“You asshole.”
I never saw Darwin’s left hook coming, but I felt it. I stumbled back, gripping my face. “Thank you.” I adjusted my jaw. “I deserved it and more. I’ll be paying later for it.” I took off running to the elevator, leaving a stunned Darwin at the door flexing his hand open and closed.
Twenty minutes after destroying Simone, I was sitting in traffic. My exit to the airport was only five miles ahead. I couldn’t get the sounds of her wailing out of my head.
My phone rang, Mack’s name flashing on the screen.
“Yeah?”
“He’s gone.”
“What?” I asked through gritted teeth and rolled my hand into a fist.
“I went to check on him on my way to the clubhouse like I have the last four days. He didn’t answer the door so I got the front desk to give me another key. He’s gone. Do you think he went to buy food or something? Or do you think Morosov got him?”
I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. “I don’t fucking know! Son of a bitch!”
Cars started moving so I cut in front of a Range Rover, trying to get to my exit as fast as possible.
“I’ve got some of my men coming out to help me. We’ll look around for him. But there was no sign of forced entry or any struggle.”
Where the fuck could Conrad have gone? If the Russians took him, I would lose my shit. I’d been so torn apart having to choose between him and Simone. Family over love. It wasn’t an easy choice by any means. My loyalty had always been to my brother. I couldn’t let him die because he fucked up, but someone had to pay the price with their life. It had to be me.
“I don’t know where he could’ve gone. I’ll see what I can find out on my end. Let me know if you find him.”
“Okay.” The call ended.
I didn’t need this on top of everything else. Not after I just left Simone’s and ripped her heart clean from her chest. I was hurting too, knowing I would never see her again. I was in agony over it.
Abram’s men could have taken Conrad, or my brother could be in a McDonald’s eating hotcakes and sausage. There was no fucking way to know for sure which it might be. God, I prayed he was stuffing his face right now.
After parking my truck, I ran into the terminal, scanning the place for Will. My face was heated as my heart hammered against my ribs.
“Axel?”
I whirled around toward the familiar voice and heaved in a breath. “Conrad, what are you doing here?” I threw my arms around him. The Russians hadn’t gotten him.
At the sound of a throat clearing, I released my brother as Will and Mr. St. James stood behind Conrad. York and some guy I’d never seen before also approached.
“What the fuck is going on?”
York stepped forward. “I told them about the deal.”
“About the money, right?” I narrowed my eyes at him. He had better only told them about the money and not about me sacrificing my life for my brother’s. I fisted my hands as the muscles in my arms coiled.
“About everything,” York said without a single drop of remorse on his bulldog-like face.
“What the fuck for? It wasn’t their goddamn business.”
Will got in my face. “I beg to differ. Seven hundred and thirty thousand dollars makes it my fucking business. Why didn’t you tell me the money wasn’t enough? I thought we were friends.”
“Son of a bitch.” I scrubbed my hand over my face. I couldn’t deal with this. I was only expecting to collect the money, say good-bye to Will, and board the jet. This whole thing was turning into a fucking circus. “Why is my brother here?”
“He’s going to Atlantic City with us.”
Us?I cut my eyes to Mr. St. James. “No. He’s supposed to be in a safe house.” It was a good thing there weren’t a lot of people around to hear our conversation. Jesus, it was fucking hot in here too. I was sweating like a pig.
Mr. St. James turned on his heel. “Let’s board the plane. We’ll discuss the situation there where we have more privacy.”