Page 15 of Poisoned Pawn

There are two kinds of job in my world, and one of them involves a man or woman who is paid to keep going till the job is done. ThinkThe Bodyguard. This person is a ghost, a loner, with no connections to anyone or anything. They live off the grid, and the only way you can contact them is via a number, a number that is disconnected the second your money is paid. There is no changing your mind, there is no chance of a refund, and they never say no. You could ask them to take out the fucking Queen, and if they think they can and you’re offering them enough money, they will.

Changing my mind about taking out Star isn’t good for my reputation, but it’s well known enough to survive one little mar on it.

I don’t bother responding. Instead, I bury my head in paperwork for the next couple of hours. Kai leaves at five after I tell him I’ll lock up tonight. Around thirty minutes later, I hear a car pull up outside.

It’s a black escalade, and there is only one man that owns not just one but a fleet of them in Manchester.

Pavel Orlov, the head of the Orlov bratva and Lev’s father.

But it’s not him who steps out when the back door opens. I get up from my chair, taking a second gun from the locked drawer of my desk, and walk out to greet him, if you can call it a greeting.

“Akim, I wasn’t expecting you,” I say pointedly making it clear that his arrival is not only unexpected but also unwelcome.

“As it was intended,” he replies, stepping forward, flanked by two other men who step from the car.

Not a friendly kind of visit then.

He continues, “Pavel wanted me to deliver a message. He requests your presence this evening. He has a…special job for you.” He tilts his head, mouth down turned in the equivalent of a shoulder shrug.

“And that’s fucking grand, but I’m busy tonight.”

He doesn’t seem surprised by my refusal. Pavel must have warned him that I wouldn’t be accepting.

“I’m afraid it was not an invitation you can refuse.”

I take a step forward. “And you can remind Pavel, kindly of course, that I don’t take orders from him.” My money is on whatever shit Lev called me about the other night. Or at the very least the mark I took down. Hell, they are probably connected. I see the slight movement from the guy on the left and know what comes next. It’s always better to be on the offensive.

I have both guns out and pointing at Akim’s men before they can even move.

“I don’t think you want to do that, fellas. Now get the fuck off my property and tell Pavel that whatever it is he wants with me, I’m not for hire.”

Akim stands with his hands in his pockets looking mildly amused, but the small tick in his jaw tells me he’s not happy.

“Pavel will not be happy, Carter.”

I let out a laugh. “Not my fucking problem. The three of you turning up at my work and making idle threats is, however, a big fucking problem. And one I don’t care for.”

“I will give him your message.”

“Yeah, you fucking do that.”

Akim retreats with his men, and I wait until they are out of sight before heading back inside. Phone in hand, I call Lev. It rings off. Before trying again, I pack up, taking the cash from the safe and any important documents. Then I send a message to Kai to tell him I need to go away for a few days and to take some paid leave.

When I try Lev for the second time, he answers after the fifth ring.

“I can’t talk right now.”

“Don’t you dare fucking hang up on me, Lev. I don’t give a fuck what you think is so important because nothing is more important than why your father sent Akim here ordering my presence this evening.”

“Did you agree?”

“No. I didn’t fucking agree. What the hell is going on?” He curses down the line. “Lev?”

“I’ll call you back.”

“Lev, don’t you—” The line goes dead. “Fucking arsehole!”

I close up and get the fuck out of here before Pavel sends a fucking army for me. Back at my house, I head straight for my office, depositing the money and documents into my safe here. A nuclear fucking bomb would be hard pushed to crack it.

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