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Initially, he hadn’t been pleased as it wasn’t part of whatever plan he had, but since it had been done, he decided to use the situation to his benefit. He’d called Mohammed and ordered him to kill me and frame the Albanians. Thankfully, Gracie had come to my rescue first.
However, Leyla had been returning to pick them up when she saw me leaving with Gracie. She had followed us, which is how they knew where to find us the following morning.
As for what Siri’s overall plan was, the guy didn’t know, except that it involved raiding the lab once the location was known. The guy did say that Siri already had the location, and that was why he had ordered me killed immediately. He also confirmed that the alliance with the Broxy’s was tenuous at best and definitely a temporary thing, and that the Malia Boys had only agreed to it because the payoff was good.
Apparently, it had been agreed between them that the Malia Boys would get our lab and drugs side of things and be in control of the drug route, which would expand their own operations.
The Broxy’s would take over our money laundering businesses and those of Glowacki for their own use. They would also get Glowacki’s drug business. However, the Broxy’s also wanted to take over our hackers to create a large-scale fraud business.
Unfortunately, they guy didn’t know how they planned on doing all of this. He did, however, confirm that the alliance had the backing of someone powerful with a lot of money. That was obviously whoever the lawyer’s boss was. Something we had yet to find out.
Once we got all the information we could, Miki stepped forward and quickly cut the guy’s throat. Then we double-bagged the body like always. After that, we texted Jonathan to tell him there was a body to be disposed of first thing in the morning before we put it in the lift and sent it upstairs.
The lift worked like a dumb waiter but was big enough to hold several bodies lying down. When it was here, it came directly into the main basement room and made it easier to drag the body or bodies inside. When it went upstairs, it appeared to simply be a cold storage room for holding bodies for cremation and looked like a normal part of the crematorium. The lift mechanisms and buttons were all cleverly disguised, so they were not easily noticed by anyone who didn’t know of their existence.
The lift was another idea of my dad’s. He was a brilliant planner and a brilliant strategist. We all learned a lot from him and were good at these things, too, although Miki was definitely the best. He was so very like our dad, not only in looks but in personality. That’s why even if he hadn’t been the oldest, he would always have made the best pakhan out of us all.
We cleaned up and then finally headed home. After punching the guy so much while still being injured, I ached like mad again. The pills I’d taken had worn off, and I needed more. Thinking of the medication reminded me that I had promised Gracie we would contact Derrick.
I knew a lot about him. He had been Marcie’s assistant at Exquisite Eventsfor some time now. I always checked out the owners and high-up employees of all the businesses I worked with, whether on the legitimate side of things or not.
However, I had been looking further into him for a very specific reason. I knew about his medical training in the military before Gracie told me, and it was that which interested me. Our doctor was old and ready to retire soon, and while we found a good replacement, we needed someone else with medical training that we could rely on.
We wanted someone trustworthy and discreet yet able to work with us and who wouldn’t baulk at our lifestyle. Derrick seemed a decent guy overall, but I was also aware that he was happy to break a few rules now and then, so I hoped he might be that person.
He was a good friend of Marcie’s, and it seemed he was a good friend of Gracie’s, too. So, knowing what I did about him, I knew that he would be worried about her. However, it was the early hours of the morning by the time we got home, which was too late to call. I was shattered anyway. The events of the last couple of days were catching up with me, and the nap I’d had earlier hadn’t been enough.
The phone call would wait until the morning, I decided as I grabbed another shower and took some more medication.
Even though we always cleaned up at the C before we left, I always seemed to want another shower as soon as I got home, too. I wasn’t sure why, but it was as if I felt that a second shower helped cleanse me of the sins committed there. Who knew, but I never felt really clean unless I showered twice.
I wanted to go and see Gracie, but I was frankly too exhausted, and I didn’t want to wake her, so I forced myself to climb into bed alone. The minute my head hit the pillow; I was out cold.
CHAPTER 21
GRACIE
SUNDAY - FALLING FOR THE BRATVA SECOND!
While Ash was away, I lost myself in my book, only forcing myself to leave the library when my stomach growled. Realising it must be near dinner time, I headed off to find Sonia. She was in her room, and we went down to dinner together. It was another lovely meal cooked by Nonna.
I really liked Nonna. She was funny and told us stories about her life in Italy when she looked after Ash’s mother as she grew up. Nonna really made these stories come to life. I could almost picture the young Marissa and the palazzo where she lived as a child. It made me long to visit Italy someday.
Romi was also a good conversationalist and was really quite charming. Sonia certainly seemed to agree. I couldn’t help noticing how she tried to keep him talking all the time. He did have a lovely accent, although personally, I happened to think it was not quite as lovely as that of my own Mr Sexy Voice.
I saw that he was always glancing at her, too, when he thought she wasn’t looking. Hmmm, cousins or not, I was sure something was going on there. Or at least both parties secretly wished as much.
My phone vibrated, and I glanced at it, hoping it might be from Ash. Unfortunately, It was another text from Derrick.
Derrick had sent me numerous texts, but I didn’t reply right away, hoping to wait until Ash returned so I could check with him what he was comfortable with me telling Derrick.
I knew what this family was now, and that made me cautious. They were obviously dangerous people, yet I liked them, and I thought they liked me. They seemed to have assumed that I was now Ash’s girlfriend and had taken me under their wing. They had been very welcoming, and I was flattered by their attention.
Nevertheless, I was aware that their life was one where they needed to be careful about who knew about their activities and exactly how much they knew. The family obviously worked hard to maintain their outward appearance of being simply Russian oligarchs, and I would never do anything to jeopardise that. Therefore, I wasn’t going to tell Derrick anything more about the recent events without talking to Ash first.
Derrick was relentless, however, and as the day wore on and I hadn’t answered, his texts became more frantic. Eventually, I succumbed to texting him back. I simply told him that I was safe and had gone to stay with friends for a few days. He wasn’t so easily mollified, though, and demanded to speak to me in person to ensure I was alright.
Ash had said he wouldn’t be back until late. I knew that Derrick was worried, but I had to wait until I knew what to say before we talked, so I took the coward’s way out and turned my phone off. I knew I was only delaying the inevitable. I would definitely need to call him in the morning. Otherwise, he was likely to turn up at the Estate demanding entry.
