I skim the papers, searching for one name I know will be hidden in the thousands of words.
Nina.
Taking a deep breath, I kneel down to the man curled up like a goddamn infant. I lick my lips and shake my head. Fear is something I never feel, not a single drop of it. But I do feel heartless.
My efforts can either be placed in peace or war. And as long as I have Nina in my hands, I will always choose war.
It’s the way she acts so fucking helpless, going about her days as if she doesn’t have a bounty on her head. It’s my fault I got involved with her father. I don’t regret getting in the middle of it—it’s the only choice I had. Kirill’s brother wouldn’t be here trying to cause problems if I hadn’t gotten involved, but that’s why I’m protecting her.
I am the only one who is even considering her father’s motives.
Kirill is not connected to their family whatsoever. Sure, he could benefit them, I don’t doubt that at all.
“You’re supposed to be in Russia,” I tell the man on the floor, tilting his chin up with my gun.
“Sorry. I don’t listen to you.” Mikhail spits onto the floor.
“I am going to make you a deal.” I grab him by his dark brown hair, rolling him onto his back so he can stare at me in the face and know how much I am not fucking around.
The man looks young—too young to be involved in this shit, but that’s what happens when you get involved with the wrong people.
“Hmm.”
“I don’t fucking make deals with you, or your men.” Mikhail keeps his jaw clenched.
“Let’s say you work for me now. Anything I say goes, or you will pay the consequences.” I pause as Enzo’s hand grabs onto my shoulder. I shrug him off; I know exactly what he is thinking. “Nah. I’m done playing these games.” My father’s rules. His stupid fucking rules.
The man lying underneath the eye of my gun is Kirill’s brother. I didn’t want him to be here, but I can’t complain about it either.
“What does your brother want with Nina?” I finally ask the question I have been itching to get an answer to.
He scoffs while I dig my gun into the back of his head. He doesn’t answer my question, so I flip my knife out in my other hand.
I’ll give it to the man—he’s fearless. His breath is stable, and his voice is calm. “I don’t know why he wants the whore.”
“I think you do, Mikhail.” I move the blade to his lips, pushing deep into his flushed skin, forcing blood to draw. “You insult the girl again . . . you won’t have a tongue.”
His body doesn’t even flinch at the wound I’m creating, which only pisses me off more. If he were smart, he would just answer my fucking questions.
“I’m guessing your brother sent you here, no? He sent his younger brother to do his dirty work.”
“I’m guessing Enzo does yours?”
I nod my head slowly at what he says. I hate to admit it, but I would love a man like him on my side.
I search his pockets, looking for anything that will help me out. From inside his wallet I pull out his ID. “Joseph? Really?”
Tossing bills onto the ground, I find a sheet of paper folded up. My banking information. My jaw ticks. He’s probably the one behind the shit that’s going down with my father.
Kirill is a fucking pussy. He can’t even do his own dirty work.
“I want everything you have. And the proof.” I stand up, shaking the dirt off my knees. “If I don’t have it in the next two days, you’ll be seeing me again.”
I turn around, ignoring any glances from the rest of the men as I head toward the exit.
“Boss. What do you want us to do with him?” Enzo asks as I continue to walk out.
“Whatever you want,” I say, not caring about the consequences of breaking the fucking rules.