Page 79 of Prince of Control

He wheezes in pain. “I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything. It was… it was Ashton Basen and Charlie Daggert,” he says quickly. “Those are the two who approached me.”

“What did they tell you to do?”

“Just to inject her and take her to the hospital and tell them where I picked her up.” Gregory is panting. Blood trickles from the side of his mouth. “That was it…that was it! That was all. Nothing else.” He’s babbling now.

“Who called the New York Times?”

His expression is blank, eyes wide with fear. When he shakes his head, blood flies from the corner of his mouth. “No idea.”

I punch him again, and he groans. “What else?”

“The money!” he exclaims like he’s grasping onto a lifeline. “I got paid at the hospital. Charlie was there with another guy–a new pledge. He was the money guy. Short ugly guy. From another country.” His eyes light up. “Russian! Russian like you.”

This guy isn’t too bright considering he just now put together that we’re both Russian.

I glance at my friends.

“Denis Penkin.” Anya’s upper lip curls.

Denis Penkin, Rostov’s spy. How in the fuck is he involved in all this?

The hair prickling at the back of my neck makes me look around. Black Shirt, the government ghost lurks in a shadow at the end of the alley.

Well, he’ll stop us if he wants to. I figure if he doesn’t interfere, it’s still my show.

Anya saunters forward in her short shorts and a pair of Doc Martens. “My turn.”

I step back and wave my hand. “Be my guest.”

“Listen to me, Gregory Smith. If you ever roofie a woman again, I will personally cut your dick off and shove it up your ass. Understand?”

He looks at her blankly, obviously not afraid of a hundred and fifteen pound redheaded computer geek.

She brings her knee up sharply between his legs, and he doubles over. His grunt is so pained I think all the guys there instinctively flinch.

Then she steps back. “You can break his leg now,” she says casually.

“Hold up.” The ghost steps forward. He’s dressed in black, holding a piece of black fabric in his hands. “Somebody else wants a piece of him before you’re done.” He slams a black hood over Gregory’s head and zipties his hands behind his back.

“Would you boys mind putting him in my trunk for me?”

Feliks and Alex look at me, and I nod. “Go ahead.”

He quickly backs his car into the alley and pops the lid of the trunk. Feliks and Alex dump Gregory unceremoniously in the back, and Black Shirt slams the door closed.

“The senator appreciates your concern for his daughter,” he says to me, offering me his hand to shake.

I clasp it, and he squeezes firmly.

“If you need a job after graduation, reach out through Melinda. We have a use for people with your particular skills.” He glances at the rest of my friends. “All of you.”

As he drives off, Anya asks, “What do you think they’re going to do to him?”

“No idea,” I say. “But I’m sure he’ll get what he deserves.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lara