Page 13 of Marked

“The less we can get fucked for this, of course,” he concludes my sentence, as if all of this was his idea.

What a moron.

“At least tell me when she’ll get started,” he adds. “You will have to tell us that much. We have to arrange for some things over here, too, you know.”

I don’t even want to know what kind of arrangements he’s talking about, but I nod in agreement.

“In about two weeks, I think, maybe three. Could be a month.”

“A month!” he exclaims. “No fucking way. You already have the girl! What could possibly take so long?”

“She needs preparation.”

“Not a month’s worth,” he objects. “She’s a cute geek, how hard can it be to get that guy’s attention? He’ll want to fuck her the moment she starts talking to him.”

Another thing he’s right about—and I hate that.

Because I hate the idea of Riley with another man. I hate the idea of grooming her to do this damn job when all I want to do is continue where we left off earlier. Continue without having to question her intentions.

And what is worst of all? I hate the idea of having to let her go.

But I will have to. Because that was the deal.

“She is still in shock, scared, confused. She’s not fucking stable. We can’t trust her like that,” I ramble. “There’s no point in rushing things just because you’re getting impatient—”

“It’s not just me,” he interjects. “It’s the boss, the boy. My poor excuse for a nephew is out chasing pussy instead of focusing on his obligation to the family. I need the girl to take care of his damn blue balls.”

“Why don’t you get him a fucking hooker then?” I blurt out in raw fury despite myself.

My pulse is galloping furiously, animated by a rage that has no place in this conversation.

My outburst is followed by a painfully long pause on his side. I can hear his heavy breathing as he seems to wait for an apology—or an explanation.

He will get neither.

“He’s had enough of those,” Ivo snarls eventually. The anger lacing his voice speaks of the deep-seated pain of disappointment in his nephew. “Trust me, that little shithead never misses a chance to dip his dick in new pussy. He doesn’t need more fuck toys to play with, he needs a pussy with a leash—and a brain. A woman who can be of use to him as well as to the family.”

He stops for a moment and fills the pause with an exasperated groan before he concludes.

“Damn it, Cain, you know all that! Why do I have to remind you?”

You don’t need to remind me. But maybe I should remind myself.

It was easy to agree to this deal when all I could think of was finally getting proper revenge for my parents’ death and when Riley was nothing but a means to an end. I ignored the fact that I’d never been able to forget about her, that my mind continued to drift back to her again and again after she suddenly disappeared. I told myself I was looking for her because she was perfect for this job. I was convinced my interest wasn’t really in her, but in the things she could do for me.

“I don’t need a reminder,” I lie, grinding my teeth. “I’ll keep my end of the deal, but I won’t let you destroy everything we’ve worked for. I’ll take the time we need and make sure this operation is a success.”

“Mhm,” he growls, not sounding convinced. “Just remember we’re watching you—and we’re getting impatient.”

He pauses for a moment, letting the subtle threat linger between us while I can’t wait for this redundant call to end.

“You still rely on us. Remember that, too,” he goes on, adding new weight to his voice.

I roll my eyes, nodding to no one as I pace up and down in my office.

What did Riley do to me? Has she been playing me from the beginning? Did she try to get inside my head from the moment I revealed my intentions to her? Why am I thinking of her like that? She was a fling that turned out to be useful to me. That’s it.

That’s what it should be.

“I’ll get it done,” I promise vaguely. “As soon as possible. You’ll hear from me.”

There’s a response from Ivo but it never reaches my ears because I end the call as soon as I have finished speaking.

Not even five seconds pass before there’s a knock on my door. It’s Kyle. He slips through the door a moment later, that unsettled look still on his face.

I know he brings bad news long before he opens his mouth.

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