Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
I pulled the trigger, and his body immediately slumped behind the wheel. I didn’t slow down. I just kept moving toward the house. I didn’t bother going around back. It would take time I didn’t have, so I walked straight up to the door, jimmied it, and stepped inside. I didn’t think. I just let my instincts take over and put one foot in front of the other.
There were two guards sitting at the dining room table, shooting the shit about God knows what, and neither of them even noticed me until I stepped into the light. By then, it was too late. I already had my gun trained straight ahead. They reached for their weapons, but I shot them both before their hands ever reached metal.
I quickly scanned the room, checking for anyone else that might be coming at me, and when there wasn’t, I kept moving forward. The place looked like any other house. There was basic furniture throughout, and family pictures on the wall. There were even a couple of pairs of shoes in the corner. Some were smaller, like kids’ shoes, and it gave me pause.
I didn’t like the idea of putting a kid in harm’s way.
Then, I remembered the look on Lina’s face when she stepped out of my apartment with those two assholes. Even through the grainy camera feed, I could see that the warmth in her eyes was gone. They were cold and distant, and her shoulders hung low. She wasn’t crying or resisting. There was no fight in her at all. That’s when I realized she’d given up. But I hadn’t. I would find her, and I would bring her home.
The floorboards moaned under my steps, but I didn’t stop. I kept moving forward, slow and deliberate. I could hear movement above me, his kids, and possibly the wife. They were completely unaware of my presence, and I intended to keep it that way—for now.
Another step forward, and I spotted him. He was sitting in a recliner, facing the television, and the blue glare of the news flickered in his glasses. He had no idea I was there until I stepped up behind him and placed the edge of my blade against his jugular.
I could feel his pulse quicken when I leaned in and hissed, “Where is she?”
“He told me you would come for me, but I gotta say, I didn’t think you’d have the nerve.”
“Where is she?”
“Thought you were smarter than this,” he responds with a thick Russian accent. “I would’ve thought a man like your father would’ve taught what it means to cross a man like me.”
“I won’t ask again.”
“You know where she is. She’s with the others, getting primed for sale.” He sounded unfazed as he said, “She’s safe… for now.”
“I’m not playing games with you, Korolenko.” I pressed the blade firmly against his carotid. “If one hand is laid on her, I’ll come for your wife and your kids. I’ll make them suffer in ways you can’t imagine.”
I gave him a moment to finally confess Lina’s location, but he never did. Instead, he spat, “She’s as good as dead.”
Rage washed over me, and without thinking, I dragged the blade across his throat. The blood was immediate, followed by gasping and clawing for mercy. But there would be no mercy for him. The blade was still warm when I stepped back, leaving him to bleed out in his chair.
I heard murmurs upstairs, maybe one of the kids settling into bed, and took it as my cue to leave. I hoped I wouldn’t have to come back for them. I would if I had to. There was no doubt about that. I walked out of the house feeling nothing. No guilt. No satisfaction. Just numb.
I plugged in the next address into my GPS and started to drive. I hadn’t gotten far when my cell phone started to ring. I picked it up and glanced down at the screen. When I saw that it was Preacher, I answered, “I don’t have time to talk.”
“Make time.”
“You aren’t hearing me, Preacher. I don’t have time for this.”
“Where are you?” he cut me off.
“Get with Jenson. He has what you need to know. I’m heading for the lieutenant.”
“You’re playing with fire here, Sergei.”
“I have to get her back.”
“And you will. But…”
I ended the call before he had a chance to finish his thought. It didn’t matter. I already knew what he was going to say, and I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want to hear anything. Not the way she said my name. Not the rasp of her voice when she came. I just wanted the silence to swallow me whole.
I knew going in this one would be different. Zadora wasn’t a man who hired protection. He was the protection, and more than that, he was a trained killer with a thirst for theatrics. He killed for sport and liked to play with his prey. Tonight was a toss-up on roles. I wanted to think I was the predator, and he was the prey. But only time would tell.