Page 93 of Killer Love

I walk to the chair and the man looks up at me with that same cocky glance he had the last time he was here.

“Privet, stranger,” I greet him with a smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”

He licks the blood from his lips. “Hi.”

“I bet you didn’t think you’d end up back here in my warehouse, did you?”

His shoulders bounce. “It was unexpected.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t think you were this stupid.”

I chuckle. “Do you know why I brought you here?”

“I implore you to tell me — in great detail.”

He wants to get me talking. The more time he wastes, the higher the chances of him being rescued again.

“I wanted to tell you a story.”

“A bedtime story?” he quips.

I shake my head. “I read enough of those to my son. No, the story I have for you is more of a… cautionary tale.” I pause, staring him down. “Thirty years ago, someone put a bullet through my grandfather’s eyes.”

He spits onto the floor. “My condolences.”

“Recently, the same happened to my father.”

“Sounds like a pattern to me.”

“Me, too.”

“Maybe you should get out of town.” He chuckles. “You might get a pretty decent head start if you leave now.”

“Why would I do that?” I ask. “Your squad isn’t coming for you this time, Thomas Bradley of Alberta, Canada.”

His smirk fades.

“What?” My lips twitch. “You have nothing to say? No snarky reply?”

He flexes his jaw in anger.

“Good. From what I’m told, Miles Lemont didn’t have one either. Or Amelia Amuzgar. Zahir Bolen. Lance Brockett. Stacey Lupoli.” I watch the life fade from his eyes with each name I list off. “This was your squad, yes?”

He swallows. “Was?”

“Was.” I smile. “Snake Eyes was a very good secret, but it’s not anymore. Now, it’s a checklist. We check off you and your squad today. We check off another one tomorrow.”

“You have no idea what you’re doing…” he warns.

“Snake Eyes has spilled too many drops of Russian blood. I’m going to track down every last one of you and do the same. Starting with you. That’s what I’m doing.”

He falls silent, gently trembling as his fate sinks in.

“Did you enjoy my story?” I ask him. “Would you like to hear another one?”

Markov clears his throat and taps a finger against his wrist.

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