Page 36 of Dark Obsession

Barnes stands, holding up his hands.

“Look, it’s probably better if I don’t hear the rest of this. Plausible deniability and all that,” he says, flashing a weary smile. “But as soon as I learn anything, you’ll be the first to know.” With that, he leaves.

Lev nods. “In the meantime, we need to keep the kids out of the city. It’s not safe, and these cartel pricks don’t play nice when it comes to family.”

The thought makes my stomach twist, but I stay focused. “The first thing we need to do is track down Grigori,” I say, my voicefirm. “Find out where the hell he is, what he’s doing, and what he knows. We’re flying blind without him.”

They nod one by one in agreement, but the frustration is obvious. Everyone’s tried to get a hold of him only to hit a dead end.

No answers. No Grigori.

Alexei’s eyes flicker, that familiar flash of mischief and calculation. He leans back in his chair, a grin tugging at his lips. I know that look. It’s theI’ve got a planlook.

“What is it?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

Alexei pulls out his phone, his grin widening. Yuri scoffs, crossing his arms. “Good luck getting a hold of him,” he mutters.

Alexei dials and hits speaker, the ringing loud in the silence of the room. It rings and rings then goes to voicemail. No surprise.

Alexei clears his throat and starts speaking, his voice calm but pointed. “Grigori, it’s me. Elena was attacked today at the park. Someone’s gunning for her, and we both know why. She’s in danger, man. Whatever the hell you’re doing, it can wait. Get your ass back here. Now.”

With that, he hangs up, tension settling heavily in the room.

I shift my weight from one foot to the other, crossing my arms. “He’s going to get pissed,” I say, knowing Grigori’s temper all too well.

Alexei’s grin doesn’t fade. “That’s the idea. Light a little fire under his ass.”

He slides his phone back toward his pocket, casual as ever, but before he can tuck it away, it rings. He glances down at thescreen, then looks up, his eyes locking with mine.

“It’s him.”

Chapter 16

Grigori

A few minutes earlier…

Isit in the car, rain tapping lightly against the windshield, the early Chicago evening swallowing everything except the dim, flickering streetlights.

The house I’m watching is just as shitty as the neighborhood it sits in, like a corpse rotting out in the open. It’s rundown, has boarded-up windows and peeling paint. It’s a place no one would look at twice, which makes it perfect for the kind of business Claudio Sanchez runs.

I take a slow sip of my coffee, its warmth cutting through the chill creeping into the car. Stakeouts have never bothered me. I can sit here for hours like a predator stalking its prey.

Patience is a weapon, and I know how to wield it. I’ve waited for worse men than Sanchez.

A car pulls up, headlights cutting through the rain, and I lower my coffee, my eyes narrowing. But it’s not him. Two guys get out, low-level dealers from the looks of it. Claudio seems like the typenot to show his face unless he’s sure it’s safe.

My phone buzzes, ringing insistently on the dashboard. I glance at it, then back to the house. I let it ring. My business with Sanchez isn’t something I’m ready to share just yet, not even with the family.

I’ve always handled my shit alone.

Finally, the phone stops. I catch a flash of the voicemail icon on the screen.

Great.

My focus stays on the house, my mind still on the job. But the itch in the back of my brain grows—I know I need to loop them in eventually.

The car pulls away, leaving nothing but the patter of rain and my growing tension. I grab the phone, the voicemail icon blinking at me like it’s mocking my silence. I hit play.

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