Page 55 of Embracing Darkness

CHESTER

There was no doubt in my mind that Owen was a piece of shit and the scum of the earth but he was a rich one and I was never one to pass up an opportunity at easy money. The program he wanted taken was liquid gold and I was 99% sure that he had no idea what he had been asked to steal. His employer wanted the program and had hired the biggest idiot in town to take it.

The shit didn’t know his left from right and had been trying to hire contractors to get the program for the past several months but to no avail. Instead, Owen ended up a few hundred thousand dollars poorer and a little worse for wear.

However, in my little bit of research, I had picked up that the payday Owen was offering for getting the program was much less than what the program itself was worth. And now I wanted it. Valentyn had his moment to do the job and now it was my turn.

“You’ll take the job?” Owen asked, earnestly from the seat I had stuffed him into when he entered my warehouse.

I cackled, wondering where he got the balls to be as forward as he did. If only Valentyn and his little crew knew who Owen worked for… “Not exactly. We’re going to do things a little differently.”

“I don’t have any more money. I had to pay them half but they’re not doing anything. They’re protecting him and-”

I held up a hand, silencing his excuses. I hated people like Owen and every word that fell from his lips was like grating pieces my of brain. “Keep your filthy money. I’ll payyouto bring me that program. I don’t fucking care what happens to the kid who has it nor the men protecting him.” I’d miss Valentyn—he was one of the good ones in the business—but that payday looming in the distance was a little too sweet to give up.

“What? That’s not an option. I can’t give it to you. My employer will kill me!” He pulled against my handy dandy restraints, slowly realizing that asking me for a favor, regardless of the price tag, wasn’t a voluntary affair. I had already turned him down multiple times but he had been relentless.

So, he’d be working on my terms this time, not the other way around.

“Give me the program and I’ll set you up with a nice little payday.”

Owen shook his head, pulling harder against the ropes. He could pull all day and it wouldn’t do him any good. I had learned those knots in Boy Scouts and I’d never seen someone slip out of them… well, except for myself. “I can’t. Look, he’s presenting on Thursday. That’s less than two days. You can just-”

I threw my head back and laughed. “You must be really stupid if you think I’m going to walk my ass into your company—one that is heavily guarded—and take the program off his hands. Get me the fucking programbeforehe presents and we won’t have any issues.”

Owen screamed out his frustration. “Just kill me or beat me like everyone else did. I’m not giving it to you. I’ll just ask someone else.”

A wild grin split across my lips. “See, that’s the thing. We all talk and you’ve exhausted the people you can use, especially since Valentyn has decided to protect the boy. There’s not many of us that will go up against their crew. I know how you play and it’s dirty, Owen. You’ve been dipping your filthy hands in multiple pots and it’s time to realize there’s nowhere left for you to wash your hands. I’ve done my homework and I know what that program is. Get it to me and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

“That doesn’t sound promising.”

“No, Owen. It’s not. You put your two cents in with the devil and then asked a demon to help you. You are going to die either way but at least with me, you’ll die peacefully. I’ve never met your boss but I’ve heard she’s not very forgiving. Make the smart choice, Owen.”

He started struggling against the ropes again as I made my way to the door. “Wait! You have to untie me!”

“Someone will. In the next hour or two. Scream if we forget.” I left the room, hoping that Owen was terrified shitless by the time one of my guards set him free. He was a terror in his own right but only because he was infatuated with the boy he was supposed to be stealing from.

The funniest part about this whole tryst was that it was just one big distraction. Owen had been hired by the same company that had hired Rhys for his program. The scare tactics were merely a distraction to send Rhys farther into Hawk International’s arms. And it was working, marvelously. I applauded their trickery, however, now that I wanted the program?

Owen was going to have to switch sides.

Chapter forty-three

VALENTYN

I hung up yet another call, scratching details down on paper I had printed a few hours ago after not being able to sleep. Rhys had passed out after round two, something we were all more than proud of after the week he had. He had scared us a bit with what he’d been willing to try but fuck if it hadn’t ended gloriously and when he whispered that he loved us, my heart exploded with joy.

He was perfect for us, in every way and I hoped that we thoroughly showed him how much we still wanted him. He’d still have to choose whether or not he wanted to come with us at the end of this job, but I wasn’t going to pressure his decision, even if time was of the essence.

I had planned on gathering some extra data and then making breakfast, but the research path had taken a dark spiral as connections that shouldn’t have worked started clicking. There were too many coincidences and points along the timeline that didn’t make sense. Even before Owen had shown up in France, everything had been engineered. It was all part of the plan.

Dmitri entered the kitchen, rubbing his chest in discomfort. I knew all of his wounds were still healing but the addition of multiple hickies from our fourth was fucking fantastic. “What’s got you out of bed so early?” He asked as he pressed up against my back and wrapped his arms around my waist before placing his chin on my shoulder.

“Seems that Owen’s desire for this program is a lot more twisted than just coincidence. We already knew he was working for someone but everything was engineered, down to the fucking hotel room that he was in. Everything links back to a credit under the name of Mrs. Fraser.”

“No first name?”

I shook my head as I turned around to place a morning kiss on Dmitri’s lips. He leaned in for more, both of us letting out a satisfying moan. I had missed the mornings like this—the ones where I made breakfast and everyone trickled in for kisses and little touches. Paval would run in moments later before we all just sprawled along the couch for cuddles and a relaxing day.

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