Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“That’s enough, Finn!” snapped Gennadiy.
Finn and I both looked at him. I blushed. For a second, there, I’d been lost in those Irish blue eyes. He wasn’t a match for Gennadiy, not in my book. But damn, the man was charming.
“Is she yours?” asked Finn innocently.
Gennadiy gave him the same death stare I’d given Emanuela. Is he jealous? “I’m not anyone’s,” I told them firmly.
Finn smirked and leaned against his desk. “What do you want?”
Gennadiy took a long, calming breath. “Someone tried to kill her,” he said, nodding to me. “She’s—”
“FBI,” said Finn. “Did you really think I didn’t remember? I saw her at the dog track. So you’re working with the Feds, now?”
“She’s not FBI anymore, Finn. And we need answers. Someone is working with the FBI, and they tried to frame me for killing her.” He paused, watching Finn carefully. “Was it you?”
The whole room tensed. This was it.
“No,” said Finn in a bored, tetchy voice. “It was not.”
“Blyat’,” breathed Gennadiy, and he drew his gun and pointed it right at Finn. Radimir and Valentin cursed and did the same, and I pulled out my gun, too. Finn grabbed his gun from his desk. Behind us, there were rustles of clothing and sharp, metallic clicks as the three guards behind us drew their guns. Mikhail’s four dogs, who’d been sitting like statues ever since we entered the room, became streaks of gray fur, darting between us to face off with the guards. The room filled with the low, chainsaw rattle of their growling. That was why Mikhail brought them.
I looked around. Nine guns leveled at heads. One twitch of someone’s finger and we were all dead. Fuck.
And then I noticed something.
Finn’s men were pointing their guns at the Aristovs. The Aristovs were pointing their guns at Finn. But Finn himself? He was aiming at me.
“Put your gun down, Gennadiy,” said Finn tightly. “Or your woman dies.”
32
GENNADIY
Blyat’. Cold fear like I’d never known, wrapped around my heart and squeezed. “You’ve got it wrong,” I grunted to Finn. “We’re just working together.”
“Bullshit,” said Finn. “I saw your face when I flirted with her. Put your gun down, or I put a hole right through that pretty face.”
Chyort! His flirting had been a ploy, and like an idiot, I’d fallen for it. I’d never normally make that kind of mistake. This is why having feelings for someone is a bad idea. “If you hurt her, I will end you,” I promised.
“Yeah,” drawled Finn. “But she’ll still be dead. Now put your gun down. I’ll count to three.”
There was a rumble of thunder, right overhead, and rain started to lash the windows. I knew I couldn’t put my gun down. If I did, Finn would kill all of us.
“One,” said Finn.
I held my gun rock steady. Finn was behind this whole thing; he had to be. I couldn’t trust him.
“Two,” said Finn.
If I lowered my gun, he’d kill all of us. My finger tensed on the trigger, ready to shoot as soon as he did. I’m sorry, Alison.
“Thr—”
I couldn’t do it. I knew it was useless. I knew Finn would kill us all. But if there was even a tiny chance to save her, I had to take it. My arm dropped to my side. I heard Radimir draw in his breath in shock...and then he, Valentin and Mikhail lowered their guns, too. Mikhail snapped out a command in Russian, and his dogs stopped growling and sat quietly.
And I stared down the barrel of Finn’s gun and waited for whatever came next.
33
GENNADIY
“Jesus,” said Finn. “You really do care about her.”
I glowered at him. I could feel my whole family staring at me.
Finn looked at each of us in turn. “All of the Aristovs, lined up in front of me. Do you know how many people would pay me good money to rid the city of you?” He let out a theatrical sigh. “But here’s something not many people know about me. When I go into business with someone...I’m loyal to them.”
He tossed his gun on his desk. Behind us, I heard his men lower theirs. I stared at Alison and my family in shock.
Finn pinned me with a look. “Let me say it again: I don’t know anything about a hit on your friend, or framing you.”
First, I just gaped. Then I felt my face heat, and I looked at the floor. Chyort!
Radimir nudged me and gave me a meaningful look. I grimaced, then lifted my eyes to Finn. “I’m sorry, Finn,” I muttered.
Finn waved it away. “Ah, you Russians, always so serious.” He clapped an arm around my shoulders, pushed a whiskey glass into my hand, and filled it, then did the same with the others. I sighed, and the hatred eased, just a little.
I stole a look at Alison. Her long, athletic legs in those tight black jeans. That soft black waterfall of hair. And the way she prowled around the room, graceful and sinuous. Finn had been right: the way she walked was pure poetry.