“I have her name. She insisted that I tell you Katarina wants to speak to you now, or she’ll show up in person.”
An icy chill flooded my veins, setting the hair on the back of my neck straight up. “Put her through,” I told him, the laughter gone from my voice. “Hold all my calls too, Gabe.”
“Of course, sir.”
There was a click, and an almost imperceptible hiss of static before the other line went live in my ear. “Katarina, to what do I—”
“You changed your cell number.” Her rage lapped at my ear through the receiver.
“And you’ve gone back to your old name.” I fought to stay level and calm, unwilling to let the rogue woman unbalance me. “I had my reasons. Despite the accusation in your tone, my change of number isn’t a personal assault, Katarina. Now, can we cut through this nonsense and get down to why you called, or shall we dance some more?”
“I need money.”
“Bold.” I stretched my legs out in front of me and let out a soft sigh. “But why call me? Surely you have other contacts with as much wealth and fewer scruples.”
“But only you have a vested interest in the information I have.”
My pulse quickened, but my voice remained level and calm. “I’ll need more than that to part with my money, Katarina.”
“I’m not asking for much.”
I narrowed my eyes and sat up straight. She was dancing around the question, which was never a good sign with her. “And I’m not running a charity. How much, Katarina?”
“Fifty thousand.”
I scoffed at her, flopping back in the chair. “There’s nothing you have that’s worth that much.”
“All right.” She paused, clearing her throat softly. “I guess you’ll read about Fink’s deal in the paper tomorrow.”
“What deal?”
“Fink is planning on giving up everyone connected with the club. Every. Last. Name.” She hung on to each word so they echoed in my mind like a threat.
My hand clenched into a fist. “He wouldn’t do that. He has too much to lose.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, old man.” I cringed at the insult. Fifty was hardly old, but she continued before I could set her straight. “Fink’s parents are both gone now that his mother passed away, and he has no siblings and no children. In fact, the only person in this world he ever cared about is somewhere out of his reach, which is killing him.”
“Taryn.” I scowled. “What’s her real name? That sick bastard is always trying to replace Taryn with a new and improved version of the old one. Pathetic.”
“Her name is Valerie Price.”
“How did you get all this information? I just read the article on him. None of this is in there.”
She chuckled, a low sound deep in her throat that was frightening and seductive all at once. “You’d be surprised what a man will tell you between the sheets. It turns out Fink’s lawyer is a quick lay with loose lips.” She laughed again. “And other talents. Anyway, Fink is prepared to make a deal.”
“What’s on the table?”
“In Fink’s mind, or what his lawyer is working toward?”
I groaned. “In a perfect world, those questions would have the same answer. But not with Fink.”
Something snapped and popped on the line. Was she chewing gum? “Whoever sponsored him should lose their membership.”
I’d had the very same thought more than once. I unclenched my jaw enough to say, “Stop playing games with me, Katarina. What does Fink want, and what is his lawyer trying to get him?”
“Fink wants Valerie. And he’s willing to do anything to get her. But he knows it’s impossible, so his lawyer has convinced him to help take down the trafficking ring that kidnapped Valerie. Apparently, the fool hopes she’ll be so grateful she’ll forgive him for his mistakes and confess that she’s always loved him.”
Every time Fink opened his mouth, I longed to close it for him permanently. Even hearing Fink’s words secondhand from Katarina made my blood pressure rise. I shook my head, disgusted. “He needs help.”
“Know any good shrinks?” Her laughter was rich and melodious, and I imagined her throwing her head back with wild abandon, dark hair flying, amused at her own joke.
I smiled in spite of the mess Fink had made. “Very funny, Katarina. This is still not worth fifty grand.”
“No. But finding out where Valerie is so he thinks we can give him what he wants is, don’t you think?”
Now, she had my attention. “I’m listening.”
“He’s obsessed with Valerie. Of all his ‘dolls,’ as he calls them, she was the most like Taryn. He told his lawyer that he often forgot she wasn’t the original. He adores her that much.”
“Being delusional has been his thing for a long time.”
This time, Katarina’s amusement came out as a giggle. “True. But as long as he thinks that he’ll never see her again, the only thing on his mind is staying out of prison. He’s struggling in protective custody as it is, and if he doesn’t take a deal, he’s probably going to do time. He won’t survive.” Her tone remained light and jovial, even considering the subject. “Criminals aren’t kind to perverts in prison.”
My heart clenched. Despite being rebellious, Katarina had always been one of my favorite people. Even when she was on my shit list. And I knew without a doubt that the only reason she cared whether Fink lived was so one of us could exterminate him without bringing down my entire empire. “Let’s get down to it. What are you proposing?”
“I’ll find Valerie and use her to leverage Fink’s silence. For a fee. Then, I’ll make sure his death in prison is quick and painful.”
“You have friends on the inside?”
Katarina hiccupped a laugh. “Pooh. I have friends everywhere.”
“I don’t doubt that.” It was the truth. Katarina was resourceful on her own, but there was no shortage of people willing to step up and help her when she asked. Those people were mostly men, but even women weren’t immune to Katarina’s charms.
“Once he talks, it’s all over
