Page 56 of Defiled Innocence

“Well, maybe I can figure out who this Finity company is. I’ll go to Lucas’ apartment tonight and look through his personal files. If I find anything that suggests he did this, then we’ll go forward with the reporting and filing a claim. Just give me a few days, all right?”

After a short hesitation, he nods. “Very well. If there’s anything you need clarified or any other reports, just let me know.”

“Thank you.” Some of the crushing weight rolls off my chest with the time I’ve bought, but it’s still hard to breathe.

I stand up as he gathers his things and walk him to the door of my office. Only once he’s gone, and I have the door shut and locked, do I lean back against it and clench my eyes closed.

This could ruin the foundation. It could destroy the community’s trust in the center.

If Lucas was washing mafia money through his company, there is every possibility he was doing the same with the foundation.

A tornado of anger and grief wrecks my ability to think.

And now I’m married to the very mafia he did this with.

Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?

“Fuck!”

Dmitri

“The shipment is still here.” Kost pauses. “For the moment. If we wait much longer, they’ll have it disappeared.”

“They’ve secured it for themselves?” I tap the end of my pen against the desk.

I’ve been waiting for this call, confirmation that not only is Kozlov behind the delay in my shipment, but that everything is still at the port.

If it’s there, I can get it back and move it in a timely manner. If they’ve had it shipped elsewhere, the entire order will need to be redone.

Which would result in more than a little delay; it would cost me millions of dollars and most likely the buyer would go elsewhere next time.

“I believe they are looking for a buyer; once they’ve gotten that they’ll redirect the shipment,” Kost explains.

A car horn blasts from his end of the call and he shouts something away from the phone.

“Have you been able to find out why they are targeting me? I know they have issues with the Romanovs, but going after my shipments doesn’t hurt them.” I squeeze the pen, wishing I had the bastard’s neck in my fist instead.

“Nothing solid. There’s talk about them wanting to move to the East Coast, but the Romanovs are preventing it. And the fact they put their hands on Roman’s wife keeps the old men here from helping them.”

“They’re lucky they were allowed to leave New York at all.”

“Well, not all of them did,” Kost points out.

“No. Not all of them.” And if anyone touches Amelia, they will face the same fate. “Roman had every right to do what he did.”

“No one debates that. But the Kozlovs still want to expand to New York. If they get the okay to make the move, your shipment might be set free. Not what I would do, but you’re more diplomatic than me.” Another car horn blares. “Let me get inside, it’s getting loud out here.”

“Where are you?” I check my watch; it’s almost ten there.

Kost’s day is just getting started. He’s always been a night owl, and with his career choice the night is his friend.

“Back at my place. Need to get a quick shower and change before I head out.” A door creaks and shuts. “So, what do you want me to do from here? I can get a few guys together and get the container on the next ship out.”

“That easy?”

“Well, for us. There’ll be a few bodies to sort out later.” He laughs. “But that’s not a problem.”

“I don’t want bloodshed. Yet.” Leaning back in my chair, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “What about the men at the port? Bribery?”

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