Page 23 of Craving Vengeance

“And there’s no more time to give. I’ll send along the address. Park in the garage. Someone will be out there to receive you.”

Then the man hung up without so much as an introduction, leaving me a little more confused and a lot more uncertain of what we were walking into. It didn’t help that the voice sounded familiar. I prayed and hoped that the connection my brain was making was wrong so I stuffed it down to deal with later.

A message popped on the cellphone, the address correlating with where we knew HQ to be. Dmitri didn’t seem as perturbed with the turn of events as I did but this made everything just a little more complicated.

Especially when Rhys was breaking down not even fifteen feet from us.

Without even thinking, I stalked toward the bedroom and slipped in, staring at our beautiful fourth curled up against Gianni. He blinked a few times before looking at me, his expression weary and tired from the stress he had been through. From the stresswehad put him through.

I knelt by the bed, running a gentle hand down his face before leaning in to press my lips against his. He sighed against me, fingers tangling in my shirt as he pulled me closer, even as Gianni’s arm tightened around his waist. “God, I’m so fucking sorry,” I whispered.

He stared at me confused. “What do you mean?”

“We’re not making this easier on you, are we? We just keep dropping you into new situations and asking from you when-”

Rhys shook his head. “It’s okay.”

“But it’snot. You keep telling us that but I can see it in your eyes. Rhys, I need you to tell me what you need.”

He fell silent, slowly sitting up, Gianni following the motion. Maybe I was an ass bringing this conversation up now but I needed to know. I was going to be selfish because I couldn’t stand the thought of Rhys leaving us based on something we had done. Or not done.

He bit his lip and stared at me, Gianni pulling him into his lap. I waited patiently for his answer, hoping and praying it was something I could handle. I prided myself in being able to take care of my family and Rhys was part of that now, hell, so was Tia.

“I need you to be patient,” he finally said.

Had we not been patient? Had we-

Rhys interrupted my thoughts, reaching for my hands. “I… sometimes I get lost in my head. I’m used to certain things and you guys keep telling me that I don’t have to feel that way anymore or that I don’t have to do that but it’s hard when it’s all I remember. When it’s all I know.”

I knew what he was referring to and I hated it. I hated that Owen had ruined this perfect man in front of me. “I can do that, Rhys.”

His bright smile returned as he leaned into Gianni’s embrace, kissing the edge of Gianni’s jaw. “And keep holding me. I like that. Ireallylike that.”

Chapter eighteen

CHESTER

The little shit had been greedy and a whole mess. I should have listened to my gut feeling – that Owen was a piece of shit and no better than the ground I walked on. But I was greedy and seeing Valentyn get all the attention, money, and action, I was itching for some of my own.

And when I found out that bastard of a kid had not only failed to bring me what I had bought but had died while doing it? I was pissed. Having Liam recruit myserviceswas icing on the cake and if he didn’t think I had copied that fucking disk, he was stupid as shit.

Owen had redeemed himself when I found that stupid program in his pocket and then unredeemed himself when I found out the program was fake.

Oh, I wished I could resurrect him and then kill him myself just to let him know how fucking displeased I was with his work but Owen wasn’t the real problem. It was the kid with theprogram – Rhys Knight – the one who had created a program so powerful that it could change how things worked in this world, how my business worked in this world.

I needed it. With Liam hiring me again, I was in reach of my goal.

And now, I had just the leverage to make sure I got it.

I lounged in one of the metal chairs just outside a bakery, sipping an espresso that was entirely too bitter and too rich for my liking. I was more of a latte guy or hard whiskey but neither of those had been available as I waited for my contact.

My eyes roamed the busy streets, honks and bells ruining what little bit of my day I had left. The woman in question moved toward me, her steps predatory, her expression dark as she slid into the seat across from me. Her gaze dipped to my little porcelain cup and then back up to my face. I knew what I looked like and how much I didn’t fit into the ambiance that was Paris but it didn’t matter.

“Chester, you couldn’t have chosen somewhere a little more… private?”

I laughed, chugging the rest of my espresso before leaning forward. “No,Ada, I couldn’t have because you have a penchant for killing people you don’t like. We’re not friends although we have the same goal. I quite like breathing and would love to stay that way.”

The beautiful woman across from me shifted uncomfortably, letting out a deep breath. “I just want my fucking daughter back.”

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