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Slipping the tie from my neck, I crept through the dark, and the moment the Russian left the light, his eyes still unadjusted, I struck. The noose fell over his inked neck, and I tightened it instantly. He flailed, waving the gun. I knocked it from his hand and jerked the leash tighter. The force of the movement sent the Russian to the ground.
Viktor was good, though. A knife was in his hand, and the blade was arcing toward me.
“And here I thought you wanted to work with me,” I tsked, kicking at his wrist.
I didn’t see the second blade, and the sharp bite of pain in my calf brought stars to my vision.
“Take the job, and my sister hides your virtual presence so well that no one will ever find you again,” Viktor said, his words strangled. His face was darkening, and it was only a matter of time before he passed out.
I considered him for a moment longer before I reached down and said in his ear, “I’ll look into your request. And because no one has shot at me for such a long time, I’ll even continue talking to you. But if you ever threaten a female of my house again, I will end you in the most gruesome fashion imaginable. Understood?”
“Including the French whore?” he sneered, snot, tears, and spit dripping from his face.
“Including mywife,” I hissed, lifting the tie to crack my fist into his face.
The Russian’s head knocked back, but I let him fall, dropping my hold on the tie.
He scrambled to undo the noose, laughing as he gulped air into his lungs. “Fuck, butcher. I think we could be friends.”
“I highly doubt it,” I responded coolly, but it wasn’t quite the truth.
Chapter 34 – Talia
There was no tellingwhen Drakos would come home. After an evening spent in turmoil, an untouched dinner, and hours of sleeplessness, I was decided. When we’d first strategized, there had been no point breaking into any of Drakos’s personal devices or records. I was only supposed to marry him, seduce him, and kill him. But, due to my thorough nature, I brought a USB with password hacking software. My father would beat me if he knew—the reward had seemed worth the risk at the time. Now, I was so glad to have it for other reasons. I needed answers, and my earlier foresight was going to help provide them.
I could pick most locks, having acquired the skill as a young child. It had been a welcome distraction; it wasn’t like I had friends to play dolls or dress-up with.
I rose from my bed and, with determined steps, slipped through the darkened halls of the house. There was always the possibility Drakos had taken his laptop with him. Given his meticulous nature, I doubted very much that there wasn’t something—a piece of damning evidence or files of my father’s movements—stored by my husband for fodder in this fight. Hell, even the way Drakos dressed most days was with the utmost care. His impeccable visage grounded him, his suits his armor. It was something I was familiar with.
Using a pair of picks, I coaxed the pins of the locked door to obey. The house was so silent that a high-pitched buzz sang in my ears. There was also an eerie feeling, one I couldn’t shake. If there were hidden cameras, it was likely Drakos could watch what I was doing. However, in the days I’d been here, I never found any cameras in this house, so I was fairly certain there were none. And frankly, it didn’t matter if my husband caught me; I needed to know the truth.
Finally, the lock slipped. Pocketing my tools, I stepped into the inner sanctum. A shiver raced over my skin as I entered Drakos’s private study. Closing the door, I pulled up the flashlight on my phone. Keeping the beam of light pointed at the ground, lest any staff or guard walking around outside look up at the window, I took in the space. Full bookshelves were scattered around the room, and the plethora of tomes was intriguing. The décor was more modern than ultra-masculine. It was a pleasant space, but the smile died on my lips when I spied what I was searching for. On a glass-top desk of adjustable height was a sleek, silver laptop. Everything else on the desk was set up precisely, all very neat and tidy, and even the supportive, black office chair was pushed against the desk with care.
Knowing I would have to leave everything exactly as it was, I went straight to the desk and opened his laptop. From my brassiere, I withdrew the USB stick. Heart racing in my chest, I slid it into the port and watched as the program broke through his password.
And my father didn’t think I needed one of these for this job. I’d stolen this device, thinking I would need it. And sure as shit I did. But not for the reason I’d initially intended. I wasn’t searching through the butcher’s files for information to take over his shipping empire—dreams I’d had to impress my father. No, I was using it to search for something else entirely. I needed to know if the rumors were true, that I was not part of a human trafficking ring. There was also the fact that the desire to please my father was fast drying up.
