Page 78 of Heartless Sinner

“I am a hundred percent certain. However, I know her brother does. I still can’t find the fucker. I have the best men looking for him, yet there’s no trace.”

Jaxon shakes his head. “So, he’s either dead or under someone’s protection.”

“I thought about that, too. But he had a good head start. He could be hiding out anywhere.”

“What about this Anton?”

"I’ll deal with him if he becomes a problem.”

Jaxon chuckles, but it’s not with humor. “Oh, believe me, hewillbecome a problem. It’s not a matter ofif,it’swhen. Anton Chekov and his father, Dorian, are the pride of the Domascki Bratva, both as unhinged as each other when it comes to killing. Anton isn’t going to let a woman he thinks belongs to him go so easily.”

I place my drink down and mirror his stance by leaning forward. “He’s not getting her back, Jaxon.”

Jaxon's calculating gaze dissects me piece by piece, his eyes searching and analyzing my composure and my defiant declaration. When he sits back and his jaw clenches, I know he realizes just how serious I am.

“As always, I have your back.” He nods.

“Thank you.”

“Do you need me to do anything in the meantime?”

“Not with Anton, yet. I’ll need your help with finding the Nexxus, though, especially because one of my people is working with them.”

“My men and my services are all yours.”

“Thanks. Now that I’m back in New York, I’m going to be investigating everyone in my family and the people who work for us.”

“That’s going to be one hell of a task.”

“I hate traitors.”

“Don’t we all.” His exhale is as sharp as his stare. “I think I have an idea on what we can do for the blueprints. Are they in the same place?”

“Yeah.” The printed version is at my house in the safe in my study. The digital version is on a memory stick in the vault at Delarosa Industries. “What are you thinking of doing?”

“I think I can reconfigure the internal design to work with Brahm’s tracking system. But we need to draw out the Nexxus. Let them come to us.”

“Set up another trap,” I say, seeing where he’s going, and he nods.

“I don’t think there’s any point looking for them. They’re desperate enough to try and steal the blueprints whether they think you’re planning to trap them or not.”

“I agree. I think they’ll do anything.”

“They’re less likely to think it’s a trap if they know you have the print at your house and the company. Whoever is working with them will have access to both places.”

I nod. “I like this, Jaxon.”

“Good. I’ll work on something later. I really want to know who their boss is.”

“Me too.”

“This just may be the way to find that out. Until then…” He picks up his glass again and raises it to toast. “Congratulations on your engagement.”

My smile spreads slowly across my face. “Thanks.”

"I haven't seen you this alive in years. That’s a good thing. I like this version of you.” He borrows my earlier compliment.

“I like this version of me, too.”

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