Page 58 of Cruel God

He shrugged. “Maybe. But he had impeccable business ethics.” He leaned closer, his grey mustache curving as he smirked. “Something you still need to learn, boy.”

It was instinct, grabbing his collar and pulling him closer and snarling in his fucking face. But his smirk remained on his wrinkled face. “Not only are you young,” he muttered close to my face, “you are stupid, too.”

“Ugh.” I let go of him with a jerk, and he righted himself, straightening his jacket. “Where are the tapes, Anatoli?”

“I told you, you will get them once I’m safely back in Russia.”

“I don’t see any kind of scenario playing off where trusting you would be in my best interest.”

He leaned his head to the side, studying me with his focused gaze. “Believe me. I’m more trustworthy than those close to you.”

Instant warning prickled at the back of my skull. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“You know, I don’t usually disclose such information unless I have something to gain from it. But I think as a courtesy toward your late father, I will extend you this little olive branch.” He picked up the burning cigar, taking a long drag before stubbing it. “Lilith,” he started, and already the hair at the back of my neck stood up. “She’s the one who gave me the tapes.”

My heart fucking stopped; my entire body possessed with icy chills. “Lilith?”

“Yes.” He strolled closer to the girl tied to the Saint Andrew’s cross, dragging his gaze up and down her marred body. “Lilith is a good businesswoman. Too good.” Reaching inside his jacket, he pulled out a pocketknife, flicking the blade. “And I believe that where the word ‘too’ comes into play, you should be worried.” He shrugged. “Too confident. Too rich. Too friendly. Like Carina here.” His head slanted to the side as he studied her. “She has one-hundred and twenty-two cuts across her body, yet she only lets out a suppressed moan now and then. She’s too good at handling pain, and I just don’t like it.” With a flick of his wrist and a swipe of his arm, he slit her throat, her entire body going rigid as blood poured from the wound. She choked on her own blood, desperate for air…until her head lolled to the front. Dead.

Hope gasped and cried out, immediately falling to her knees and bowing her head, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably. To me, seeing a girl get killed was nothing. It had zero impact on me, as I had seen it so many times before. But Anatoli’s display of brutality and cruelty in front of Hope didn’t sit well with me at all.

“I doubt that was the least bit necessary,” I sneered, a little disappointed that he just managed to ruin a costly Persian carpet.

“On the contrary, Mr. Cain. I needed to do that.” His gaze remained on the bleeding corpse in front of him for a moment longer before wiping the bloodied blade with a white handkerchief, then turned to face me. “As you can see, the spot of my number one pet has just opened. And I’d like to fill it within the next five minutes.”

My fists balled, and jaw clenched as I glanced down at a quietly sobbing Hope. This was the hardest thing I had ever had to do in my entire goddamn life. But I had no choice. I had to protect what was mine and keep my empire from crumbling to the ground with those damning recordings.

I had. No. Fucking. Choice.

“Get up,” I snapped at Hope, and she shot to her feet as she gasped with a cry. “Look at me.”

She did, and all I saw were her red tear-stained eyes that gleamed from behind the mask.

It ached like a smarting I had never experienced before. If I hadn’t known any better, I’d think there was a gaping wound inside my chest, bleeding all over the carpet just like the dead girl hanging from the cross.

“I don’t have all night, Mr. Cain.”

With my palm placed against my jacket pocket, I felt the frame of my phone. Our time was up, and this was the moment I had dreaded more than I feared the eternity I’d spend in hell one day.

I wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, but I didn’t want the last thing I said to her to be a lie.

I took her hand, determined to hide my conflicted emotions so I could act my part—and urged her to step further as I turned her wrist up, glancing down at the numbers inked on her skin before looking her in the eye. “Anatoli,” I started as I tasted bile on my tongue. “This is the girl you purchased from my father before he died. Girl number double zero, triple seven.” Hope’s eyes widened, and lips pulled in a thin line as reality slowly began to sink in. I swallowed hard before continuing. “And I am here…to deliver her…to you.”

A stream of tears dripped from beneath the mask down her cheeks. “No,” she whispered. “Please.”

I ignored her and turned to face him, still holding her hand. “Consider this me settling my father’s debt to you.”

Anatoli smiled victoriously, his devil eyes flashing with triumph and glee. “Double zero, triple seven. The perfect number for such a perfect pet.”

A chill wracked down my spine, Hope’s soft whimpers tearing through my chest.

Anatoli held out his hand, and I balked for a second, squeezing Hope’s palm in mine one final time before handing her over…to her new master.

“Master,” Hope begged as she kept her eyes on me—disbelief, betrayal, and pain turning her gleaming eyes to two dark pits of despair. “Please don’t do this, master. I’ll be better. I swear. I’ll do anything.”

“Sweet child,” Anatoli started as he wound his arm around her waist. “He is no longer your master. I am.”

“No!” She screamed, and it all but fucking ripped my heart out. “Please. Please don’t.”

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