Page 63 of Trapping His Assassin

The man shook his head. “Turned up empty.”

“The whole place?” I blurted. I couldn’t help myself. How in the fuck had he moved that many girls, and why weren’t the other families more concerned. That was, for many organizations, their entire future gone in an instant, without a trace.

Everyone nodded to answer my question.

“Someone must have told him we were coming. Why else would he uproot his entire operation? There has to be a traitor among us,” a soldier speculated.

Silence settled over the room like a heavy blanket. The man at the head of the long oak table inside Roman’s office, finally lifted his eyes, his face paling, as he realized all eyes were on him. Underneath me, Roman shifted in his seat, leaning forward with an intense energy that made me feel protected. His gaze never left the man’s face.

I didn’t think any of the men in this room were rats. It had to be something else. Not because I didn’t believe Headmaster Mikhail couldn’t penetrate this fortress. Oh no, it was because I believed he was too afraid of the Bratva to try.

It was more plausible that he obtained this information by planting a bug, rather than trying to coerce someone into betrayal. Knowing how Headmaster Mikhail thinks, having been trained by him, I imagined he would have begun his search in the office.

I bet there is at least one in the bedroom too. I squirmed in Roman’s lap. He mistook my epiphany for horniness, and ground his hardening cock into my backside. I hissed, leaning my head back.

“That’s not what I was trying to do,” I murmured. I didn’t want anyone to overhear me in case I was wrong, and the traitor, or traitors, were in the room with us. It paid to be cautious.

“Then what were you trying to do, baby?” His seductive tone sent shivers down my spine.

“You need to search the property for bugs. I don’t think you have a rat problem, I think you have a bug problem. If you know what I’m saying,” I whispered.

Roman nodded, his gaze contemplative. Benedikt was still out of commission, although he was becoming a surly fellow. Iwas going to check on him after this meeting, but I wanted to see if Roman would include me.

Since he did, I know where I stand. Roman doesn’t view me as a threat anymore, and honestly, I would be lying to myself if I said he still seemed like the enemy. It was more like foreplay than anything else.

The men talked some more, but I tuned them out until Roman let me leave. I didn’t want to know the ins and outs of his business. That would be like putting down roots, and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to be here tomorrow.

Roman could get sick of me. He could want me to leave and divorce me. I wouldn’t care, but if The Academy was gone, where would I go? Since the meeting, it was a question I couldn’t get off my mind.

It would probably give me nightmares, but if I had to live on the streets, I could handle it. I’d never done it before, but I was a survivor. I wouldn’t fall prey to their whims. I could take care of myself.

I always did.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Valentina

I found myself outside of the room Benedikt was staying in. Maybe he needed some company. I could play checkers or something with him. I couldn’t help but feel guilty for what he went through.

He’d shown me that Roman was a psychopath, or something of that nature. With a deep breath in, I slowly let it out before opening the door to Benedikt’s bedroom. He wasn’t sick, but he was off duty until his eye healed.

Benedikt’s remaining eye, a deep brown swirl of anger, fixed on me. A fresh bandage covered the empty socket where his other eye used to be. I shifted my gaze, unable to meet his stare. The bandaged wound was a constant reminder of the violence and destruction I had brought into his life. It made me feel sick with guilt.

“I told you to leave me alone,” he snapped, his voice sharp and accusing. “But you never listen, do you?”

I’d been coming to Benedikt’s room for a few days trying to make amends.

“I’m sorry, Benedikt,” I whispered, the words sounding hollow even to my ears. I wrapped my arms around myself, cold in the heated room. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“Sorry won’t bring my eye back, Valentina,” he spat.

His words hit hard, and I couldn’t help but wince. He was right, of course. Benedikt was the one paying for my foolishness. “I’m sorry. You’re right,” I admitted, remorseful.

His voice echoed through the empty room, his eye darting from side to side in a desperate search. The once peaceful atmosphere was shattered as he pointed an accusing finger at me. “You didn’t do it!” His words were filled with panic and urgency. “You have to stop Roman before it’s too late, Valentina.”

“I can’t walk away,” I insisted, desperation creeping into my voice. “You know I can’t.”

“Yes, you can,” he shot back, his eye softening for a moment before hardening again. “You’re too damn stubborn to see it.”

---