Page 63

CHARLOTTE

S hit. That was close.

Opening up the daughter can of worms is not what I need right now.

Currently, I’m on the line of thought we have aligning enemies. Although, something about Tatiana has Enzo rattled. Which bugs me. I’d prefer his hatred to be aimed at my husband.

A sinking feeling settles in my stomach as I glance up at the camera.

I know Declan is listening. I’ve made that situation worse.

“I’ve been told to fear you,” I tell Enzo. I’m trying to gauge how I can use this to my advantage.

I’ll happily kill my husband if my daughter’s safety is guaranteed.

“Your husband is a clever man.”

I bite my tongue, I wish he’d stop saying it.

“His name is Vlad. Don’t call him my husband.”

His brow twitches, and he almost smirks.

“Noted. However—” He flicks his finger between us.

“—you are the one being interrogated here, not me. Remember that. We are not friends, Charlotte. We are enemies until I deem otherwise. Capisce?”

I nod, feeling like I’ve been told off by my parents as a kid.

“W-what do you want from me?”

He taps on his dark stubble.

“For me? I just need a list of every single name of those surrounding Tatiana and how they link to her. Locations, jobs, and any information you have of her past. Other names she uses, perhaps.”

“I can do that. Then I can go?”

He shakes his head and grins.

“That’s just for me. You belong to Mr. Quinn now. I can’t help you out of that situation. I assume you were sent here with another motive?”

He taps his fingers on his thigh.

“I was.” I look down and sigh.

“They wanted me to interrogate whoever was running this to find out what you know about something they stole and then kill them.”

His eyebrows shoot up and his eyes go wide. I’ve thrown him.

“Stole from me?”

“Yes. I assumed money. Drugs. Guns. I don’t know.”

He mutters something aggressively in Italian and abruptly stands.

“Once Declan is done with you, write down everything for me. Anything you can think of. Then you’ll be free of my wrath.”

A light goes off in my head.

“I have a notepad,” I tell him.

He scratches his stubble. “Continue.”

“Anything I heard in the last ten years I thought may be relevant for my escape. Dates, places, names, conversations. To me, a lot of it means nothing, but I guess to you…” I trail off.

“To me it’s a fucking gold mine.”

I swallow. I’m unsure what he wants with Tatiana. My gut tells me it’s deeper than I could ever imagine.

“Where is it?”

I look down.

“Safe. Hidden. At his home.”

“Fuck.” He kicks the chair across the room. I don’t flinch. I’m used to this.

“For now, write what you remember. Then, I’ll be back.”

I blow out a breath when he kicks the knife back towards me, but then his eyes light up and he grins.

That’s never good.

Turning, he bends down and retrieves the knife, and walks towards me.

“N-no. Don’t. I’ll get you the names.”

Fear courses through me as he stops in front of me. I squeeze my eyes shut as his strong aftershave wafts up my nostrils.

“Let’s make it more fun for him,” he whispers, and the tension in my wrists is gone. I try to wriggle my fingers, but they’re tingling.

“Play this clever and you might be able to win him over. Play it dumb, you’ll end up six feet under once we’re done with you.”

The seriousness in his tone makes me gulp. To look at, he’s less scary than Vlad.

But the sense I get is, actually, the men here are far more dangerous.

They’re smart. Thorough and deadly. The worst combination.

I keep my arms where they are behind my chair.

I give him a curt nod as he steps back, shoving the rope and knife in his pocket. He doesn’t even look back as he slams the door shut behind him.

Being out of Enzo’s wrath is only one part of the war.

My future, and our daughter’s, hangs on the man who will next walk through.

I know how to play this smart. If I can bring back the light in his eyes, I might win.

Win what? I’m not sure.

So I sit still—and I wait.