Page 132 of Vicious Little Games

“None of the girls want to take over for Dante,” I lie. “They’re not a threat to you once I’m in charge.”

Before I can convince Inessa to let Cass go, someone across the club starts waving their arms over their head.

“What now?” Inessa huffs before she starts in their direction. Me, August, Mike, and Brian, all follow her. Looking over her shoulder, she says, “No. We can’t trust them. They have to die.”

“August and Mike work for me, not Dante,” I lie. “Brian will get on board with us too for enough money.”

“Are you absolutely certain?” she asks.

“Yes.”

When we reach the waving man who is waiting near the restrooms, the two speak in Russian of course, so I have no clue what the fuck they’re talking about.

Oh, fuck. What if they’ve already killed Cass?

No. They wouldn’t kill her until Dante shows up because he might demand to see her alive first. At least I hope that’s their plan.

Whatever the man tells Inessa doesn’t look good for them since she rubs her eyes and forehead as if in annoyance while he speaks.

“Come on,” she says to me when she points toward a door at the end of the hallway. “There’s been a hitch in our plan. The guards all stay out here.”

“No,” I say, pushing my luck. “One comes with me. Dante will want me dead first once he figures out I’ve betrayed him.”

“Fine,” she huffs.

“August.” I tip my head for him to follow. “Mike, you and Brian keep an eye out for us. Let us know if you see any of Dante’s people.”

“Yes, sir,” Mike agrees.

I follow Inessa, who is trailing the man who works for her with August right behind me. I hear the quiet rustle of fabric of August removing his gun from his shoulder holster while I do the same. Man, I’m glad the stupid bitch didn’t make us walk in front of her.

I flip off the safety without looking at it while keeping the weapon just behind my right leg.

Through the door at the end of the hallway we go, and there she is.

I’m filled with relief and panic when I see Cass sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up to her chest, black mascara smeared over her cheeks.

“You’re lying,” Inessa says to her.

“I’m not lying! I’m pregnant and it’s Cole’s baby,” Cass says stopping my heart. “Doesn’t…doesn’t blood mean something to you fucking Russians?”

Wow. The woman really can lie with the best of them. For half a second, even I believe she’s telling the truth. The lie thankfully has Inessa and her guys hesitating long enough for me to lift my gun and pull the trigger. I hit the biggest one closest to Cass first.

August doesn’t need me to tell him what to do. He quickly takes out the other two men before they can even lift their weapons. They’re on the ground and dead before they know what’s happened.

And finally, I send a bullet through Inessa’s head as she spins around to look at me in disbelief. Killing her is as easy as breathing thanks to my prior experience.

Or maybe I would have been able to end her easily even if she was my first if it meant protecting Cass.

Either way, the bitch was stupid to trust me so easily.

Lowering my gun to the side, I rush over to Cass while telling August, “Get Mike and Brian in here and let’s find a way out the back.”

When I kneel in front of Cass, I ask her, “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” she repeats with a heavy sigh, then swallows roughly as if she’s going to throw up. “I thought they were going to kill me.”

“Me too.”

---