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I’d likely alienated her to a point she’d push for reassignment. That wasn’t acceptable. Convincing her otherwise would take carving a way out of the mess I’d created. How I wasn’t certain, but it needed to be done.

Fucking her had been cathartic, but I wanted more.

Required more.

I wanted to feel her pert little mouth wrapped around my cock, sucking as I tangled my fingers in her long strands of hair. I craved sliding my dick into her tight asshole, stripping her of any belief that I was anything other than a monster.

Was she to blame for any of what had occurred? I should say that remained to be seen, but my doubts that her involvement had been anything but coincidental were slowly decomposing.

Much like Andrey Tokolov’s body would be soon enough.

My guardian angel still had no idea what I was capable of, but she would learn soon enough. She had an idea of course, which was why she’d fought me even as her body had said otherwise. I’d fuck her in every hole, break her down to the point that she’d beg me for my touch. After that?

Hell, I wasn’t certain.

If I had any decency inside of me, I’d feel guilty for destroying her life, but that simply wasn’t the case.

I was a bad man. There was no sense in trying to deny what came naturally to me.

And yet, I wanted to be more around her. It was the first time I felt that way and it confused the fuck out of me.

I made a turn, revving the engine for the fuck of doing so. At almost three in the morning, the wealthy elders were all safely tucked away in their beds, oblivious to the beast rolling down their streets.

Once I was free of the neighborhood, I pressed on the accelerator just as I rolled onto the highway. Within seconds, I was going well over seventy miles per hour. I’d been told I was chasing the past or racing demons that constantly chased me into the future.

They were wrong. I was controlling the demons before they captured what was left of my soul.

In the years since my father had settled our family into Charleston, he’d not only built an empire, but he’d also taken control of various organizations who ran the city before our arrival. Including law enforcement. While doing so had created some sense of protection for our family, there’d been no way of controlling the underlying criminal aspect, the true underbelly.

There was as much bad in the seaside location as there was good. Something tourists were rarely forced to experience.

The moon was full and bright, so close I could almost reach out and touch it. I downshifted as I neared the exit to the docks, now paying more attention to the limited traffic.

I was keenly aware of the likelihood that someone was paying close attention to every action. Which was why Sergei would think my decision to handle the man’s punishment was a reckless one.

There was no denying the fact, but I had hopes spilling the man’s blood would curtail the simmering rage.

I eased the bike through the shadowed areas, parking it near the building. Once I climbed off, I took a few seconds to check to ensure I hadn’t been followed. If anyone dared tonight, they’d find themselves swimming with the fishes.

As soon as I pushed my way into the warehouse, the stench of piss assaulted my senses. While every man had a breaking point with fear and anguish, I’d thought Andrey tougher than to lose his continence so quickly. As I strolled through the towers of crates waiting to be onloaded, I was struck by how long it had been since I’d handled a situation like this.

Too long.

My captain had called in the find, Mario a rising star in the Bratva. His Italian heritage and the work he’d formally been involved in had made his presence and skills vital within my organization.

Two of his men, Calen and Damen, were leaning against the wall. And in the middle of the room tied to a chair was my former employee.

Mario approached, although I doubted he had much more to offer than what he’d shared with me on the phone.

Given Andrey’s rough state of being, I could tell Mario had been thorough in his interrogation efforts.

“Anything?”

Mario shook his head, casually glancing over at the traitor. “Nothing worthwhile. He swears he had nothing to do with providing anything to anyone.”

“And what again makes you think otherwise?” While I enjoyed the act of revenge, I wasn’t the kind of man to do so without proof of either negligence or treachery. You didn’t garner respect by killing those who worked for you without just cause.

He pulled out his phone, showing me a picture. “This was captured by the camera on the bar across the street from a bar Andrey uses as a watering hole.”