Page 151 of Vexatious Queen

I wasn’t sure what he wanted me to say, so I stood there and waited for him to continue.

“Nash, let me be very clear. In six months, if I let you on the team, I don’t want you to pull out, saying it is too much for you to handle. This has to be the most important thing in your life. Is it? Is this what you live and breath for? Will you sacrifice anything to show up, not only for yourself, but for your teammates?”

The window in Coach Richard’s office looked out at the Olympic-sized swimming pool. I watched the other swimmers warming up while I processed his question.

The scent of chlorine was heavy in the air, and the humidity felt like an old friend. For so long, standing on a podium and winning gold had been my only motivation. A dream outside of the insanity of my life that kept me away from my father and gave me an outlet for my anger. But dreams shifted as our lives changed, and so did the responsibilities that surrounded them.

“No,” I finally said.

“What?”

I turned back to Coach Richards.

“All I can promise you is that I will always do my best. I will be at every competition. And I will never intentionally let you or the team down. But if I’m being one hundred percent honest…I’m juggling a lot. And that includes a new marriage. My wife, who you’ve met…she is my world. So, if you’re telling me that I need to put you and this pool over her…it won’t happen. Maybe everyone else out there will do that, but I owe her my life, and I can’t and won’t. So, you can either take me, knowing that fact, or tell me to leave, and I will. Your choice.”

He rubbed his chin and then shook his head like he was grappling with the decision.

“You’re going to be a royal pain in my ass, aren’t you?”

“Most likely, Coach.”

“At least you’re honest. Go get changed,” he ordered, and a smile spread across my face. “And wipe away that grin, or I’m going work you twice as hard for giving me gray hairs,” he grumbled.

I yanked open the office door and stopped.

“Thanks, Coach.”

“Yeah, yeah, get out of here.”

With a smirk, I marched down to the locker room.

FEBRUARY 19 – THURSDAY 9:30 AM

Yuliana

“Slit his throat,” I ordered.

“No, please⁠—”

The foot soldier’s plea was cut short when Vlad sliced the long blade across his neck. The man’s eyes went wide, and his mouth gaped open like a fish as he tried to breathe. Only blood and gurgled noises came out.

Vlad dropped the body and wiped his knife clean.

“Where to next,” he asked, and I shook my head.

Walking over to the window of the penthouse, I stared out at the glittering lights of Tokyo. Even during the day, the metropolis glimmered and hummed with activity. I just wish that I were here for pleasure and could take in the sights, cuisine, and culture instead of remaining hidden and leaving a trail of bodies in my wake.

I’d been to Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Australia, and now Japan. Every location and lead we found turned out to be a dead end. My father was playing an expert game of hide-and-seek with me, and I was getting sick of the chase.

“I don’t know,” I said, hating that I was running out of options, which meant that I would need to reveal myself before my mission was done.

Eddie had more than likely discovered my transactions at the bank. He was smart and monitored everything closely, so stealing the surveillance video only gave me a brief cushion of time. If he wasn’t currently hunting me, then he would be soon.

The dead bodies and the destruction of my father’s house would’ve gotten the attention of the Curators by now, and they would soon be investigating.

Someone was going to out me. It was only a matter of when.

“I’ve run out of ideas. Vadin scampered away from the house like a rat through a hole and has remained hidden. His plane and flight plan show movement all over the world, and whoever he paid to keep us chasing our tail is doing an excellent job. I’m starting to believe that he was never at any of these locations. For all I know, he has been watching my every move and laughing at me.”