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Cade considered the question with a long sigh as he searched his phone. “It ended. Not really, but their side…” His brow furrowed. “They’re attempting a coup.”
I pulled the phone from his hand. Every article on the screen detailed the events of the day. Chaos in the land as some forces set their sights on their own homeland. Remaining enemy troops and criminals would be fleeing other regions they’d gained ground on.
I knew there was one person I could call who couldn’t take bounties. He wasn’t a man I enjoyed working with, but this would be a big job for him that I would pay well for. Our last partnership had been unnerving, and he proceeded to loot the place without bothering to hide the evidence of our presence.
“I’m calling Tomas,” I muttered.
“That psychopath merc is insane,” Cade spat. “Why the fuck…” He circled around my desk to glare at me. “He’s more likely to take them than he is to help us.”
There was truth to Cade’s assumption. Tomas was a paranoid mercenary who maintained a nuclear stance toward everyone. I would rather happen upon a pride of lions than work with the six-foot-four, rough-looking man. But any enemy of mine would also consider hiring Tomas for a brief alliance if it would stop me.
“He likes money,” I replied, keeping my cool. I would have my words with Cade once everyone was safe.
“He likes to torture people more than he likes money,” Cade countered.
“Then make sure it’s not Katya or my Sweet One that he’s torturing!” I snapped. Our last encounter had been tense, but I paid Tomas every penny promised, and we’d parted ways with a few hostile words after how sloppy he’d been. There was still tension in my finger as I found the name he went by and I connected a call on my laptop.
His deep, grating accent answered the call too soon. “I think you call sooner.” The statement meant he knew something, and that meant he had inside knowledge of our situation.
The Fuck?Cade mouthed.
“We leave on bad term, you and I.” He spoke in Sweet’s language before a crumpling sound, then his scarred face came on the screen. Katya and my Sweet One were seated behind him, still in skimpy sleepwear. Both maintaining an unusual calm. Especially Katya, given her anxiety recently.
I had to play this smart with such a volatile, greedy man. “Where’s my wife?” I demanded in Sweet’s language. Not that I cared about Nikki, but I needed to know the situation—as well as what Tomas knew of everything happening. By now, I had to hope my Sweet One could understand my deceptive interest in Nikki.
Her glance went to the camera with either hurt or uncertainty, but luckily, she didn’t react beyond that.
“She is with Bobby. Man who hire me right now.”
I ignored Cade’s acknowledgment of Bobby. He was a mark we watched and a home a few of those phone numbers went to. Nikki’s access to my phone, which she could easily have shared some details with him, probably put him at an advantage. The stupid fucking wench had signed her own death warrant with me.
“Don’t worry, your very pretty wife wait for you to save her.” His large smile revealed overly-aged teeth. “Last time…” he reached backward and slapped Sweet’s cheek. “Your whore start show for us.”
I cringed at the memory of what I subjected her to so she would know the crimes of the men she had foolishly defended. “I’ll pay you.” I worded carefully, so importance was placed on no one in particular.
He scowled. “You only can have one of three woman. I get one. Bobby get one.”
Fuck!
“Unless you kill Bobby. But we want whore show to continue as part of payment.”
The greedy bastard would make this steep. I schooled my expression. “How much?”
“Eh,” he drawled out the sound. “Three million. But you promise shock collar before you stop last time. We want shock collar show too in less than hour. If you not here, I find collar—” his head bobbed left to right “—Bobby start without you on all three your woman.”
Something about Tomas’ demand didn’t sit well. Of course, he wanted to work for whoever paid the most, and his inside knowledge was essential to getting Katya and Sweet, as well as ensuring Nikki received every bit of suffering she deserved. I growled low. “How many people are there?”
Tomas hummed to himself as he looked around the room. “Three.” He drew out a long sound as he thought. “Bobby have nineteen.” His voice went gruff. “One hour.”
The screen went dark. At least he didn’t know where things stood with Nikki.
“Less than a fucking hour to get there and get money?” Cade spat. “We can’t call on any additional men now.”
“No, but we have two guys on the way, and Tomas and his mercs are on the inside and can easily wipe out several of Bobby’s men.” But my biggest concern was how to ensure Tomas didn’t act against me. He would probably know I was down men. He would also know that I couldn’t call on any competent backup at such short notice. “All we have to do is get him to agree to something that is advantageous to us and him.”
“He’s only got three men with him! That’s not going to provide anything advantageous to us.” Cade’s brow shimmered with sweat. He paced; fury increasing by the minute.
“Tomas’ mercs are more ruthless and more adept than anyone Bobby could find,” I pointed out.
