He is planning on moving against another Pakhan. I could … no, I can’t.”
“What, Denis. Tell me.”
There’s no answer, and I hold my breath, praying Denis doesn’t tell her about Popov. If he does, then I’m going to have to tell Konstantin as otherwise his life will be in danger, but then I could be responsible for getting Denis and a very pregnant Liza killed.
Shit. What do I do? If I do tell Konstantin what these two are up to, then I could be responsible for the death of a woman, a vile woman, but a woman no less, and her unborn child. I can’t do that. I just can’t. But if I say nothing, and let this play out, they’re going to betray Konstantin to Popov meaning his death.
I shouldn’t care. His death would mean I would be free. His death would mean I could go back to a normal life and not have to worry.
I do care, though.
I can’t imagine a world without him even if I never get to see him again. The idea that he simply would cease to exist, all that charisma and power gone. It’s unbearable to me.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Fuck and shit. This is what curiosity and listening at doors gets you—moral dilemmas no one should have to face.
“You better tell me right the fuck now, Denis, or we’re both dead.”
“We can just leave, today.” Denis sounds hopeful.
“With what?” Liza screams. “We have no money, nowhere near enough to get somewhere safe. We need to hightail it somewhere he won’t bother looking for us.”
“You think he won’t look for you? He thinks you’re carrying his child. He’ll search the four corners of the earth.”
“Yes, but if we have a couple of million, we can hide. It’s easy enough to do. He can’t search everywhere. No one is that powerful. We can disappear to a South American island somewhere and live totally off the grid. I can wait until the baby is born, then have a paternity tests and prove he’s not the father, but not tell him who is. Send him the information, then severe all contact. That will be enough for him to not give me a second thought.”
“Not if you’ve taken his money. He’ll still hunt us down for betraying him. He is, how do you say … porochny … more than angry, vicious. That’s it, he is vicious against those who cross him, Liza. Like you say, he has no mercy. I should know. I’ve carried out many of his orders of vengeance, so I know what he will do to us. You should have had the abortion.”
She sighs loudly. “I can’t believe this mess. God, I thought I could play him, and I hate to lose, but it is what it is. So we just run and hide. This way, we screw him over and take his money. We win, of sorts. We can live in quiet luxury. Like I said, stay off the grid for as long as it takes.”
“You? Off grid? Your whole life is this Instagram you do, no?”
“Denis, we have to adapt. If we have a couple of million, we can live in comfort for a long time. Rent a gorgeous place, cash up front. Bring our child up on the beach. We just need some money transferred into our accounts. I have it set up. I have contacts, people I know in South America, and bank accounts.”
“He can trace it.”
There’s a silence for a moment, and then she speaks. “Go find that little hacker bitch. You said that’s why she’s here, right? ’Cause she’s a hacker? Go get her, now. We can make her do it.”
“Make her how?”
Oh, fuck me. I need to get out of here, find my phone, or Derek, and alert Konstantin now. I just must pray he doesn’t kill Liza and the baby when he finds out.
Creeping toward the stairs, I cry out as I fall forward, my foot catching on something. I hit the doors of the room the two plotters are in and fall into the room, landing on my knees in front of Liza.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”
Denis looks at me but doesn’t do anything.
“Fucking hell, Denis, man the fuck up!” Liza is screeching, almost hysterical. “We have no time; this is the only way. I have an account in South America, different name. Make her transfer the money right the fuck now. Once it’s in there we transfer it straight away to another account. She won’t know where it is, and K will never find out either.”
Denis stares at me then seems to make up his mind, and when he does something primal and brutal washes over his coarse features. He grabs me by the hair, hauls me off the floor as I scream in pain, and grabs a massive gun from his waistband, which he points at my temple.
“You need to do a little something for us,” he growls.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Konstantin
It’s been a good day, all told. Vasily and I got to spend time with some amazing dogs, and now we have two beautiful German Shepherds in the back of the SUV in the dog cage, which I had put in yesterday. The dogs are amazingly well trained, and both Vasily and myself know the relevant commands.
It was good to see my old friend Winston too. He’s not aged a jot and is still trim and in shape. We traded laughs about things and shared a beer, or three, as we went through the process of how to train the dogs. Vasily didn’t partake as he’s driving. I’ve been using the journey back to catch up on emails. I’ve told Margaret I will be in the offices of Bridge Tech come Monday as I need to show my face. I’ve kind of dropped the ball on that a little since having my visitor here. My captor.
God, how I wish Liza didn’t exist, and hadn’t got herself pregnant with my child. At the thought of being a father, though, I can’t deny I get a surge of anticipation. It’s not something I’d planned. After all, I’m a father in every way but pure biology to Michael, but the idea of having a child that is my own flesh and blood does appeal. There’s no one left but me, and this gives me a chance to make something new out of the ashes and wreckage of my family. There, however, the fairy tale screeches to a halt as it collides with ugly reality because I’ll be making that new family with Liza, a woman I cannot stand.
God, how did I ever stick my dick in her? She’s false, whiny, untrustworthy in the extreme; if the way she’s handled this whole thing so far is anything to go by. The worst thing about her, though, is that I have nothing I want to say to her. Not one damn thing. It doesn’t bother me when I’m merely fucking someone. I’ve never looked to women for anything more than a warm, receptive body when I want it. Or as efficient employees like Margaret.
Women aren’t my friends; men are. Women aren’t my mother or sister, because they died. I’ve never been in love. The only woman I loved was murdered in the most horrific way.
The only woman I like, other than Margaret, is Cassie.
We pull up to the house and head inside. It’s quiet, and thank fuck because I’m tired now. I don’t travel well as a passenger, and reading and replying to emails while on the road was a bad idea. I’ve got a nagging headache and faint nausea swelling in my stomach.
“You okay, boss?” Vasily says. “You look a little green.”
“I’m fine,” I say. “Just the journey.”
“Ah yes, these country roads. They are very windy, no? Still, at least we aren’t driving in Russia, eh?”
He cracks up, and then we reminisce for a few minutes in Russian about some of the journeys we’ve taken together on the back roads of Russia. Roads that have more than a few potholes.
“I will go fetch the dogs in, and we can get them used to their new home,” Vasily says.
Derek enters the foyer from the kitchen and smiles at me. “Hello, Konstantin.”
Sometimes he still calls me sir, but I tell him it’s Konstantin. He’s been with me long enough, and I feel as if he’s family.
“Michael is at his fiancée’s and is staying for the night. Miss Cassie is in her room. She’s been there an awfully long time and hasn't had any supper. She was unwell earlier but says she’s better now. I do wonder if she’s okay, though. Denis and Liza aren’t back yet.”
“What?” His last words bring me up short. “From where?”
He frowns and
gives a small shake of his head. “From Liza’s place… You told Denis to take her to fetch her … her…” His face pales as I stare at him, my mind racing.
Vasily is by my side with two panting dogs on a leash.
“Let them off the leads,” I snap.
He does so immediately, and they start to explore the house, sniffing along the walls, and rushing in and out of rooms.
“What’s going on?” Vasily asks.
I ignore him and focus on Derek.
“What exactly did Denis and Liza say? Who said what? Word for fucking word,” I demand.
“Denis said he was taking Liza to fetch some things, as you’d instructed, sir.”
His voice is wobbly.
“You think I’d have told Denis to leave the house at the same time as me and Vasily were out?”
He rubs his face. “I thought it was odd, sir, but he … he said, he was… He’s pretty big and intimidating, and then Miss Cassie had her funny turn, so I helped her go and lie down, and she’s not eaten a thing since and hasn’t come out of her room. I suppose I was distracted.”
Derek has been with me a long time, and he’s never been anything but a brilliant employee, which is why he’s still breathing right now.
“Denis has gone? With Liza?” Vasily’s face almost makes me laugh, almost.
There’s nothing funny about this. My mind is doing the math at super-fast speed.
“Vasily, go get Cassie now. Drag her down here by her fucking hair if you have to.”
“Gladly,” he says with a ferocious expression.
He takes the stairs two at a time.
“Sir, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say. I thought it a little odd, but then there are the other men here who you have hired, the guards, outside. I thought… Denis said they wouldn’t be too long. I’m … I don’t know what to say.”
There are tears in his eyes, and I know they aren’t from fear, but from mortification that he’s screwed up so bad.
“Derek, it’s okay,” I manage to force out. “You’ve worked for me for an awfully long time, and this is the first time you’ve ever made a mistake. It’s a fucking big one.” I laugh, and it holds a dark edge. “But you’ve been nothing but capable and loyal, and it’s not your fault Denis is a fucking lying dog who is about to find out what happens to anyone who betrays me.”
“I swear, I don’t know anything.” Cassie’s voice reaches me as she appears at the top of the stairs.
Vasily has her harshly by the upper arm as he drags her behind him down the stairs.
“Derek, leave us please.”
He nods, gives a small almost bow, and walks away with one worried, backward glance at Cassie.
One look at her and I know. She’s complicit in this.
This is my worst nightmare come true. I have trust issues. Major trust issues. That will happen to you when your own father murders your wife. Cassie has already lied to me once, but that was nothing as compared to this.
I can’t speak because I think if I do, I’ll order Vasily to shoot her.
I watch her quake. She’s pale, but sweaty. I bet her hands are clammy. Her eyes are wide, and she’s breathing far too fast. Good. I want her terrified because I need to know what the fuck she’s done. She didn’t miraculously have a funny turn the exact moment Denis and Liza needed her to. Has she been plotting with them all along?
I can’t think straight I’m so angry. I don’t give a shit about Liza, but Denis betraying me when I’d stupidly thought he was loyal leaves a bitter, ashen taste in my mouth.
“Take her to the study,” I finally order Vasily.
I head into the kitchen and calmly put some food and water out for the dogs, forcing myself to keep a lid on things. Then I pour three large glasses of brandy into heavy tumblers, down one of them, refill, and carry them with me into the study.
Walking into the room, I kick the door shut behind me. Cassie, seated on a chair, jumps at the sound.
“Here.” I thrust the drink at her and pass the other to Vasily.
I take a sip of my own.
Cassie doesn’t touch hers.
“Drink,” I say, as I lean forward and tip the glass toward her with my free hand. “You’re going to need it.”
She blinks at me, and her eyes are shimmery.
Fuck me, not again! What is it with Cassie and her tears that gets to me so much? Except, she doesn’t cry. She tightens her jaw and takes a deep breath through her nose.
It’s then I notice the mark on her jaw. It’s a livid bruise, and right on the bone. It must hurt.
Glaring at Vasily, I sigh. “I never told you to hit her.”
I’m about to shoot him in the foot for this.
He stares at me, looks at Cassie, then does a double take at the mark on her face. “Not me, boss. I didn’t do that.”
“Cassie, what the fuck? You better start talking now.”
She doesn’t speak, but she’s shivering.
I don’t think violence and threats is going to work here.
She’s already been hurt, she’s terrified, and whatever she did, I’m suddenly confident she did it under duress. Even if I wanted to hurt her, which I categorically don’t, it wouldn’t get me anywhere. She’s about five seconds away from shutting down completely.
“Leave us,” I bark at Vasily.
“But, boss…”
I glare at him, and he shrugs but leaves the room, looking pissed.
Right now I don’t know who I can trust. Vasily wasn’t in on this; his reaction at the door was far too sincere, but Denis betraying me in this way means I’m totally at sea here. My men were my family in some ways, and now Denis has torn that apart.
My father tore my blood family apart, and Denis and Liza have torn to shreds the new one I’d built.
“Cassie?” I keep my voice low and squat down until I’m able to look her in the face. “Cassie?”
She sniffs, but she still doesn’t cry. In some ways this stoic determination is worse. Glacially, she moves her gaze to meet mine, and her eyes are terrified.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers.
“It’s okay.”
She makes an odd, low murmured sound, like an animal in distress.
“Hey.” I smooth a damp tendril of hair from her face. “Hey, Cassie. Sunshine. It’s okay.”
At me using the word sunshine, she focuses a little more on me, and I see a tiny glimmer of hope in her beautiful gaze. Things have gone too far for her. I knew, didn’t I, that if I uprooted her, she’d wilt, and now she is. She needs safety in all of this. She needs to know I won’t hurt her.
“Tell me what happened.”
She opens her mouth, but then shuts it again. She’s shivery and yet clammy.
God, I don’t know how to deal with a woman in this state.
“Drink, baby. It will help.” I lift the glass to her lips by wrapping my hand around hers and pour some of the liquid into her mouth. She swallows then coughs. But then she takes some more, two more big sips to be exact.
“Good girl,” I say.
She looks at me, and her gaze softens some at the praise. God, she’s a conundrum. On the one hand fiery, with that temper I like, but on the other, Cassie craves security, praise, and to be told what to do. The moment shit gets real, she turns into a pseudo child, needing somewhere to run for safety. Most human beings do, but with her it’s more overt. Cassie needs structure, I think. Security.
What a little mystery she is, all wrapped up in that delectable outer package.
“Okay, now listen to me. I really need to know what’s going on here. And I need you to tell me all you know. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know much at all; just tell me what you do know.”
“I know everything,” she blurts out. “I was… It’s my fault.”
What?
My blood runs cold. What is her fault? What does she mean? Did she have a role to play in this? A hand in it as I first thought? How do the pieces fit together here?
<
br /> “I was bored, so I went exploring,” she says, starting to speak and catching me off guard. “I went up to the turret room. I saw another door, and I…” She looks away from me. “I checked it out. I’m sorry.”
There’s some private shit in that room, not anything sensitive, but photos and family stuff.
“There’s stuff in there,” I interrupt. “Files and shit. What did you see?”
“Well, yes, there were some boxes and folders, but nothing of interest like books or anything. The only stuff I saw was clearly private, so I was going to go look in the turret room, but…”
She’s telling the truth. I’m almost a hundred percent sure of it, and it hits me then how good in so many ways she is. A lot of people would have snuck around, looking in the boxes, but it didn’t even occur to her. Despite me keeping her here against her will.
“Go on.”
She takes another sip of the drink and then another. “I heard voices, which I recognized pretty quickly as Liza and Denis. I … I eavesdropped. I was curious as to what they were doing up there together. So I listened to them. They were talking about the baby, and Liza was telling Denis they had to leave before you found out.”
“Found out what?” I can barely get the words out.
I want to hurt something, someone, for making her so scared, but the only person within reach is someone I’m going to have to treat like glass right now. With superhuman effort, I swallow down my rage and gentle my voice.
“Sunshine, find out what?”
“The baby, it’s not yours.” She starts to cry, but only a little. A few tears spill down her cheeks, but she doesn’t make a sound, and wipes them away immediately. “I’m so sorry, Konstantin. You don’t deserve this. Liza and Denis are working together. They’re … they’re together. I’m sorry.”
I don’t want her fucking pity. Her pity makes me want to squeeze the glass in my hand so hard it shatters.
So many emotions are hitting me right now. Relief that I don’t owe Liza a damn thing and am not tied to the bitch in any way. Disappointment that I’m not going to be a father, even if it is with a woman I despise. Anger that they’d betray me this way. And humiliation. I’m not used to feeling humiliated these days. I fucking hate the sensation. It reminds far too much of my childhood when poverty and a deadbeat dad made the emotion one of my constant companions.
