Page 10 of Marked By Ink

Mr. Red’s voice is trembling more now than in the entire two-plus years we’ve been working together.

I cringe at the thought.Working together. As though this has been a willing partnership the whole way.

He clearly knows I won’t go down easily.

“I don’t want this either,” I say, my voice getting fierce as I think of Freya, her easy laugh, the glint in her eyes that draws me to her, that makes me want to charge into the party now and claim her.

Grab her, kiss her, tell her she’s mine andwillbe from here on out.

“But you’ve left me no choice,” I go on. “There’s nothing you could say or do that would make me go through with this.”

“You know what I have to do.”

“I will never hurt her,” I snap. “Not in a million years. Do what you think you need to. But don’t bullshit yourself, Red. You could help me solve this. Talk to the client. Tell him I’m willing to pay to settle this.”

“This client is…unreasonable,” Mr. Red says after a careful pause. “What they want goes beyond money.”

“What do they want, then?”

“I can’t say.”

I laugh gruffly, letting my head fall back but keeping my eyes on the bar the whole time. My senses are on alert as if seeing Freya has woken forces inside me.

Primal, possessive, fiery forces that will never let anything happen to my woman. Or to our family, once her gorgeous young body gives me a child.

“Then we’re done here,” I tell him. “But you need to know something, Red. If you break the terms of our deal – if you go after my sister – I will personally execute you. Do you understand?”

Despite the fierce feelings raging through me, I manage to keep my voice calm and cold.

“I understand,” Mr. Red says, his voice shaking again. “But it won’t come to that. I’ve never broken a deal. Your sister’s safe. But the woman, Felix…she has to go.”

“If you’re smart, you’ll find a way to get your client to back off. I don’t want this to end with more blood. Even if those men deserved it, it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth, all this killing.”

I tighten my grip on the phone, sitting up as a violent vignette of Freya punches into my mind.

There’s crimson and pain and so many things I can’t let myself think about. I can’t evenimagineit happening to Freya.

“But don’t make any mistake,” I go on. “If you send men to hurt her, I will stop them. I’ll defend her, no matter what it takes. And I’ll be forced to find out who this client is, Red.”

“If you do that,you’revoiding the deal,” he says. “You know what happens after that.”

“I’ve already told you what happens if you touch my sister,” I snarl. “But if you force my hand, I’ll have to find you. I’ll have to makeyoustop. I’ve tolerated this because it was the only way without waging an all-out war.”

A way to keep my sister and my niece safe.

“But you’re not leaving me with any choice,” Mr. Red says. “My business….”

“It’s a sick business,” I cut in as harsh feelings cut through me.

I meant what I said about taking those men out. They deserved it and needed to go, considering what they’d done andweredoing to innocent people.

But it’s still murder-for-hire. It’s still operating in the criminal underworld, something I never wanted to do.

“If your business relies on an innocent woman’s death, then it’s wrong, Red. It’s fucked. I’d have no problem tearing it down.”

“I’m sorry it’s come to this,” Mr. Red says. “If I get confirmation that the target has been eliminated by midnight, you can go on with your life. You can forget I ever existed.”

I hang up the phone, biting down so hard my teeth hurt, and my jaw pulses.

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