Page 73 of Wrath
He tugged, testing.
She held strong, head cocking to the side, mimicking the bird of her infernal mask. Fucking ridiculous. Everyone who worked with the Syndicate knew her face, why bother hiding it? But he knew the truth. He could show her the full power of his fist, he could rip her in two.
Patience.
Soon, he would slice her smirking head from her shoulders. No. He would make her watch as he peeled open her chest and ribs. Give her real wings made of bone. Dimitri’s ire sizzled and snarled inside, but he dared not show his true feelings. She was the one who’d given him his new arm, after all.
He hated her.Filthy suka. Always so calm, so smug. He was not a puppet. He was the master. But he owed her. For now.
Her lip twitched. Amusement lit her eyes, and then she let go and strode to his closed office door. “He is in here.” A statement, not a question. Her palm rested on the surface of the door. “I can feel his sadness.”
“Yes. He is in there.”
“And what do you plan on doing with him?”
“That is none of your concern. I will fulfill my part of the bargain. The details will bore you.”
Falcon turned to him, unnatural eyes settling on him once more. “You have failed us twice, Dimitri, and yet, we continue to gift you with our assistance.”
Tension locked his shoulders. Fuck. She knew what he was capable of, that’s why she gifted him with her fucking assistance. Fine. Biting down on his temper, Dimitri pushed open the office door and ushered her inside.
Tied to a chair facing his desk was Misha’s brother. Bound, gagged, and furious. Everything about the kid made Dimitri sick to the stomach. Blond unkempt hair, slouch shorts, a shirt with holes in it. Why couldn’t teenagers dress like they gave a damn?
Lazy, entitled piece of shit. Kid hadn’t acknowledged him, hadn’t paid him any respect. That’s what was wrong with this new generation. No respect. Dimitri had respect beaten into him when he was young, maybe he should do the same. Teach the boy a thing or two, give him a family lesson.
A few text messages posing as Misha, and the boy had been eating out of Dimitri’s hands. It was almost too easy.
Suspicion pricked the back of his neck, and he ripped the gag from the boy.
“Tell me, boy. Does Misha know you are here? Did you tell her?” Every muscle and electrode within Dimitri coiled tight, waiting to pounce. If she had gotten one whiff of Dimitri’s plan…
The boy glared at him, but stupidly made no response.
Dimitri’s fist slammed into his cheek, sending his head rocketing back. He and his chair landed on the floor.
“Answer me.” Dimitri kicked him.
The kid coughed and choked, but still no response.
A mocking hiss came out of Falcon.
“What?”
She waved at the boy. “Notice anything?”
Dimitri’s gaze snapped back to the kid, inspecting. Fucking looked like any other waste of space. “Just tell me what you’re getting at.”
“He has hearing aids in his ears, and you’ve dislodged them. He cannot hear you. Most likely cannot speak, and you have bound his hands, hence he cannot sign.”
“Yeah, well, the little shit is feisty. He attacked my men when they collected him.”
Falcon’s steady gaze met Dimitri’s wild eyes. Nostrils flaring was the only sign of her displeasure.
“I am ready for you to explain your plan, Dimitri.”
“You’ll get your chance for blood, and I’ll get mine.” Dimitri pointed at the squirming boy, still on his side on the floor. “He is bait. She will come, then she will be bait, and then he will come.Vy khotite, chtoby ya zapisal eto?”
“Writing it down is not necessary,” she replied, and Dimitri flinched. He did not know she understood Russian. Didn’t matter. He won’t underestimate her next time.
