Page 95 of Wicked Duty
See what happens when you get sidetracked on the job?
This is my fault. I was careless. And who knows what might’ve happened if today had gone just as our enemies had planned?
Sour bile builds in my gut.
Lucy’s motionless at my side, her fingers still threaded with mine. I can’t face her.
Roguilin’s men are hunting her down. They want to retrieve the wallet and silence her. They don’t seem to want her dead, though, or that would’ve happened before Darren and Veronika even hired me.
That means the sick bastards want her alive.
Guilt burrows beneath my skin. I’m supposed to be focusing on protecting her. Instead, I let her take me out on a date. What the fuck is the matter with me? The possibility of Roguilin’s men snatching Lucy because I allowed myself to get distracted eats at my stomach like acid.
Out in the hall, the manager signals two men standing nearby. They’re dressed casually, but I know from the tension in their shoulders they’re trained. At least the security isn’t completely incompetent.
The guards stride over so the manager can brief them on the plan. I’m about to join their huddle, but when I move in theirdirection, Lucy remains rooted in place. I stare at her head-on for the first time since the manager approached us in the lobby.
Her expression is mottled with fear, her shoulders trembling.
She needs comfort, and though I’m the only one for the job, my mouth refuses to cooperate.
Chapter 36
Callum
“Lucy.” Even her name sounds rough to my ears when I finally untangle my tongue.
“This is all because I agreed to testify.” Her voice quivers. Tears aren’t far off. “The DA says I’m a star witness in this case, but…but I…”
Once the waterworks start, I push aside my guilt to soothe her. That’s my job. And even if I suck at emotions, every cell in my body hates seeing those tears.
I hug her to my chest.
“I’m sorry.” Lucy hiccups. “Why am I such a coward?”
I press my lips to her ear. “What are you talking about?”
“Viktor Roguilin is a horrible man, and he deserves far worse than prison, and they won’t be able to nail him without my testimony, but…the truth is that I want all this to go away. I want my life back. I know it’d be awful and cowardly not to testify, but I just want this to end.”
I swipe the lower rims of her deep brown eyes with my thumb, smearing her tears away. “You’re not a coward for wanting no part of this, Lucy. There’s nothing good about the position you’re in. Most people would’ve caved under the pressure you’re under, but you haven’t.”
“Yet.” She blinks rapidly while patting her damp face.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” The words land between us like a promise, a vow. The way Lucy peers up at me after they’re out there… All the trust glimmering in her eyes…
It shatters my fucking heart.
The guards escort us to our suite using an indirect route we never would’ve been able to navigate on our own. All the while, my mind spins out of control.
We’ve been going about this all wrong.
Instead of constantly playing defense and waiting for the next incident to occur, maybe we should take the fight straight to Roguilin and his cronies.
He’s already been arrested on racketeering and human trafficking charges, and based on the dossier Darren gave me, that motherfucker’s still in prison, awaiting trial after being denied bail due to his flight risk status. My guess is he’s been holding court from his cell and using his men to act on his behalf out here in the city.
Without knowing where the cronies are headquartered, an ambush is impossible. And getting into a high-security detention center to assassinate Roguilin myself? Equally improbable. I don’t know what to do about this situation yet, but I am at least sure that getting the hell out of this hotel is the right move.
As soon as we’re in the suite, I conduct a sweep of the entire room. Once I’m satisfied the coast is clear, I gently release Lucy’s hand.
