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“Breathe,” I tell her in a rush. “Just breathe, Cee. Are you alright? I swear to God, I’ll kill them.”
“Do Ilookalright?” she shrieks.
“Isn’t this sweet?” a man’s voice interjects.
I don’t even have to look up to know who it is. I recognize his voice from that night at The Red Orchid. The unmistakable timbre, the thick accent…
Konstantin steps forward casually, wearing a suave grin as though he hadn’t just kept my best friend hostage for the better part of a week. His air of nonchalance pisses me off. This is a game to him; Charlotte and I are merely pieces to move or dispose of at will.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I seethe. I’m not entirely sure if I’m talking to Konstantin, Catherina, or both. I have so many questions and—judging by the way Konstantin’s men begin to circle me—I don’t have enough time to learn the answers.
“What do you say to taking a little trip with me?” he asks, sounding far too friendly.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Catherina sighs. “You don’t have a choice, Aurora. Now, be good and do as you’re told.”
One of Konstantin’s men puts a bag over my head. It smells sour and musty. The fabric is too thick to see through. No matter how hard I struggle, no matter how loud I scream, there’s no hope for escape.
I am at Konstantin’s mercy.
And Mikhail’s mother is the bitch who set me up.
Chapter 23
Mikhail
It’s been almost an hour since I sent my last message. She left me on read. I wonder, with a hint of amusement, if Aurora’s off pouting somewhere. I’m sure she’d be surprised to learn that I am, in fact, already on the road to see her and Mother. A quick visit, but I’m eager to see her again.
My brothers have been busy keeping CyberFort running as smoothly as possible while my time is otherwise occupied. Just because Catherina has been busy reaching out to her old contacts doesn’t mean I can stand idly by. A woman is missing, taken in Aurora’s place. I cannot in good conscience sit around and twiddle my thumbs. So, I’ve been reaching out to contacts of my own.
CyberFort’s client list is extensive. As a result, I have a few more advantages over the next guy in the field of cybersecurity. I’ve rubbed elbows with powerful, influential people. Yes, sometimes I’ve had to twist arms and prod where it hurts to get into the right rooms, but my industry is a cutthroat one. You can be the smartest guy in the room, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t know the right people.
I have a few friends in the NYPD. And when I sayfriends, I mean people I have dirt on. Dirt they probably don’t want getting out, lest their own reputations are tanked. When I approached the Police Commissioner early yesterday afternoon, I didn’t even have to bring up the five years’ worth of email logs between him and his three different mistresses. One look at me was all he needed to know I meant business.
“I’ll keep an ear out,” he’d said. “My informants on the street will keep me abreast of any movement.”
We shook on it. For now, having the eyes and ears of the police on my side is going to have to do. I’m sure Konstantin will show up later. I refuse to be wrapped up in his mysterious ways, in his mystique. My uncle may find pride in being a ghost, but I won’t be fooled. He’s a mortal man, same as me—and mortal men can always be found. And killed.
I merge into the right lane, passing a Toyota Corolla going at least five miles below the posted speed limit. I’m in a hurry, my impatience simmering beneath the surface of my skin. I hate being caught behind a slow driver. But just as I try to overtake the car, the Toyota cuts me off and merges into the same lane.
I lay on my horn and practically slam on the brakes. Fucker.
I try shifting back into my original lane. Maybe it was a mistake on his part. I could have been in his blind spot and he might not have been paying attention. It’s best if I put some space between us, except when I try to pull past him, the Toyota cuts me offagain.
What the fuck? This guy’s being an asshole on purpose. And when he rolls down his window down and sticks a gun out, I suddenly know why. This isn’t some random shitty driver.
He fires two shots at my car, the bullets narrowly missing the hood and windshield. I swerve out of the way, tires screeching loudly in protest as we both pick up speed. My heart hammers against my ribcage. What the fuck is Konstantin thinking? If he thinks shooting at me is going to convince me to rejoin the family business, then he’s seriously fucked in the head.
The driver shoots at me again. This time, one of the bullets hits my side mirror, flinging glass and metal into the air. He aims at my tires, at my engine, but not once does he actually aim atme. Something bigger is going on here, some confusing plan I’m too close to see as a whole.
Bang!
One of my front tires goes out, causing the entire car to lurch in one direction. Thankfully, it’s not into oncoming traffic. My car careens into the guard rail, the ugly screech of metal against metal screaming inside my skull. My car comes to an abrupt halt. The Toyota keeps on going…
In the direction of my mother’s home.
Adrenaline courses through my veins. Apart from a minor bump on my head and a few scratches on my hands from the broken glass, I’m largely unharmed. The same might not be said for Aurora and Catherina, however. If Konstantin’s men are all the way out here on Long Island, that can only mean one thing.
