Page 76 of One of Them

He turned, his movements slow, his eyes devouring me with no shame in sight. “I haven’t even started, chica.” His tongue darted out, making his intentions clear.

I glanced back, giving him a second look. Bold, but no. His eyes weren’t the right color. I quickly stored away the memory of the shades I had wished to stare into instead.

But I knew how to play the game. “Please don’t,” I said, dismissing the advance. “That’s not why I’m here.”

“What are you here for?” I half-expected the third person to join us, but the bleached-haired guy spoke up. He was the very third man. “We owe you money or something?”

“More like a favor,” I snickered. “You know who I am, right?”

“That’s a loaded question,” the Colombian responded. “Do we know what you do? Yes. Did you work for us in the past? I believe so. Will we need your services again? Guaranteed.”

His voice took on an annoyed undertone as he added, “But we for sure do not need to meet.”

“That one’s all me,” I acknowledged, smiling unapologetically.

“Are you looking for a place?” the Frenchman asked bluntly. “Heard there’s a bounty on your head.”

A shiver of resistance ran down my spine. “That’s news to me,” I admitted.

About time. I’d rather anticipate their moves than deal with the silence they’d been giving me.

“The Russians and the Italians might be aligned, Assassin,” the Brazilian finally chimed in. “But we have inside sources of our own,” he said, scanning my face for a reaction.

“Word on the street is, Malek is turning the world upside down looking for you,” he teased in a creepy voice. “Did we catch the runaway bride?”

I rolled my eyes at his cocky confidence. “I walked in,” I retorted, returning the same scrutinizing look.

“That’s Bratva dealings,” I warned, brushing off their questions. “It’s no secret I’m not their favorite person.” I dusted off the dirt from my pants, a result of the ride. “I grew tired of the endless cycle of submission.”

When I had their attention, the lust-filled one included, I laid out the real reason for my visit. “I’m here to claim what I’m owed.”

The trio exchanged looks, no doubt weighing the value of my request against what I’d done for them in the past.

I pulled out the crumpled headshot, wrinkled from being stuffed into my pocket. In the light, I stared into the familiar dark eyes, wondering if my suspicions were right. Had I let the viper poison my mind while it fed behind my back?

A brief glance confirmed enough for the men in the room. I stood and threw the paper into the fire.

“I will ask you the same as everyone who finds us. Why?” the Colombian asked, seeking answers.

Heaviness settled on my shoulders. I ignored it, focusing on each word. On what felt right.

“Because I will be the wall this world crashes against before it resets.”

There was no posturing, no threats when I admitted my intentions. Just as there was no doubt in their minds about my commitment. Before they had a chance to ask questions I didn’t want to answer, I continued, “How many members have you lost in the bloodshed? What if it was preventable?”

“Idealistic world you speak of. Not reality,” the Colombian grunted.

“Many tried to prevent it by mixing bloodlines with arranged marriages and false promises. And here I sit, short of a couple of family members, a kidney, and richer than I’ve ever been. Sure, I lost some, but I gained some too.” He took a puff, concluding, “It’s the circle of life.”

“There are casualties in all wars. I get that.” My head shook slightly. “I just don’t believe in innocent bystanders getting caught up in the mess. Kids, wives, sisters, brothers, cousins. The boundaries this life places on them,” I said, staring at them with serious intent. “Maybe I’m doomed to fail. Maybe I’ll be dragged out by my cold feet, but I’ll go knowing I tried to make a difference.”

“There’s a code of conduct you don’t break. You know that,” the French protested.

I did, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I was determined to push the lines, maybe even obliterate them altogether.

“Some might say a Colombian, a Brazilian, and a Frenchman ruling together breaks it too, yet here you are.” I tapped my temples. “It’s all about looking past what’s been drilled into your mind.”

“Let’s say we agree.” My ears perked at hearing that. “How do you fit into this? What do you offer? You’re just one person.”

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