Page 153 of Emperor of Wrath

…That I’m telling her what to do.

“Your wallet?” Valon smirks.

I shake my head angrily. “Yeah. Right out of my right-hand jacket pocket while I was buying her a fucking drink. And not a fucking thing has changed ever since.”

And that’s when I see it.

The fury and the fire in her eyes fades, and comprehension flickers to life.

She understands what I’m saying without saying it.

She does know me.

“Consider that money a down payment,” I grunt, nodding my chin at the duffle bag by his feet. “You and I have had our quarrels. But we’re both businessmen. There’s no need to bring emotions or pettiness into this.”

My words are meant as a distraction. It’s working. I’m looking right at Valon, but at the edge of my vision, I see Annika’s hand slip behind her, toward his right side.

“Let’s do this, Valon,” I growl. “We can both walk away from this with what we want. You get your money, and I get this bitch so I can exact my revenge. Deal?”

Annika’s brows lift and lower twice. My eyes flick to her. Both her hands are now back in front of her.

She got it.

“What’s your price, Valon,” I growl. I pull the phone I took from Tengan out of my pocket and wave it in the air. “Name the amount, send her over, and I’ll wire it to you this second. We don’t need to continue this war.”

Valon’s eyes narrow and his mouth thins, like he’s considering it. Normally, this would be an absurd offer. But it’s clear he’s been down here fighting off infections and trying not to bleed out. He’s hunched over, and clearly in pain. Honestly, I’m amazed he’s even alive, even if it looks like he’s been sustaining himself down here in the tunnels on painkillers and uppers. He looks like he’s being held together with duct tape, for fuck’s sake.

So this might just work. And if it doesn’t, I have every intention of charging him and killing him with my bare hands, even if I do get shot in the process.

“Five million,” he hisses.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

I feign a frown, as if considering. Then I nod. “Agreed. Five million for her, and to consider our score settled like gentlemen.”

Valon’s lips twist.

“Wire it.”

“Her first.”

He doesn’t move. Time stops.

Finally, he shoves her toward me. His gun is leveled at me, his finger on the trigger.

“You try anything, Kenzo…” He shakes his head.

I’m barely aware of him. All I’m focusing on is Annika as she slowly crosses the room toward me, and how hard it is not to grab her and yank her into my arms. Not to rip the gag off and kiss her until her mouth is mine.

When she gets to me, she stops, and our eyes lock as she looks up into my face. Her hand is between us, and when she slowly turns it over, my gaze drops to the little black fob in her palm.

My muscles coil as I take the fob, ready to spring into action.

Fuck, this is going to be tight.

I don’t know how much explosive is in that bag, or how big the blast will be. It might blow this whole place to hell, who knows.

But there’s no other way.

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