Page 92 of Final Installment

Startled by the mention of Brett, he asked, “What do you mean?”

Zec gestured toward the house.“He’s here.With Drita.In your house.Right now.”

“What?”He twisted in his chair and grimaced at the throbbing ache in his midsection.He’d healed, but those scars and all his rearranged plumbing was still tender if he moved too quickly.

“I thought you knew.”

“No.”Luka rose from the chair and crossed the yard.What was Brett Cartwright doing here?Had something happened to Elona?

It had been five months of radio silence from her.He’d gotten her new number from Marley who still kept in touch with her.He’d texted six times, and after no replies, he’d stopped.He wasn’t proud of it, but he had basically been stalking her online, following her career move to Shanghai.She rarely showed up in social media, but she had popped up in a few photos and short videos on the official accounts for the project.

Seeing her so happy and healthy eased his worries, but it inflamed his jealousy.He couldn’t stop thinking about her.He craved her.He needed her.

But she didn’t need him.

She’d moved one so easily.

And it killed him.

Hurt worse than being shot twice.

Will I ever be good enough for her?

He entered the house through the main patio doors and found Drita standing dangerously close to Brett in the entryway of the villa.He narrowed his eyes at the way Drita’s hand drifted along Brett’s arm.What the hell is going on here?

“Luka!”Drita guiltily removed her hand and smiled too broadly.“I was going to come get you.Mr.Cartwright just arrived.”

“Luka.”Brett Cartwright extended his hand.He seemed impossibly tall, looming over everyone.

Well over six feet himself, Luka felt dwarfed by the older, more successful man.He grasped Elona’s stepfather’s hand.“Mr.Cartwright.”

“Brett,” he insisted while studying him intently.“You look much better than the last time I saw you.”Brett let go of his hand and gestured to his arms and face.“No tubes.No bruises.You look almost perfectly recovered.”

“Almost,” Luka agreed.“Can I invite you into my office for a drink?”

“I’m on a short layover on my way to Riyadh.I had my pilot make a pit stop here for business I needed to handle.”Brett’s gaze skipped toward Drita for a second.“I was asked to give you this.”

Luka accepted an envelope that Brett produced from the inner pocket of his suit jacket.Written on the front in bold black marker were two words.

FINAL INSTALLMENT

“My stepson decided it was time to draw a line under this whole business,” Brett explained.“Inside you’ll find a crypto wallet address and the key that you need to unlock it.I’m told that every penny that’s due to you and your family is waiting there.”

Luka suspected Skender might not have made this choice of his own accord.Regardless, he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.“Zec.”

The new boss of the family stepped up and accepted the envelope.The exchange seemed to pique Brett’s interest, but he was too polite to ask.

“I’m done,” Luka said plainly.

“Done?”Brett echoed with surprise.

Luka nodded.“It’s time for a new CEO for our family business.”

“Uh-huh,” Brett remarked with a curious glance between the two men.“A shake-up in the C-suite?”

“More like retirement,” Luka clarified.

“I see.”Brett tilted his head.“Takes a brave man to give up that much power.”