MIKHAIL
Madisyn betrayed me.The little bitch made me believe that she was a nurse. Maybe she is, but she’s also a conniving Fed.
I can’t trust her.
I shouldn’t even let her live. She knows too much. She’s a liability to the bratva.
“Don’t move,” I snarl at her while she’s sitting on the sofa. Her hands are clasped in front of herself.
“Are you going to kill me?” Madisyn asks.
Her voice is soft, tentative. It’s a trick. She’s trying to make me feel something for her.
All she makes me feel is cold and lifeless.
I’m disgusted with myself for trusting her. She’s a stranger, and I blindly let her into my home. I trusted her, and that’s my burden to bear.
“Seems like an easy solution to a difficult problem,” I mutter.
The truth is that I don’t want to kill her, but she did lie to me. But I don’t know why. Is she working for the Feds undercover to take me down? Or is she a forensic nurse? Maybe something in between, and we just happened to cross paths.
No.
She’s not innocent.
I don’t believe that we just happened to meet.
“Did your car even break down?” I’m sure it did. She was driving a piece of junk. I glance around the house. It’s bare, impersonal. “This isn’t your home.” It’s an observation, not a question.
She doesn’t answer me.
Madisyn is afraid of me. She’s staring up at me. Her bottom lip quivers, but she bites down. She’s trying to hide her fear.
She ought to fear me. I could bury her alive, and no one would ever find her body.
She’s silent. She probably realizes that anything she says will further incriminate herself and give me more ammunition. Not that I need any more.
I have enough to hang her.
“Why?” I ask. I wave my gun at her, demanding answers.
She exhales a soft breath. “Why do you think? You’re bratva.”
“You’re a shitty agent.” I want to hurt her. It starts with biting insults. I’m biding time, waiting to hear from my men. And before I kill her, I need to know what information she passed on and what dies with her.
She presses her lips together and folds her arms across her chest. “I had you fooled. You thought I was in love with you.”
Her remark is intended to burn, but I know better. I lean closer, invading her personal space. “You were begging me with your wet pussy to fuck you.”
She shifts on the sofa, scooting farther back and away, toward the corner to keep her distance. “And you couldn’t tell if a woman faked it or not.”
“You’re a shitty liar.” There’s no way in hell she was faking an orgasm. I’d bet my own life.
“Me? You thought you could trust me,” Madisyn says. “I wormed my way into your home and your bed. I’m not as shitty as you think.”
My hands bunch into fists, and she covers her face.
She’s afraid of me.
I should revel in the thrill that I’ve broken her. But instead, it burns my insides like a fierce inferno.
The doorbell rings.
It’s probably one of her Fed friends checking up on her. Or maybe that ex-boyfriend. Was he her ex, or was that a ruse?
I glance out the window and recognize the vehicle out front. It’s that stupid ex-boyfriend.
“Answer it,” I say, waving my gun at her. “But no funny business.” I gesture for her to walk to the door.
She exhales a shaky breath and climbs off the sofa.
“Madisyn, it’s me. Open up.” Aaron’s voice is muffled but still clear enough to decipher his words through the door.
I stand behind the door, gun in my hand. “Get rid of him,” I whisper. “But I swear, if you do anything to indicate that I’m here, you’re both dead.”
“I won’t,” she says softly before unlocking the door. She only opens it a few inches. “Now isn’t a good time, Aaron.”
“Let me in,” Aaron says. “I know he’s here. His vehicle is outside.”
This asshole isn’t going to leave, is he?
I yank open the door and flash my gun at him. “Get inside!” I bark orders.
Aaron throws his arms into the air. “Hey, no one needs to get hurt. I’m just here to talk.”
“Talk?” This isn’t a hostage negotiation. There’s no talking that needs to be done. Not with him. He’s one of the enemies. “Get inside.”
He keeps his hands up, and Madisyn takes a step back, letting him into the house.
I shut the door with my foot and pat him down, making sure Aaron isn’t wearing a weapon.
“Lock the front door.” I give Madisyn orders. “Close the blinds,” I instruct, in case there are other federal agents nearby.
She obediently follows my instruction. Is it because I’m waving a gun? It’s certainly not because she’s loyal to me.
I glance at Aaron and Madisyn.
I did not start tonight intending to take hostages. But that’s what this shit has turned into.
Fuck me.
I don’t need two dead federal agents and their bosses sniffing at my door. This is a job that I’d typically delegate to Dmitri or Nikita. But I’m on my own tonight.
I did this to myself, but I’m not going to end up six feet under.
Aaron strides across the living room, standing in front of Madisyn. I’m not sure if he thinks he’s protecting her or just wants to get his grimy paws on her.
“You don’t honestly love this guy?” Aaron jabs his thumb in my direction. “You know he’s bratva, right?”
I’m not sure if he’s truly as clueless as he’s claiming to be or trying to save Madisyn from me.
I click off the safety on my gun, pointing it at Aaron’s head.