Page 40 of Covert Vengeance

They all did.

“Am I interrupting?”

They stepped back from each other as Tyler entered the stable. “No, I was just introducing Amber to Rollo,” Megan said. “I’m taking her riding tomorrow.”

“Awesome.” He walked up and wrapped an arm around Megan’s shoulders. “Hate to cut this short, but Trinity’s got news. She wants us all to meet in the study in five.”

Megan made a face. “She does that a lot, calling last minute meetings.”

“What’s up?” Amber asked him.

“Guess we’ll find out,” Tyler answered, pressing a kiss to the top of Megan’s head as he led her away.

Amber hung back a bit to give them some privacy on her way to the main house. Inside, the others were already gathered in the study. Marcus was absent but Cordova was there, leaning against a bookcase near the door when she entered. Her steps faltered for a second as their gazes met, and in that instant she could see in his eyes all the hot, filthy things he wanted to do to her. Things she wanted him to do.

She ripped her gaze from his and went to stand on the other side of the room. He’d had his shot last night and blown it. He wasn’t getting another chance to play with and humiliate her like that.

When everyone was settled, Trinity stood in front of the desk and began. “We’ve got a loose plan to try and draw Stanislav out.” She glanced around the room, then looked meaningfully between Amber and Cordova. “Rycroft wants Jesse to post an untraceable message on the original forum he was hired on, saying he’s got Amber and wants more money. If he bites, we’ve got the go ahead to plan an op.”

“How much money?” Cordova asked.

“Three million.”

Amber’s insides tightened, already knowing what was coming next, and dreading it.

Trinity’s deep blue gaze moved from her to Cordova and back again. “So you two will have to work together to make sure he can’t find the origin of the message and trace anything back to us. Because if he does, we’re all basically sitting targets here.”

****

Yury had to read the message on the forum twice to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

Have the target, alive. But you didn’t mention the danger factor in getting her. I want three million for my trouble, not two.

He leaned back in his chair, the noise of busy central London traffic passing by below his hotel room window, staring at the screen in shock. “Thefuck?”

His eyes bulged at the insolent message, the muscles in his jaw aching as he clenched his teeth together.

Cordova had balls. Balls he longed to crush for fucking with him like this. But what did he expect? There was no code of honor for people like them.

A fresh wave of rage swept through him, pulsing through his entire body. The original price he’d offered for Amber had been more than generous. Yet Cordova thought he could play with him this way?

His answer was succinct and to the point, pride and anger swelling in a toxic, red tide in his brain. Three million would wipe out everything he had. Everything he and Zoya had built together.

Everything Zoya had died for.

Fuck you, he typed back.

He hit send and slammed the lid of his laptop shut, his heart racing so fast he was practically panting. “I’m going to kill you next, asshole.”

He shoved to his feet and paced the room like a caged tiger, clasping both hands behind his head as he forced his breathing back under control.

This didn’t change anything. He would still get Amber. But now he wanted more.

Cordova had succeeded where Yury had failed. That made him a serious rival. And there was only one way to deal with serious rivals.

Wherever Cordova was, Yury would find him. Cordova wasn’t the only one with a super hacker in his possession. Yury now had one of his own, and he would use him to hunt Cordova and the bitch he was holding down. Then Yury could kill them both and get all the money back.

His heart rate slowed, his breathing calming. He crossed the room to grab one of his burner phones and send a message to his hacker, alerting him to the email exchange so he could track where Cordova’s message had originated from. Once Yury had a starting point he could begin the hunt.

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