Page 99 of Scarlet Angel

“I won’t run.”

“Why?”

“It’s poor strategy.”

“I’m not following.”

“Because unless I live the rest of my life in a hellhole, they’ll find me. And what kind of life is that? Constantly looking over one’s shoulder?” I’m an Ivanov. We don’t run.

“So, what are you going to do? Fight them? How many of them are there?”

“Eight.”

“Not including you? Nine total in the syndicate?”

“Supposed to be an alliance of influencers.” I’m speaking more to myself than to her. “The numbers come from those they buy.”

“Other mafias?”

“Criminal organizations not too different from your uncle’s. On the surface, clean. In the books…”

“Corrupt,” she finishes for me. “So you’ve got a small army of hitmen coming your way?”

“Something like that.”

“Dorian plans to kill you? Your friend?”

Can’t blame her for asking for confirmation.

“If that’s true, why not just kill you when he came here today?”

Because he doesn’t really want me dead. He wants to force my hand. Hand over Scarlet. Restore order. It’s what the alliance wants. Order over chaos.

“It’s me,” she answers, sorting it out herself. “He wants you to hand over the witness so the investigation dies. What happens to you…is not of significance.”

“You are so bloody brilliant.” In this light, her skin shimmers, and those breasts…I haven’t spent nearly enough time adoring them.

“How do you know they won’t go after Lina?” I lift my gaze from her bare chest to meet a fierceness that if I didn’t know her better, I’d mistake for anger. But it’s not anger. No, it’s concern, caring, and a conviction for righteousness.

“You don’t,” she says, answering her own question.

And the lass is right. It’s only a matter of time before they cave on attacking my estate and shift to forcing my hand through other means.

“I’ll go to her. The place she’s staying allowed a security presence. They should allow an increase. If they don’t, I’ll bring her back here.”

“She needs to stay there,” Scarlet says with a conviction I comprehend.

Lina’s in the thick of it with this addiction nonsense.

“Talk with her doctors before you do anything.”

I fumble with a desk drawer, searching for a tablet I can connect with a VPN. If I bring Lina back here, I’ll just watch her. Hire a round-the-clock watch.

“Listen to me. You think you control everything and everyone, but this is your sister’s battle. You can’t fight it for her.”

It takes me a minute to register what Scarlet’s talking about. Of course, she’s not the first to share such wisdom.

“Come here. I need you to check out some locations.”

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