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“You…! You…!” I choke out, struggling to find words to condemn him. Nothing I can think of is bad enough.
“And you?” he scoffs. “You’re just like her. Weak. Although at least I was able to use it to my advantage this time.” I hear him snort. “So fucking pathetic. So desperate to connect with your mother. I knew I could use that to achieve my purpose. All I had to do was get someone to act as her, and my plans were set in motion. You fell for it hook, line, and sinker, didn’t you girl?”
I’m crying and I know he can hear me because there’s more laughter from his end of the line.
“You would have done anything that woman told you, wouldn’t you, Aurora?” He chuckles. “My only regret is that I didn’t get a chance to exploit it properly. Who knows what secrets you would have given up on that fucker if I’d played it out longer.”
“You’re an animal!” I choke out.
“No, he’s the animal, I believe. But you loved it. Filthy slut.” His contempt is so tangible I can almost feel it. But I won’t let him do that to me. There was nothing filthy about what happened between Lev and me. Nothing except the cruel plan my father laid out. And he’s right. I fell for it.
“Lev will find out about this, you monster!” I hiss, helplessly. “He’ll make you pay for what you’ve done!” To my surprise, he starts laughing.
“Will he? I think it’s too late for that. Even as we speak, your husband is walking toward his own death,” he says, “and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”
Horror surges and I spring to my feet.
“No! You can’t do this!” I scream as I race the door. I know it’s over when I turn the door handle and discover I’ve been locked inside.
“His clock’s ticking, Aurora. I hope you had a chance to share a sweet farewell,” my father says before he ends the call.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Lev
I alight from the car, blinded with fury.
It seems to be my default setting these days, and I only have myself to blame.
This is what happens when you let anyone too close, asshole.
As I hover at the door, my phone vibrates in my pocket and I ignore it as I contemplate my approach to the warehouse.
Before leaving the estate, Ludis gave me details about the raid on the Spanish arms shipment at the warehouse while I was at the auction. I came using my own wheels to give myself time to cool off. Whoever’s been in on this has known my next step almost as soon as I’ve planned it. Part of me wants to suspend operations until I get to the bottom of things. But I’d told the buyer I’d be handling things myself, and it’s time to step up.
My phone rings again, and I glance down at the number.
Fuck!
“Petrov!” I bark as I answer the call. “Where the fuck have you been?”
“Boss!” he says sharply. “You need— I have— When we—” The call breaks intermittently, feeding me his words in unintelligible spurts.
“Petrov, wind it back! Your line is bad. Where are you?” I snap.
“Ludis— You need to stop— I’m in—” he stutters.
Jesus fucking Christ!
“Petrov, you need a secure line. I can’t fucking hear you!” I half-yell, as if raising my voice will make the conversation clearer.
“Boss, you have to— De Luca is— don’t,” he goes on, more words making no sense and then the line goes dead.
I almost fling the phone on the floor in frustration. When it rings a moment later, his voice is clearer and I feel myself go cold as he begins to unravel a story I don’t want to hear.
The story Petrov feeds me suddenly makes me stop in my tracks. I almost drop my phone. I’m used to having to watch over my shoulder, but his words come too close to home.
Too fucking close.
