Page 89 of Seven

“I didn’t…”

Rooks stopped himself from saying something he would regret and turned his focus to the laptop. He opened it and immediately started typing. We could see the various accounts and all the money held within them, and it wasn’t just a couple hundred thousand. It was millions. Now, I got why Sergio had gone to such lengths to get it back.

Rooks turned the screen to face Sergei as he announced, “Okay. Here it is.”

“It’s all there?”

“Every penny. It’s just like you left it. I just need to know what you want to do with it.”

“I want it to stay right where it is.” He turned to one of the guards and motioned his head toward Tallie. “Get her down.”

“So, that’s it? That’s all you wanted?”

“Yes, and you would’ve known that had you answered any of my calls or emails.” I could see them lowering Tallie’s arms, and I was so focused on trying to make sure that she was okay that I almost missed it when he said, “I must say, I found it rather odd that you were avoiding me.”

“You killed my father. What did you expect me to do?”

“You know I didn’t kill him.”

“And how would I know that?”

“Because you were behind it.” Sergei’s face was stone cold. No emotion. No anger. No annoyance. Just cold and matter of fact. “And don’t waste my time by trying to deny it.”

“I wasn’t even in the country when he was killed.”

“Hmm, there you go running in circles again. I told you I didn’t have patience for games.” Sergei gave a quick chin lift, and one of the guards rushed Rooks, securing his arms behind him. “I never said you killed him. I said you were behind it.”

“But I had no reason to kill him.”

“Ah, I’d say you had about four million reasons.”

“I have my own money. I have no reason to try and take his, or yours, for that matter.”

“You’re right. You did have your own money until you lost it all trying to launch your own company.” Sergei shook his head with disgust. “Your father tried to warn you that it would never work, but you wouldn’t listen. And when he wouldn’t bail you out, you killed him.”

“Dad was a lying asshole! He deserved what he got,” Rooks roared. “But that doesn’t mean I had anything to do with his murder.”

“Enough running in circles again. It’s one thing to try and steal from your father.” Sergei leaned in close, “It’s another to try and steal from me.”

“But I didn’t. I wouldn’t.”

“But you did, and now, you will pay.”

“No, wait! You have to believe me! I didn’t try to steal your money!” The guard tugged him over to where Tallie had been hanging and secured his hands over his head. “It’s all right there. You can see it in black and white.”

Once Rooks was secured, Sergei stepped in front of him. His face was completely void of expression as he looked directly at Rooks. But he wasn’t actually looking at Rooks. He was looking into the glasses.

Damn.

The fuckerknew.

Hell, he’d known all along.

Sergei tilted his head slightly, a ghost of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “You can transfer the girl out front.”

Sergei’s face was filling most of the screen, but I could see the guard who was holding Tallie. Her body sprawled across his arms like a broken doll. He gave Sergei a nod, then started for the door.

I was still watching the guard when Sergei said, “I want my driver and my guard back. You have until midnight.”

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