I blinked rapidly. The room was simple. Concrete floor, concrete walls. The floorboards above were naked and exposed.
Guns were lined up along the walls and money was piled in neat stacks on tables.
I drifted forward. There were fake passports, travel documents, and identification cards from multiple different states and countries. The photograph was empty on them all, waiting to be filled by whatever Orchard agent needed it.
Chika appeared next to me and spoke in a hushed whisper. “We could take the money. There is a lot here. It would buy more soldiers.”
“How many more?” I scanned the cash, mentally calculating. There was a couple million, at least.
“A lot.” She drifted to the guns. “We can take some of these, too. And the documents.”
“For what purpose?”
“Forget the man. We take all this. Strengthen the crew.”
I watched her carefully, considering.
I didn’t know why Chika would give a damn about Redmond. Her job would be the same regardless. She’d obey my orders and flourish, or she’d try to cut my throat to get a better deal from one of my enemies. Either way, she shouldn’t care if I took Redmond up on his proposal.
And yet she had a preference, and that fascinated me—and made me extremely wary.
It wasn’t a bad idea. This money was a small drop in the ocean of wealth and power Redmond had at his disposal, but it would be like an oasis in the desert for me and my men. We could build something on our own, and I wouldn’t have to let that man own me. I could have freedom, real freedom, built from the sweat of my own hands.
Stealing wouldn’t be easy. We’d have to sneak bags down and carry them up, but I suspected Chika had worked out the logistics already. The Range Rover would accommodate plenty of guns and money, and from there it would be a simple matter of chartering a private plane back to Chicago.
I paced along the room, running my fingers over the money and the guns, until I saw something small beneath the table. I stooped, frowning—and came back up with an action figure.
It was a child’s toy. An army man. The sort of thing a little boy would play with before he understood what killing really meant. I tugged at a limb and the ancient rubber band keeping it connected broke.
I shoved the toy into my pocket.
“No, we’re not stealing.”
Chika let out a grunt. “Why not?”
“Because this is thinking too small.”
“This much money does not seem small to me.”
“We’re not doing it.” Even though it would’ve been easy. We could do it and get away. Redmond wouldn’t stop me even if he caught me in the act. He’d be angry, disappointed even, but he wouldn’t stop me.
He wanted me too badly to risk hurting me.
And I still wouldn’t do it. Stealing and running would be a betrayal, and although I hadn’t given him my word that I’d marry him yet, I did say I’d give him a chance. If he killed my enemies, we’d combine our empires together.
It was the path I chose and the path I’d follow.
Chika grunted with anger as I walked back to the steps. “You’re making a mistake. A man like that cannot be trusted.”
“None of us can be trusted. At some point, you have to make a decision.” I glanced back at her then walked up the steps. “Don’t get caught down here.”
I emerged into the pantry. I heard sounds in the kitchen. The staff was waking up and preparing breakfast. I drifted out into the midst of them, and several shocked cooks stared at me like I’d materialized out of thin air.
“Would you be so kind as to make me some coffee, please?” I asked an older man with a shock of white hair and a thin, kind face.
“Yes, of course, ma’am,” he said, blinking and coming into himself. He smiled warmly. “Would you like something to eat?”
“Omelet, please. I’ll take it in the dining room.”
“Very good.”
I nodded to him and strode out of the kitchens.
It would be so easy to sink the knife into Redmond’s spine. He might even expect me to do it.
But I wouldn’t play by their rules. That was something an Oligarch would do. Kill in the darkness. Backstab and betray.
I was going to be better.
The coffee was good. The eggs were better. Mel appeared and sat down heavily in the chair across from me. Her eyes were puffy, like she hadn’t slept much. The staff brought her cereal and coffee. She ate in silence.
“I made a decision this morning,” I said after a few minutes.
“Yeah? What’s that?” She didn’t look up.
“I’m going to give your brother a fair chance.”
She snorted. “More than he’d give you, I bet.”
“I’m still going to do it. Do you know why?”
She waved a spoon in the air. “He’s your best shot at power and glory?”