Page 21

CHAPTER 21

CILLIAN

Standing outside the restaurant, knowing Elias is still inside, I wait for him to exit so we can have a nice chat. Shouldn’t take too long to scare the shit out of him into giving the permits to the Russians. Helping them is the last thing I want to do, but doubling our order like Konstantin said he would isn’t a bad deal in exchange for setting some idiot straight.

When he gets out, heading toward the parking lot, I’m instantly behind him.

“Elias.”

He gasps, turning my way, a nervous grin on his face. “Cillian, hey. Shit, you scared me. What…uh…are you doing here?”

“We need to talk. Now.”

“Can it wait? I have to get home.” He laughs. “You know how the wife is if I’m late.”

“No, it can’t. We have business to discuss.”

He fixes his red tie. “Do you want to go back to the restaurant so we can?—”

“My car. Let’s go.” I shove at his back without drawing attention. When we make it to my vehicle, I open the passenger side. “Get in.”

As soon as he’s settled, I round toward the driver’s side and slide in, locking the doors.

“So, what’s this about?” he asks, keeping his voice steady, though I wonder if he’s shitting his pants yet. He knows what we’re capable of.

I put the car in drive and head back to my house, needing more privacy.

“I’ll let you know once we’re back at my place. I don’t discuss business openly.”

“Yeah, I get it. I just want to make sure we’re okay. I have a lot of respect for your family and our relationship has benefited both of us.”

“It has. Let’s hope it stays that way.”

We make it to my house in silence, and as soon as I get out, he follows.

“This is a nice place you’ve got here.” He looks around the ivory brick home.

“It’s new. Just got it today.”

“Congratulations.”

“Mm-hmm.” I let him inside and the door bangs shut.

Stuffing his hands in his pants pockets, he shuffles a step just as I point him in the direction I want him in.

“Take a seat.” I gesture toward one of the stools around the kitchen island, choosing to stand over him instead. “I’ll cut to the chase. We need you to stop standing in the way of the permits the Russians need.”

He chuckles smugly. “Look, I said the same thing to Konstantin. What he’s asking for will take a lot of finesse, and for that, I require something more for my efforts.” He shrugs. “It’s not my fault he didn’t like the deal I proposed.”

“What deal?”

“It was simple. Three million, and a night with that girl. That’s all I wanted. When I even suggested it, one of his brothers almost killed me.”

He keeps talking but all I hear is girl .

“What girl? What the hell are you talking about?”

His forehead creases with thick lines, showing his age, a good twenty years older than me. “Dinara, I think her name was. Pretty thing. You should?—”

But he never gets to finish that sentence. My hand’s around his throat, a gun pointed between his brows.

“You wanted to fuck Dinara?” I’m barely able to get the words out, heart racing, blood pumping in my brain, breathing like a madman.

He thinks he can touch her?

“I-I…uh, it was just a suggestion. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you knew her.” Fear pierces through his tone, his eyes filled with pure dread.

“A suggestion?!” I howl. “Did you fucking touch her?” I dig the muzzle in deeper. “Answer me!”

The grip of the butt strikes him in the jaw, and he groans in pain, blood spilling from his bottom lip.

“No, no!” He raises his hands in the air, while my other hand tightens around his throat. “I just saw her once a-and I liked her. I’m sorry! I’ll tell him I’ll accept the money. We’re good, okay? We’re good.”

“You’re a sick fuck, you know that?” I aim the gun back to his head. “You’ll never touch her. And after today, you won’t even have the pleasure of thinking about her. Do you understand what I’m saying, Elias?”

“Oh, fuck! Nonono! Please, please, please. Don’t do this, okay?” He clasps his hands in prayer. “I’m sick. I-I know. I shouldn’t have asked for that. It’s wrong. I’ll never?—”

Pop.

He falls to the floor instantly, blood pooling around his head, eyes staring at the ceiling.

The rage still floods my system. To think he thought he could have her… I spit at him, curling a fist, regretting that I didn’t torture him before I ended him. But I just couldn’t listen to him anymore.

Why the fuck didn’t Konstantin mention what Elias wanted in exchange? I would’ve killed him on the spot.

Removing my cell, I call him, the phone ringing a few times before his voice comes through.

“Cillian, what a pleasure it is to hear from you. How can I help you, my brother?”

I ignore the brother part and cut right to the chase. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me what he wanted in exchange for the permit?”

“Ah, so you spoke to him.” There’s a hint of amusement laced in his tone.

“I did. Tell me why you didn’t say shit.”

“Because…I wanted to see what you would do once you found out on the spot.” He pauses. “What did you do?”

“What do you think I did?”

He chuckles. “Oh, Cillian, Cillian. You know, it’s a shame we won’t get to be a family. Of all the men I could choose, I would choose you for her. Every time.”

Pressing two fingers into my temple, I take a deep breath. What the hell do I even say to that? I can’t admit what she means to me, though I’m sure he already knows.

“Next time, you’d better tell me.”

He sighs. “Look, if you don’t want her, then she’s not your responsibility. You leave her protection to me, and you? Well, you find someone else to make you happy. You let her go once and for all.”

Does he know what happened at the club? Is that why he’s saying this shit?

Unfortunately for me, there’s no one else. Never will be. I’m royally fucked.

“Yeah, thanks for the advice. Why don’t you take your own?”

His laugh is low and contemplative. “That isn’t in my future. The last thing I want is a woman to complicate my already complicated life. Do you know what I mean?” He snickers. “Of course you do. Well, good day, my friend, and please accept my sincere gratitude in getting rid of the problem.”

He drops the call, and I shake my head at the mess in my kitchen.

Nothing like christening the new place with a little blood. Or a lot, in my case.