Page 491 of The Sinner: James

They stay silent for a few seconds before the dark-haired man speaks.

“What do you get out of this?”

“Him.”

They look at each other before Aleksander utters words again.

“We can’t do it.”

“You don’t want half a million dollars in cash for a fugitive?”

“We’ll get him back.”

“If you plan on luring him back by using that woman, you’re stupider than you look.”

The brothers’ bodies tense, their bodyguards taking a step forward. Thomas makes a move forward too.

I slide my gaze up while Aleksander flicks his hand, calming everybody down.

“But you probably don’t,” I say, calm and composed, my gaze gyrating back to them. “Or you would’ve done it already. The man isn’t that easy to pursue. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”

“It wouldn’t look good for our business if we let him get away with it and would encourage other fighters to do the same,” Sevan says.

“Who’s gonna tell them?”

They think about it for a moment.

“If we do it, he can’t fight here again. He can’t come back.”

“He won’t.”

“How do you know? You just admitted he’s not easy to control.”

“I have my methods,” I say, putting the cigarette out in the ashtray on the table.

I rise, my move taking them by surprise.

They look up for a second before pushing out of their chairs.

“It was nice doing business with you. You’ll have the cash within twenty-four hours. Once you take possession of the money, you can no longer claim him and stay away from him or anyone connected to him.”

“And if we don’t?” Sevan asks.

“Your business gets audited again unless you want to pay your fair share on the cash you collect.”

They look at each other briefly before chuckling like it was a good joke.

“I thought so,” I say, moving away from them.

“What happens if you don’t get him?” Aleksander asks as I near the door. “The money is non-refundable.”

“Let me worry about that,” I say before Thomas and I vanish out the door.

9

JAMES

Abby’s phonerings on Thursday instead of Wednesday.

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