Page 71 of Wilt

There’s only silence, apart from his breathing.

“Finnegan.”

He doesn’t answer, not for a while, but when he does, it borders on his version of polite. “What do you want, Wilder?”

At least the anger is no longer level ten and rising. It’s simmering, under control. I have what he wants and he knows it now. I’m sure it’s there, but I know, after tonight, he’d have gotten all sorts of interesting reports. He needs to try and put up a semblance of control. This is going to be interesting.

I let him simmer away, just a little longer, stretching it out until I snap the band. “For your daughter?” My words are light, bored and non-committal.

“You may have her, Wilder, but she’s mine.” It’s almost a growl.

I rub my finger against the small window on my computer, over her sleeping form. Right now, she’s still, but soon she’ll start tossing and turning, when the memories she pretends are dreams start to haunt her. I hate him a little more for that.

“She isn’t yours, Finnegan, and you know it.” Rose, if she were here, would look demure, trying to behave, holding back words. Her fingers would bunch like they did when she first arrived, and her eyes would flash fire. Yeah, Rose would fucking hate two men discussing her like she was nothing more than a piece of art.

I inwardly sigh. Regardless of my ache for her, if I want her in a way that borders on obsession, she’s here for a reason. A game, one I’ve spent a long while planning, and she’s a lucky piece I never thought I’d have. I’m not throwing a damn thing away. Fuck that.

I touch the screen again as she turns.

Finnegan’s growl comes through the line. “What do you really want, Nikolai?”

I want his head on a platter. That’s what I want. “Oh, it’s very simple, Derek.”

“Good—”

“All I want is your entire territory and every single cent in your bank accounts.”

Derek chokes on the other end, taking in my truly benevolent offer. “You’re fucking insane. There’s no way you’ll get that from me. Over my dead body.”

“Well…that’s appealing, too. It can be arranged.” My voice twists from light to deadly.

He doesn’t say a word, but the cool, soft slide of metal tells me he’s checking his gun.

Good. Maybe he’ll start that war. He’ll think he can negotiate me down, and maybe I’ll agree. Maybe he’ll just finally pay up. It doesn’t matter. I’m going to kill him however it plays out. I take a deep swallow of my Scotch.

“Tell you what,” I say. “I’ll call you on this—since you won’t answer your real phone—in a couple of days to set up the meeting.”

He doesn’t say a fucking word, so I do. “You want her, and you have my price. Your territory, plus the money. I think you’ll pay.”

I know from the silence that I’ve got him. “I’m not paying that, but I can…negotiate.”

“Stay by your phone.” Hanging up, I stare at the plastic piece of shit and throw it, not hard enough to break it, but enough to dent the wall.

I need that fuck here, in my territory. I have no intention of turning my little Rose over to this fucking evil monster, but I think I’ll kill him the moment he shows his cowardly face. I want the money, the territory. Most of all, I want the fucker dead.

I finish my Scotch and run a hand over my face when my phone rings. I press answer on speaker and Rush’s voice fills the room.

“Nikolai, dude.” His voice is tight, a sign of nerves. “I take it you got the new burner from Tony? I left it with him after checking it.”

I don’t answer, just lead with a question that I already know the answer to. “Where are you?”

“Where you sent me,” he replies. “Finnegan’s compound.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “He hasn’t spotted you?”

“Nope, not that I’m aware of.” Not really what I like to hear, but he’s alive and he’s got good men with him, so he’ll be okay. Besides, hurting my cousin seals Finnegan’s daughter’s fate. Do anything to Rush and she’s dead. Finnegan’s a coward, but he’s not that stupid.

Rush continues. “There’s movement. I mean, real movement.”

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