She sat straighter staringat him. “Is that right?”
“It is.”
She thought about that fora moment, then started shaking her head. “Well, see then, we have aproblem, because I’m used to getting what I want.” She nodded tothe men around the room. “I’ve made some friends as you can see,and you’d better let me know what I want, or I’ll rip you toshreds.”
“I see that sociopathictendencies run in the family.” He smiled.
“Why are you insisting onmaking me angry? I could make this much easier on you.”
He shrugged.
She looked around at hermen. “I’m getting nowhere with this man.”
“We could cut off hisfingers,” someone suggested.
“Or something else.” Shestared at Ryan for a moment then lowered her eyes to his crotchbefore meeting his again. “I bet you’re just as impressive downthere too.” She raised a single brow.
The determination andmenace was still in his gaze, challenging her. She shook her head.“Somehow, I don’t think that would help. Just kill him…after Ileave. I don’t like to see the mess.”
“Why?”
His question brought herattention back to him. “Why?” She tilted her head andsmiled.
He nodded. “Why are youdoing this to your father?”
She didn’t have to answer,but she did. She had nothing to lose or gain, but why not grant adying man his last question. “My mother.”
“Your mother?”
“That bastard killed mymother. I overheard him talking to Ivan about a yearago.”
“You knew?”
“I’m sure you figured outby now that I’m not angel like Katya. I knew everything since I wasfifteen. I listened in on what I could after that, made notes, paidattention. I know everything; his businesses, contacts, shipments,and where his whorehouses are. He’s disgusting. My mother’s deathwas the deciding factor.”
“Do you have any idea howthis has affected Katya? This shit you pulled. She’s terrified tobe by herself.”
“I had to make itbelievable.” She shrugged. “Katya is strong. She’ll get overit.”
“It sounds like she’s heardthat a lot.”
She pressed her mouth intoa thin line. “Don’t lecture me about my family. You know nothing ofwhat we’ve been through. Katya’s capture was necessary.”
“As was theabuse?”
Her delicately manicuredbrows arched.
He looked at birthmark.“Your man there, left enough bruises on her body to rival a gangbeating. She’s so terrified, that she can’t be left alone for tenminutes.”
She turned and looked athim.
“He’s lying,” he defendedin a thick accent. “She got hysterical and we had to calm her down,but that’s it. Maybe we got a little rough, but it wasnecessary.”
“Ask her yourself,” Ryansuggested.
She gave a prolonged stareto her man before she turned back to Ryan. “As I said, she’ll getover it.”
Ryan realized that shedidn’t know the extent of what Katya went through. Regardless, nowthat she did, her lack of concern was disgusting. “So, are you justgoing to walk away after you’re done destroying yourfather?”
Silence.
“I didn’t think so. I’mbeginning to understand there is more of your father in you thanyou admit.”
“You do not need to knowwhat I have planned.” She leaned forward and ran a finger down histhick chest to his hard abdomen while clucking her tongue again.“Such a waste.”
“You’re no better than heis. Give it a few more years, a few more murders, and you’ll be aspitting image.”
That hit anerve.
She abruptly stood up andmoved the chair aside. “You’re wrong about me, aboutus.”
“Somehow I don’t think Iam. This isn’t my first rodeo Miss Nickolov. I know a power hungrypsychopath when I see one.” That hit a nerve.
She gave him a hard lookbefore she glanced at her watch. “I’m done here. We have somewhereelse to be. You should have taken my offer. We could have been goodtogether.” Her eyes assessed him again.
“I don’t like usedgoods.”
There was definite fury inher expression now. She abruptly turned away to the man standingbeside him. “You know what to do.” She then left the room with theother two men, including birthmark, following her.
The remaining man pulledout a gun and started screwing on a silencer. He watched Ryan’sexpression as he did it. “For a man about to die, you don’t looktoo scared.”
“Who says I’m going todie?” was his wry response.
He tilted his head. “Whatcan you do?” He smirked.
“Well, I picked my cuffs.”Before the other man reacted, he shot forward, grabbed the gun,sticking his finger behind the trigger so he couldn’t depress it.Then he pulled hard on his arm, yanking him across him. “I did warnyou. You shouldn’t have hit me.” he breathed in his ear. In lessthan a second he had his thick arms around his neck, snapping it.“For Katya.” He released him, and the body flopped to the floor. Hebent over and retrieved the wire off the floor that he used to pickhis cuffs and proceeded to work on his ankle restraints. It wassewn into the waistband at the back of his slacks making it easy toreach. No pat down could detect that but an easy reach if you werecuffed behind the back. Thankfully they didn’t tie him and theyleft his pants on.
He took the gun went overto the door, knocked twice and stood aside. “Open the door, it’s done.” Again,perfect Arabic. He heard the latch on the door and as soon as itmoved, he threw his weight against it, and shoved it opensurprising the man on the other side. He shot him in the chestkilling him before he could get out a word. He crouched beside himand patted the dead man down, found another gun and a cell phone.He tucked the gun in the back of his pants, activated the GPS onthe phone and dialed a familiar number He quickly stood up andstepped over the body moving quietly down the dark hall; one handon the gun, the other holding the phone while he spoke. “Where thehell am I?”
He knew the silencer theywere going to use on him was for Katya’s benefit. She was stillhere somewhere. He’d kill them all to find her.
When he was done conversingon the phone, he tossed on the floor and turned a corner, bothhands back on the gun. His sharp eyes taking in everything. Thiswas a big old house and all the windows seemed to be boarded up.Only thin slats
