Page 7 of For a Price

“The fuck I do! This isn’t what I signed up for—get back here, you assholes!”

But it’s too late.

JC's limped into the hall and Fozzil’s followed after him, slamming the door shut.

I scream in frustration and kick at the first thing within reach—which just so happens to be a stack of boxes. They tumble to the ground in a cascade of drug paraphernalia and other random items like brass knuckles and buck knives.

What the hell am I going to do now? Why did I have to stay behind and watch over him?

What am I supposed to do if he wakes up?!

These are just some of the questions turning over inside my head as I glance at the hulking, unconscious man on the sofa. He’s still out cold, but he’s going to wake up eventually.

And then what?

It’ll be just me and him locked inside this apartment together. Knowing his strength, he could bust right out of his zip ties…

I sigh and run a hand over my lavender curls. “This is such a damn mess.”

CHAPTER 4

Katerina

Hour four.

The Russian Bear is still down for the count.

I sigh and pick up my phone to send yet another text to JC.

The ER packed??

No response.

The text goes unanswered like the other three I’ve sent him and Fozzil. I bring my phone up to my ear, ringing Finch instead. Surprisingly, he answers after a few rings, though he sounds distracted.

“Yeah?”

“What do you mean yeah?” I snap. “You’ve heard the news, right?”

“You mean the news that you geniuses botched the job?”

My brows tick up. “Check your tone, Finch. Fozzil might let you speak to him like that, but I am not your twin brother.”

“I don’t have to check shit, Kat. You fucked up. All three of you.”

“That’s easy for you to say when you’re the one who got to work behind the scenes! You weren’t the one being attacked by some… some fucking Russian version of Goliath! JC lost two teeth!”

“I saw the pics.”

“Then you also saw the pics I sent you of the Russian zip-tied and bound on the sofa of the safe house.”

“So what?”

Teeth clenching, what remains of my patience evaporates. “So what’s next?! I’m not about to stick around and babysit him! The guy could bust out of those damn zip ties!”

“We keep a stash of firearms?—”

“Nope!” I cut in, shaking my head. “You know how I feel about violence. Death. I’mnotshooting anybody, Finch! Take care of this right now. You said you had the ransom all figured out.”

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