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“You better not. And who offered you that kind of fortune?”
“Some Russian.” I didn’t want to tell Conway the specifics so he wouldn’t worry. “Asked me to get his sister out. I said no at first, but he kept offering more and more money. When he hit one-fifty, I couldn’t say no.”
“One-fifty is a lot of money, but it’s still not worth it. I want your promise that this is the last time.”
“You’ve got my word, Con.”
“And you can’t give this woman back right away. Skull Kings are paying attention. If they spot her somewhere, we’re done for.”
“The Russian guy asked me to hold on to her for a month anyway. He’s out of the country on business or something.”
“Perfect. Keep her in the house.”
Easier said than done. “She’s a bit of a handful…”
“Why?” he countered. “Tell her she’ll be rescued soon. Chill out and watch TV or something.”
“Yeah…” I didn’t tell him that Egor told me not to tell her he was coming for her. I knew I was in the middle of something I never should have gotten mixed up in. She definitely wasn’t his sister, and whatever claim he had over her was sinister. I was curious to know what their real relationship was, but if I asked, I could get my hands even dirtier. It was best to be quiet, finish the job, and then forget about it. “Anyway, what are you and the wife doing?”
“No, we aren’t gonna have a casual conversation like you didn’t just cross me, Carter. I’m still pissed at you.” Click. He hung up.
I set the phone on my desk and sighed, knowing I’d deserved that. Now that I had the woman in my house, understood that I was the middleman in a tense relationship, I wished I could go back and deny Egor’s offer. But something told me there would have been worse ramifications if I didn’t cooperate.
Maybe doing what he asked was the best way to keep me and the rest of my family safe.
This woman was in a bad situation, but there was nothing anyone could do about it—especially me. I wouldn’t bother asking her about her story. I wouldn’t bother getting to know her at all. I would stay as distant from her as possible to make sure I never sympathized with her.
They say you should never get attached to the farm animals before they’re slaughtered.
I’d follow that advice now.
Fifteen
Bones
I walked into the bar, took a quick scan around, and found Max standing at the bar with a glass of scotch. One elbow rested on the counter, and his eyes were focused on a brunette on the opposite side of the room. With chiseled arms, battle scars, and an intense expression in his eyes, he was the kind of bad boy women were told to steer clear of.
But he was nothing compared to me.
It was my first night out in months, and the second I stood inside that room, I felt several women look my way. I was in a black t-shirt and jeans, the material hugging the rigid muscles of my body. All I’d been doing for the past few months was lifting weights and working, so my muscles bulged to their maximum capacity.
I made my way to the bar where Max was standing and took the spot beside him.
He tore his gaze away from the woman he was eyeing to look at me. His intense expression vanished when he saw me, his eyebrows rising up his forehead. His head cocked to the side slightly. “What are you doing here?”
“You invited me.” I waved down the bartender, a pretty blonde, and got my usual.
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you would come. You never come.”
“Well, I did tonight.” I clinked my glass against his and took a drink, letting the booze burn all the way down into my gut. Alcohol was an essential part of my life, and I would never take a hiatus from it again. But I would also never get that drunk again either.
Max’s surprise faded away, and a boyish look of joy came over his face. “Finally, my boy is back.” He clinked his glass against mine. “Damn, I missed you.”
I chuckled and patted him on the back. “I missed you too.”
“It’s been a long three months,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if you would ever get over it.”
I would never be over Vanessa completely, not when I loved her so deeply. But I’d finally come to accept that the relationship was really over and I needed to move on with my life. She had moved on—and now it was my turn.
“What brought you around?” he asked, taking a drink from his glass.
“Acceptance. Closure.”
His eyebrow arched with suspicion. “You didn’t drive out there, did you?”
I didn’t answer by taking a drink.
“You drove all the way out there?” he asked incredulously. “What happened? Did you sleep with her or something?”
