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I don’t know what I’m even looking for or what might be useful to know in this situation. I hadn’t planned to be granted entrance into his inner sanctum. It’s a rare stroke of luck, so of course, I don’t trust it. I click through a few files and look at his browser history, then I immediately close out of everything.
I take a long slow breath. My hands are shaking and hot as I rip the gloves off and stuff them back into my inner jacket pocket. What the hell is wrong with me right now? I am so off my game. Ever since that fucking kid.
I pick up the brandy off the desk and go stare out the window trying to gather myself. I’m so tempted to risk poison just to have that shot of burning fire to calm my nerves.
There aren’t a lot of things that bother me, but someone who hurts kids does. It doesn’t matter the type of abuse, it’s the fact that kids are helpless and innocent. I was helpless and innocent. Aidan is helpless and innocent. Anyone who would prey upon a child is a far worse monster than I’ll ever be, and Windsor’s computer is filled with evidence that he’s that kind of monster.
Yes, I would have let Aidan blow up in that building, but it would have been a mercy killing. Not abuse. Not trauma. Not the things that steal your life from you and leave you either a terrified hollow shell forever, or empty of all conscience.
The door opens a few minutes later. “Oh, good, you’re still here. I’m so sorry for that interruption.”
“Not a problem.” I work to conceal my rage and utter contempt for this piece of garbage. I was already going to kill him, but I didn’t have any particular feelings about it before. It was just business.
“I’m so glad you accepted my invitation tonight. I have a job for you.”
“Oh?” Of course the great and powerful Drake Windsor would never sully himself by inviting me to such a lush affair of his equals if it wasn’t because he needed me to kill someone.
“Dante Valentino. Do you know him?”
I keep my face blank of all expression. “Who doesn’t?” I say. Dante is the man who hired me to kill Windsor. I wonder if he knows that already. Maybe he suspects and wants to kill Dante before Dante kills him.
“I know it’s gauche to kill within your own circle,” he says, “which is why the contract is so high. I’ll pay you five million.”
The silence stretches between us forever. Dante only offered me two for Windsor. And if this arrogant motherfucker hadn’t left me alone in his study, I might be tempted to change the target. Before this moment I could have cared less whether it was Dante or Drake Windsor taking their last breaths under my watch.
I let out a low whistle as if I’m impressed by this kind of money. I mean in the grand scheme of things, he paid a quarter of a million dollars for a writing instrument, so by normal people pen buying standards, he’s basically offering me the equivalent of a hundred dollars to take care of his problem.
I’m a little insulted.
“He must have done something to really piss you off.”
“You could say that.”
Putting out a hit on him would probably do it, though I still have no way to know he knows there’s a hit out on him. It’s not as though he’ll volunteer that information.
“When do you need it done by?”
He lets out a sigh. “As soon as possible, but that’s not very realistic, is it? You know Dante is always surrounded by heavy guard. He’s a hard man to get to.”
Just like you.
I nod and swirl my brandy around as though I’ve been savoring it this whole time.
“Did you plan to come to the Masquerade Ball on Halloween?” Windsor asks.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“You could bring the piece of ass with you.”
It takes all my self-control not to explode. I’m pretty certain he’s just playing a role now. His tastes run a lot younger.
“I could,” I say noncommittally.
“I’m inviting Dante. You could do it here.”
“It’s a lot of people. It’s pretty risky. A lot could go wrong. I’d need hazard pay.”
“What if I raise it to seven and I’ll let you stash weapons in my house ahead of time and turn off the security cameras? I’ll make sure my guards are all at the party and no one’s in the video surveillance room.”
