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He turns at the exact moment I need him to.
And my knife sinks into his gut without much effort.
Raizo’s eyes widen with surprise. His lips pucker, and gape, and snap shut again.
It was a gamble making the blow at this angle, but judging by the blood now trickling from the corner of his mouth, Lady Luck actually backed me up this time.
“Thing is,” I say quietly in his ear as I give the knife another firm shove and twist, “no one thought you’d do it yourself. That requires honor. Loyalty, at a bare minimum. You have none of either.”
I rip the blade out with a flourish. Raizo continues to stare at me. He doesn’t say a word. He tries to remain standing, but the blood flows from the gash in his gut too fast and he drops to his knees.
“That was for your superiors in Tokyo,” I let him know as I grab my phone to take a quick picture. Part of the bargain struck was to provide proof of his execution.
But then I step behind him, grab his hair, and yank his head back.
“Thisis for me.”
The cut across his throat blooms almost bloodlessly. It’s not a necessary move, but it’s cathartic. Poetic.
It’s how I’ll be able to sleep at night for the rest of my life.
With a final shove against his head, Raizo’s body drops to the floor.
I wipe the blood off my knife with my shirt and tuck it back inside the sheath hidden under my belt line. There’s probably a shit ton of incriminating evidence, money, and resources layingaround this office that I could pull from to make sure the nails on Raizo’s coffin stay in place.
But I’m not going to be able to focus until I know Clara is safe.
I brace myself for a spray of bullets to fly at my head when I open the office door. Instead, I’m met with silence.
When I make my way back to where Raizo corralled us, I see why.
Mako and his men are escorting the captive Yakuza soldiers to the Hummers and Rezvanis from my fleet, which are now blocking off every possible way out of the depot. More of my men are swarming the area, guns aimed steadily at the remaining Yakuza cowering on their knees next to their dropped guns. With hands in the air, they await their own fates.
“Did you read it to them?” I ask Pavel.
He nods at an ashen-faced lieutenant as he pockets his phone. “Just had Haru here read it aloud in both languages so there’s no misunderstanding. They’ve accepted the order.”
I nod as well. According to headquarters in Sochi and Tokyo, they agree with me: complacency means death.
“Hold off until we get the women out of here.” I scan the area for any sign ofmywoman. “We don’t need to traumatize them further.”
Pavel cocks a brow. “Are you sure? It could do them some good.”
Tempting. And he has a point. But still… call me crazy, but I’m feeling more and more like maintaining standards and propriety. “Wait until they’re on the other side of the gates. They’ve seen enough horrors to last a lifetime.”
He nods and steps away to relay the order.
I still don’t see Clara. My heart leaps into my throat and I swear, if anything happened to her…
But Pavel didn’t say anything, and he would have if something was wrong. Tolya would be rushing to me, I’m sure. Even Mako would step aside to show me the damage.
She has to be okay.
She has to be alive.
She’s not going to leave me right when everything is finally right.
She can’t.
