Page 39 of Thorns of Lust
“No.”
“Did Marchetti?”
“No.”
“But you know who put the hit on her,” I declared. Nothing happened in Yakuza without the knowledge of Itsuki Takahashi, his cousin.
“Yes.” Fuck, him and his short answers.
“Your cousin is a problem.”
Amon didn’t comment. Not that I expected him to. Instead, his reply came in a cool voice, in his perfect British English, “It’s not the last attempt. Hide her.”
“Keep your cousin the fuck away, or he’ll end up dead.”
A heartbeat passed before Amon’s next words shot fury through my veins. “Maxim provided the tip.”
Anger spread like fire through me and a red mist covered my vision again. The idea of Tatiana’s lifeless body and never again seeing that gleam in her blue eyes made my stomach tighten. My hands clenched with fury as I ended the call. Maxim. My fucking twin brother. I would have never expected such betrayal from him.
Inhaling deeply, I released my breath, then repeated it again. It took several minutes to calm the rage that swallowed me whole. Anyone else, would be dead within an hour.
Maxim would be dealt with too.
In the meantime, I’d teach Amon’s cousin a lesson. Maybe I’d even go the extra mile and end the cousin. Then Amon could take over that kingdom.
Today though, I’d shred the guy that dared to touch Tatiana. Tear him fucking apart. Maybe I’d have his heart delivered to Itsuki Takahashi with a message.
Yes.I liked that very much.
The car came to a stop in front of one of the warehouses we bought outside the city. Its location was perfect, right on The Mississippi River. It made disposal of assholes like this one easy. Alligators loved to eat humans.
Lenosh had the guy out of the trunk and already dragged him inside the warehouse before I even stepped out of the car. I stalked inside, letting the anger simmer my blood and spread through me.
Who the fuck was he to believe he could touch her? Some little Yakuza errand boy. Even if he was the head of the Yakuza, he wouldn’t be allowed to put his filthy hands on Tatiana.
I entered to find him rolling on the concrete floor and groaning as he gripped his nuts. My lips curved into a half-smile. I was so proud when I saw her kick him in his balls. Tatiana was a fighter, and it was time to remind her.
That’s moye solntse. My sun.Moya luna. My moon. My everything.
Finally noticing me, he wrestled himself into a sitting position. I let him. No sense in binding him to the chair. There was nowhere he could run that I wouldn’t get him. His wrists were already tied behind his back. I almost hoped he’d run. It would make killing him all the more enjoyable.
His dark, slanted eyes met mine.
“W-Who are y-you?” he stumbled over his words in his heavily accented English.
“Nobody.”
I pulled out my gun as I approached him, then the silencer, taking my time attaching it. “Have you taken the oath of Omertà?”
His eyes widened and sweat broke across his forehead. “Yes.”
His gaze was locked on my movements as I stalked toward him.
“You touched what’s mine,” I said, as I placed the muzzle to his forehead. “Bad move.”
He spat a string of words in Japanese. I knew enough to understand he was cursing me.
“Ah, you’re asking to be sliced up,” I drawled. “I can accommodate that.”
