Page 83 of Hidden Empire

Matteo doesn’t even flinch.

“I’ll put you down when we get to the room.”

I let out a long sigh but just go with it. It’s not a long walk, and with as fast as we’re moving, there’s no point in arguing. We’ll already be where we’re going before this stubborn boy relents.

It takes a few seconds for me to regain my bearings once I’m put back on my feet. So much so that I flop onto the couch instead of trying to hold on to my balance.

Once we’re all inside and the door is shut, we collectively breathe.

“Well, that was one crazy-ass meal,” Matteo says, still seemingly in disbelief. “That Russian kid seriously did a number on him. Didn’t expect him to be able to pound his face in with that size.”

Honestly, me either. And I knew Ivan has been extremely well trained.

“He’s not much smaller than Nico,” Remo points out. “And we all know what he can do.”

I don’t really know, but I also don’t think I want to see it for myself. I am fully fine with taking their word for it.

“You good, Jade?” Colton asks, looking cautious.

“All good,” I assure him. “Just a bit dizzy from being transported like an oversized bag of flour. Also bummed that my cake was left behind.”

The cowboy laughs. “There’s plenty more; I’m sure Matteo will make good on his promise to replace it.”

He better.

My buzz is dwindling because of all the stress, and a good bit of chocolate will help make up for it, I think.

“Now,” Armani says, straightening his shirt cuffs. “Before I go, make sure that the dead man walking—or rather, limping—is getting on the boat. What did we learn today, kids?”

“No drugs before dinner,” Matteo and I say in unison.

What a strange life lesson to learn.

Chapter 23

Dmitri

With the silver moon’s reflection flickering through choppy waves, the night unveils itself, and my mask sheds. Rushing water and the soft purr of the boat’s engine buzzes around, filling the air with little more than faint noise. It creates a buffer, allowing me to move without the importance of pure silence.

Sneaking on and off of shipping vessels isn’t new to me. I’ve done it time and time again, crafting the particular set of skills necessary to succeed in the task. Tonight is different. This is an unscheduled mission, one that hasn’t been meticulously planned and carefully thought out.

My target for this outing isn’t goods to trade.

It’s a life to end.

Using the small amount of intel I was able to gather before putting myself in this position, I already knew just where to find him. Below deck, and unguarded.

A truly stupid lack of precaution on his part, but in this case, guards wouldn’t help, nor would they save him from me. Nothing could save a man who opens his mouth to spew vile things about my Jade.

His name is Billy Bosen, and he’s a new member of The Lost Reapers. The motorcycle club is simply going to have to go on without him because he’s not making it home. Not on this boat, and not in this lifetime.

I stalk around the darker bits of the vessel, aligning myself with the shadows to remain hidden. Billy doesn’t get to have a moment to prepare for me. I want to see the light of hope slip from his eyes when I reveal myself. I don’t have time to torture him for hours on end, or I’ll be too far to swim back to the island. I’ll take his horror and fear as penance before ending his life, instead.

If he’d actually laid a hand on her, he wouldn’t have made it to the dock. I’d have killed him where he stood, rules be damned.

Slipping into place, I find him with his eyes down, focused on pressing an ice pack to his ribs. Ivan did a number on him, I can see that much from here. Cracked dry blood on the corner of his mouth and bruises already blooming on his swollen face.

I get close enough, amused by his horrible spatial awareness. He should be able to feel me watching him. There should be hair standing up on the back of his neck and fear licking at the base of his spine. And yet, his ears don’t even twitch at the slight sound of my steps.

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