AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I've entered this system a few times before. Maksim likes to know that he can control a city for if trouble breaks out.
“Can you shut it down, my little pet?” Maksim says.
“I can shut this down for four, maybe five minutes before I get locked out.” I lean over to give Charlie back the piece of paper, avoiding his touch—and his eyes. I have the contents of the note now stored in my memory.
Charlie shakes his head, screwing up the piece of paper in a large hand before tossing it across the office. “I need fifteen minutes.” He exercises his eyes on Maksim, who seems a little uncomfortable, pulling open the top buttons of his shirt. “You said the redhead can get me fifteen minutes. I. Need. My. Fifteen. Minutes.”
My protective instincts kicking in, I step closer to Maksim's desk. No one talks to my master like this with such contempt. No one.
I center my attention on Charlie. He’s glaring at Maksim, his nostrils flaring.
I have to protect Maksim.
I have to ensure nothing happens to him.
Maksim is all that matters.
“Can you do it, my little pet?” Maksim says in a rush of words, visibly nervous—I hate that. “Can you get the fifteen minutes?”
“I'll need a few weeks,” I whisper. I actually need more than a few weeks but I'll tell Maksim that over the phone. At least this way, if he gets mad at me, I have time to mentally prepare. Mad Maksim doesn't bode well for my ass.
Charlie nods, then Maksim tells me two weeks is fine, that there is no room for error. “Don't run over schedule, my little pet. You know what will happen if you do.”
“I won't,” I say. I do know what will happen, all too well.
Just as quickly as it bloomed, the tension in the room vanishes, though I stay by Maksim’s desk.
Charlie pulls another piece of paper from his jeans back pocket. “For Maksim. Please, give it to him.”
Maksim gives me the 'okay', so I take it from Charlie and put it on the desk.
“That's a Dark Web link. Don't lose it.” Charlie gestures at the piece of paper. “To contact me the password is Guzmán Decena.” He follows with saying out each letter of the password like we're fucking dyslexic or something. “Keep me updated regarding Blaire and the job. You can e-mail me any time and I'll get back to you within the hour.”
Regarding Blaireandthe job? Why would he need to be updated about me?
“Of course, my friend.” Maksim touches his chest in a deceivingly composed approach. “Of course.”
I feel Charlie is looking at me again, and my anxiety spikes when he asks,“Will Blaire be attending Rumo's poker game next weekend?”
I don't like how personally interested he is in me. It's... odd.
A few seconds of silence until Maksim says, “She will be.” He smiles at me with an agenda, excitement gleaming in his eyes. “I might even put on a little show for you.”
Charlie doesn't understand, so Maksim explains that he sometimes has me fight for entertainment. “Like I said a moment ago,she's a beauty in battle.”
Chills run down my spine because I know what's going to happen. I know who he'll make me fight.
“You will come to the poker game, won't you, Charlie? You will come watch her fight?”
“Oh, I wouldn't miss it.”
My stomach twists.
“Good. Very good, my friend.”
While I stand here staring ahead impassively as not to draw attention to the fact that I'm sweating bullets, they chat about what's been going on in London over the past six years, which isn't much short of sex, crime, and murder. Charlie doesn't sound impressed as Maksim blathers on about his power in Western Europe. Seeming to have heard enough, he cuts Maksim off mid-sentence to say he needs to go. “Time’s getting on.”
Maksim focuses on me then. “Do you have any questions before you go, my little pet? Is there anything you need?”
