“After that display, though, please consider us both thoroughly convinced.” Luka gives a sheepish grin.
Huffing, I cross my arms. On one hand, I can see where they’re coming from, and how they need to cover their asses. On the other hand though, I worked really,reallyhard to commit those murders and don’t appreciate my efforts being dismissed so easily.
“I s’pose…” I sigh, sticking the point of my blade into Declan’s desk next to me.
“Dammit, Jo, this is new!” Declan grumbles behind me, and I ignore him.
“I can understand. As long as we’re clear movin’ forward,thatbehavior will not be tolerated.”
“Of course not.” Illya nods once, and Luka matches his movement. “And as a show of good faith, as well as to prove our intentions, we bring you this gift.”
My brows shoot up in surprise as Luka pulls a box out of the inside of his jacket, about eight inches long and four inches wide. He hands it to me with a flourish, and I take it, a little dumbstruck.
A…gift?
“Open it,Lisichka,” Kole encourages, and it’s at that moment I remember what he said about his brothers saying things just to see how I’d react. When he told me, I had imagined them maybe implying they were more on board with the trafficking than Kole had been led to believe, not this.
Glancing at the rest of my guys and only seeing nods of acceptance, I crack open the box. A small gasp leaves me as I take in the steel dagger. The handle is ornate, with pearl and gold inlaid into an ebony wood grip.
“What does that say?” I ask, my finger running along the etching on the metal in awe. The characters are Russian, running down the center of the blade.
“Destroyer of Alphas,” Illya offers. “Our way of proving that we not only condone your actions, but fully embrace them.”
A small smile tilts at my lips, and I take the dagger out of the box, running my finger down the edge of the blade. “Well, itismighty pretty. Consider yourselves forgiven.”
The room seems to let out a collective breath at my words, and when Declan stands from his desk and offers his seat to me, I take it. Illya and Luka seem to take that as their cue to sit.
“It doesn’t bother you?” West asks, moving to take a seat next to Luka. “The whole…‘Destroyer of Alphas’ thing?”
Luka arches a brow. “Does it bother Nikolai? Or…” He motions with his hands towards Sam, who is still standing behind him, and Hayden.
“Nope,” my pyro moves to sit on the other side of West, his silver lighter now in his hand as he flicks it open and closed, “‘cause Fireball only takes out pieces of shit who deserve it, and we don’t fit into that category.”
“And we do?” Illya arches a brow.
Hayden smirks. “I guess we’ll find out.”
Illya opens his mouth to say something else, but I clap my hands together. “Now, now, boys. Let’s save the fightin’ for later, hm? Right now, we have a plan to map out. Let’s figure out how to best kill Mikhail Vasiliev so we all end up with what we want.”
Luka smirks. “Then we shall begin.”
ten
Jo
Something feels off as I run my finger up and down the blade of my new dagger, staring up at the ceiling of the bedroom.
Illya and Luka left an hour ago, our plan all laid out to enact in two days, but I can’t help but feel like something is wrong.
Very, very wrong.
My mind races, trying to find a place for these feelings of apprehension. I’ve showered off the scent-neutralizer, so I’m not scentless anymore. Mabel is safe in her house. My guys are all accounted for, with Sam in the shower, Kole making a few calls, and West and Hayden working on lunch…
My chest seizes suddenly, and a horrible realization takes over.
A sinking feeling takes over my gut.Howdid I miss this?
The ceiling…is the wrong color.
