The Inside Man: A Dublin Nights Novel

by Sahin, Brittney

  I didn’t believe him. Luca wouldn’t let me die. He gained too much pleasure from keeping me locked up, torturing me, from watching my brother grieve. No, I was safe. But Dimitri wasn’t. And I had no idea how to save him. We needed more time. More time to find a way to escape from this place.

  “He won’t hurt me,” I declared.

  “You want to bet on that?” He went to the door and unlocked it. “Time to go.”

  A guard was in the hall, gun in hand, an apology in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed when Luca wasn’t looking.

  Three daughters. A sister that lived with him. The guard didn’t have a choice. I knew that. But it hurt. It hurt that we were all in this position because of Luca and all the deals he kept cutting with The Alliance, the very organization he was supposed to be enemies with. He played both sides. There ought to be a special place in hell for a man like him, a hell much worse than this one.

  The blond guard motioned for me to walk ahead of him and Luca. I took slow steps, trying to pace myself, to come up with a plan. But I was struggling to think of a way out of this nightmare that didn’t end up with someone dead.

  When Luca nudged me into a room a minute later, there was no one else inside but Dimitri and another guard.

  No audience of other inmates like usual.

  Dimitri’s eyes were closed, his hands in prayer position tight to his mouth, as he stood in the center of the empty space. Concrete walls. Concrete floor. No furniture.

  Luca shoved me when I wouldn’t walk, and I nearly stumbled and fell to my knees. “You don’t have to do this,” I pleaded, and Dimitri dropped his hands and observed me.

  He wasn’t wearing a shirt. All his ink on display. The man had taken fifteen lives. All criminals, he’d said. I didn’t stand a chance against a trained killer, but also, I wasn’t capable of sacrificing his life to save myself.

  Luca closed the door to the room. “Kill Dimitri, or Cole dies.”

  I turned to face him, my mouth open in shock.

  “Kill Alessia or your sister dies,” Luca announced, eyes on Dimitri now.

  “And if Alessia kills me?” Dimitri asked, his tone grave. “What happens to my sister if I lose?”

  Oh, God. I couldn’t let Dimitri choose between his sister and me. We had no way of trusting Luca would keep his word, but I wasn’t sure what choice we had.

  “She’ll live.” Luca stroked the scruff on his jaw. “But if I don’t see you put up a fight, and I don’t see you give this fight your all, both Cole and Ivana die.”

  Dimitri cared about his sister more than anyone in the world. He’d do anything for her, including trading his life to keep her safe.

  “Now.” Luca flicked his wrist. “I have a plane to catch. I need to get back to Dublin and see Sebastian, so you need to get on with it.” His words were so casual, so bland and void of emotion. I fucking hated him more than anyone in the world.

  Luca motioned to the guard who then produced a six-inch dagger and tossed it on the floor between where Dimitri and I stood.

  If we didn’t fight, Luca would follow through with his threats. He’d go after Cole. Ivana. There was no doubt in my mind.

  I wondered how long Luca had been waiting to carry out this setup because that’s exactly what it was. He was ensuring I’d win. Giving Dimitri a chance to “fall on his sword” to save everyone. But it had to be at my hand, and I . . .

  “No,” I cried, tears already forming in my eyes at the idea, knowing full well Dimitri wouldn’t let anyone die but himself.

  Dimitri shook his head and kicked the knife off to the side, lifting his fists into the air, preparing for a fight neither of us wanted.

  He’d trained me.

  Made me ready for this very moment.

  But never had I believed I’d have to use the skills he taught me on him.

  “Please,” I begged Luca one last time.

  Luca frowned. “Don’t go easy on her. I’d like to see how good of a teacher you were.”

  Dimitri blinked a few times, then nodded, letting me know it was okay. But it would never be okay.

  Dimitri stepped in and swung, and I ducked as he’d taught me and shifted to the side. I dodged the next few blows, but one fist connected with my side, and I bit back the cry lodged in my throat.

  He tripped me, taking me to the ground a moment later, then pinned me beneath his weight.

  He had me locked in place, his thighs trapping me, his hands around my throat. He didn’t squeeze, but he was probably making a show of it for Luca.

  I grabbed hold of his wrists, our eyes connecting. “I forgive you,” he mouthed.

  No. No. I turned my head to the side, catching sight of the sharp blade. He’d purposefully placed us in this position, wanting to end things quickly, to make sure he didn’t hurt me too badly.

  I let go of his wrist and reached out, fumbling for the knife as Dimitri tightened his grip around my neck. I closed my eyes, and all I could see, think, and feel was Cole. He was in my thoughts. He was everywhere.

  I had to keep him safe.

  Protect Ivana.

  “I forgive you,” Dimitri said again, sensing my hesitation.

  I opened my eyes and brought the knife between our bodies, the blade touching his chest. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I gasped, losing oxygen.

  I couldn’t do this.

  He squeezed my throat even harder, probably worried the only way I’d go through with killing him was if he triggered my fear, my panic I might die if I didn’t defend myself.

  “Do it, or I won’t let go,” he urged, his voice low, his face leaning into mine. “Save yourself.” He closed his eyes and leaned in closer, the blade puncturing his skin, then he forced himself onto the blade. “Save my sister.”

  I wailed a broken sob when he loosened his grip on my neck.

  He kept his eyes sealed shut as I pushed the blade into him harder, hoping to end his suffering quickly.

  He soundlessly rolled to the side of me a moment later, falling onto his back, and I shifted to my knees, my hands shaking at the sight of him drawing shallow breaths with the knife plunged into his heart.

  “I forgive you,” he whispered, and I fell onto him and cried.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  Hands were on me. Beneath my arms. Someone was dragging me. Pulling me away.

  “Stop,” I cried. “Stop.”

  “Good girl,” Luca said into my ear, kneeling behind me, encircling my body with his arms to hold me still. “Now, my sweet girl, you’re just like me.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Cole

  Dublin – Present Day

  My face was damp with tears. I set the last of Alessia’s letters down on the hardwood floor in front of me, but I was numb, frozen in place, my knees glued to the floor. I felt powerless and angry at the same time.

  And I was struggling to wrap my head around everything she’d written.

  The distance she’d kept between us after returning from Russia had been out of fear I wouldn’t be able to handle the truth. She’d been worried I wouldn’t accept her. Love her. Luca had chipped away at her in there, and she felt incomplete. Somehow less than whole. Maybe undeserving of my love.

  And feck, the nightmares. She’d been clawing at invisible enemies she was once forced to challenge in some fighting ring.

  Her adamant plea that I not kill, regardless of the circumstances, also made more sense now. Alessia had taken a friend’s life, and in part, she’d done it to save me. She carried that burden and was plagued by guilt. And she didn’t want the same thrust upon me as a result of being a League leader.

  I couldn’t begin to imagine what she’d gone through, the pain she’d endured.

  Befriended and trained by Dimitri Petrov, the son of the most powerful Russian mobster in the world. And then forced to kill him. It didn’t feel real.

  And now Adrian Petrov was in town looking for Dimitri’s true killer.

  My stomach knotte
d as I remembered the attack on Alessia Saturday evening as she walked back to the hotel. And last night . . . finding her and Emilia at Petrov’s casino.

  It was becoming clear the attack wasn’t a simple mugging. That was the real reason Alessia had asked Emilia to erase the security footage.

  How many lies had they spun to cover up the truth?

  Wiping the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand, I took a deep, steadying breath in an effort to control my anger. To focus on what I needed to do—keep Alessia safe.

  I had to stay strong and refrain from smashing my hand through a wall, hell, through every fecking building in Dublin.

  I placed the letters in the box and went in search of Alessia in the master bedroom.

  When I entered the en suite, she was inside the shower, her back to me, water cascading over her body, one palm on the wall, and her head bowed.

  To hell with London. Feck everything but fixing this.

  After quietly removing my clothes, I stepped into the shower, and she flinched at the realization she wasn’t alone.

  I swept her hair over one shoulder and pressed my lips to the nape of her neck, then pulled her tight to my chest and locked my arms around her body.

  In the safety of my embrace, Alessia allowed herself to let go. And as she trembled, the sounds of her sobs echoing off the tile walls, I silently cursed Luca Moreau.

  “You’re not a killer,” I said, the water beating against my face and lips. “You’re not like Luca. Not even close.” Her last letter to me was full of so much remorse and guilt.

  Luca made me the very thing I despise. A killer. I’d begged my brother not to take a life, and now I’ve taken the life of a friend. It doesn’t matter we felt there’d been no choice. I have to live with that forever. Those last words in her letter were unforgettable, but I’d do whatever possible to prevent what happened in Russia from forever haunting her.

  Alessia turned and nestled into my arms. I held us there beneath the water for at least ten minutes, hoping to wash away her guilt. Hoping to wash away any other unwarranted feelings that lingered within her because of Luca.

  “I’m sorry that I lied to you.” Her voice was paper-thin. “I’m sorry for so many things.”

  I framed her face between my palms, her wet lashes parting to find my eyes. “Please, don’t apologize.”

  She shook her head. “I was going to reach out to the Petrov family eventually and explain what happened, but I was so scared.”

  “You went to the casino to apologize to Adrian? To explain?” I blinked in astonishment. “Or did he force you to show up? Was he responsible for the attack on the street last Saturday?” I stepped out from under the water, losing my hold of her face. A million possibilities raced through my mind of how the meeting with Adrian might have gone terribly wrong, even with Emilia there to watch out for her. What if I hadn’t gotten home early? What if I hadn’t gone looking for her? Would Adrian have taken her? I couldn’t stomach the thought.

  “Yes and yes.” She came closer, both of us now out from underneath the shower spray. “Maxim Petrov discovered I, um, was the one who really took Dimitri’s life, not that gang. Adrian ordered me to meet him at the casino on Saturday. The men who . . . attacked me were only supposed to deliver Adrian’s message.” Steam filled the air between us, water pebbles on her skin as she edged closer. Her body was distracting, but the gravity of the situation was too heavy to lose focus. “I wasn’t allowed to tell you or Sebastian. He said he’d hurt you. I’m sorry.”

  I snatched hold of her arms in panic. “Never put yourself in harm’s way like that again.” My voice was shaky. “I can take care of myself. Please.” She hid her eyes from view, so I gently cupped her chin, urging her to look at me. “Luca took Dimitri’s life. Not you. And you need to understand that. Believe that to be true, because it is.”

  I wasn’t sure why she was shaking her head so fiercely, but it was breaking my heart. “Maxim Petrov has the knife I used. My prints. Dimitri’s blood. Luca must have sent it as some sort of final blow to us. To me.” Her lower lip quivered. “I think Adrian was going to give me a chance to explain. My connection with The League is probably why I’m still alive. Well, that and the confusion surrounding the circumstances of Dimitri’s death.”

  I let go of her and cupped the nape of my neck, breathing heavily. Attempting to work through the problem, needing to hammer and plow right through it. “Emilia knows all of this?” Why didn’t she tell me? Why’d she keep this from Sebastian?

  “I begged her to help me and not to tell you. Please, don’t be mad at her. This is all my fault.”

  “It’s Luca’s fault,” I reminded her since she clearly needed to hear it. “Even from jail, he’s still pulling our damn strings.”

  I left the shower, needing to think, to figure out how to keep Alessia safe, to keep the Petrovs from coming after her in revenge.

  She turned off the water and wrapped a fluffy white towel around her body, but I remained dripping in place on the marble. My head still spinning.

  “I think there’s a way out of this. I was afraid you’d reject my involvement, so I thought it’d be best if I handled my mess myself.”

  My hands went to my hips to corral my anger toward those who put her in danger. “This isn’t your mess. Luca did this. Luca betrayed The League. You should never have been in that prison in the first place.”

  Grabbing another towel, Alessia walked to me and wrapped it around my waist. She caressed my still-damp cheek with her palm, her eyes soft and pleading. “I have to make this right. Dimitri died for me. His family needs to know the truth. They need to know The Alliance is behind his death.”

  “You’re sure of that?” My jaw began to hurt from clenching my teeth so hard as I processed all of this.

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense, right? Dimitri was being tortured for information and refused to talk. Luca was running out of time, so he used me as a scapegoat. And he also knew Dimitri wouldn’t kill me. Two birds with one stone. Get rid of Dimitri and blame me.”

  “I’ll talk to Petrov. I’ll fix this.” I clutched her shoulders once again, needing her to hear me. To understand what I was about to say. “I won’t put you in danger. You know that. It’s why you kept this from me. And you know your brother will never risk your life.”

  “I think I’m our best hope at stopping a potential war with the Petrovs. And I think Maxim needs to hear the truth from me, and me alone.”

  I released her as anger tore hot through me. One more match and I’d explode.

  I’d lost her too many times. I’d never put her life on the line.

  “Cole.”

  “Don’t ‘Cole’ me. You know this is too dangerous. Maxim will want a life for a life, and I will never let that happen.” I went to the vanity and set my palms on the counter.

  “And we give him a life.”

  I jerked my focus up to find her eyes in the mirror.

  “We give him Luca,” she whispered, stepping closer to me, then placing her palm on my back. “And then we give Maxim one more enemy.”

  I raised a brow. “The Alliance?”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Cole

  Alessia stood before the picture window in her suite, a strong and confident goddess as she revealed the truth about what happened in Luca’s prison. Dressed in a gold silk blouse tucked into dark skinny jeans, her glossy hair in soft waves around her shoulders, and her feet bare, she described the four terrifying years I’d only read about in her letters. And once again, I relived every emotion I’d felt as I’d read those letters.

  Alessia hadn’t wanted to invite Emilia and pleaded with me to let her explain everything to Sebastian first. She was terrified he’d lose his cool with the Italian League leader for keeping secrets from us. I’d never raise a hand to a woman, but I wasn’t sure if I could bite my tongue in Emilia’s presence. She knew better. She knew the dangerous waters Alessia was currently in, and we should have been inf
ormed.

  But Alessia was strong enough that Luca hadn’t destroyed her. No matter what she believed she’d become, I didn’t see a broken woman. I didn’t see a sinner or a killer.

  A beautiful and compassionate woman was at my side. I just needed her to accept the truth and the certainty that Luca hadn’t won. And I needed to keep the woman I was desperately in love with alive.

  Sebastian remained seated on the couch in silence, his elbows on his knees, chin resting on his knuckles as Alessia gave him a play-by-play of what Luca had put her through. The forced fights. The threats. And lastly, the final blow. The knife to Dimitri.

  Each of her remarks was like a stab wound to my chest, knowing the pain it caused her to relive those moments, to share this with her brother.

  “I’m sorry I kept this from you.” Her shoulders pointed inward as if strong hands wrapped like an invisible shield around her. “That I lied about the attack last week. That I visited Adrian Petrov last night.”

  Sebastian jerked his head up at her last words. “You what?” His roar echoed long after he’d spoken. The heat of his wrath seemed to have raised the temperature in the room because beads of sweat broke out on my forehead. Or maybe it was the fear I still felt after seeing her sitting across from Adrian last night.

  Alessia explained to him in detail what she’d already told me about being forced to meet Adrian at the casino. That Adrian’s goons took the necklace. And someone sent Maxim the knife with her prints on it.

  “Don’t be angry at anyone other than me.” She advanced a hair closer.

  “Why didn’t the guards tell me any of this?” His voice was muffled as he drew his hand across his mouth.

  Each piece of the truth Alessia revealed was more disturbing than the last. Pieces of a puzzle I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to see finished this time.

  “I asked the guards not to tell anyone, especially you, until I was prepared to do it myself. I wasn’t ready for you to know what-what Luca made me do. What I did.”

  I watched her confidence falter as she stammered, the emotions battering and bruising.