Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 76309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
I feel a tight pity bloom in my stomach. He’d hate that if he knew, so I keep the expression from my face, but I can’t help myself. Here’s a man that prides himself on his independence, a man that’s competent and clever, and he felt owned. No wonder he walked.
“I’m sorry you felt that way.” I reach out suddenly and grab his hand. His fingers are tense, squeezing too hard, until he relaxes. “You could’ve told me.”
“I didn’t want to see that look in your eye.” He glances over, lacing my fingers into his. “That fear.”
“I’m not afraid.”
“But you are, and you should be. You were right to worry about me, Renata, but I promise I’ll never keep anything from you again. Burian’s my greatest shame, and now you know it. Working with him was the lowest point of my life.”
“You’re fixing that wrong,” I say softly, finally understanding. “It’s not really revenge.”
“It’s about making things right.” He nods slowly, leaning closer, tugging me into meet him.
I let his lips find mine. I kiss him back, head feeling light and dizzy. Lanzo talks about being morally gray, about being amoral, about not caring what’s right or wrong, but all this time, he’s been struggling to be a better man. To do good in the world by taking down Burian. By erasing some of the ugliness he’s caused.
He really does want to save lives.
I kiss him fully. Some of the fear in my chest relaxes. His tongue invades my mouth and I revel in that taste like a release. I’ve hated the distance that wedged itself between us, but I didn’t know how to fix it.
Now, I feel like I understand him better.
We break apart. I’m breathing hard, my forehead pressed to his. “I want to keep helping,” I whisper. “We can do this together, you know.”
“I can’t stand the idea of putting you in danger. I only brought you today because I didn’t think we’d end up catching him.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m here. We can do this, Lanzo. If you let me.”
His jaw works, but he nods slightly. “We can do this.”
I hug him tightly—and there, over his shoulder, I spot a man exiting the apartment building.
“Lanzo,” I say, pulling back, eyes going wide. “Lanzo. Lanzo! Holy shit!”
“Easy, girl,” he says, smirking. “It was only a kiss. If you want—”
“No, idiot, look!” I point as the man walks smoothly down the steps and onto the sidewalk.
He’s tall. Broad. Dark eyes. Bald head. Wearing simple jeans and a polo shirt like he’s heading to a work lunch. He’s wearing a black backpack and walking with purpose.
It’s Burian. There’s no doubt in my mind.
“That’s him?” Lanzo asks with some reverence in his tone.
“That’s definitely him,” I say, sure beyond a doubt.
Lanzo lets out a long breath as Burian climbs into a black SUV.
“Well, we’d better follow him then.”
Chapter 36
Renata
So much for not finding anything.
Lanzo keeps a couple cars back. Burian takes a winding route, doubling back to the apartment building, then heads along a few alleys. “Trying to make sure nobody’s tailing him.” Lanzo frowns with concentration.
“He knows we’re back here?”
Lanzo shakes his head. “This is typical stuff. He probably does this every time he leaves the apartment. I’m betting he knows the feds know where he’s staying and just doesn’t care. He probably thinks they wouldn’t risk the lives of their agents. And he was right.”
“But he didn’t bet the feds would talk to us.” Nervous energy builds in my core.
“That’s his mistake,” Lanzo says, eyes hard with concentration.
I want to ask him more, but I keep my mouth shut, swallowing all my questions. Lanzo weaves the car after Burian, skipping some alleys, hurrying around side streets to catch up. We nearly lose him more than once, but eventually, Burian pulls into the parking lot of a boring strip mall.
Lanzo circles the block twice before following. The SUV is parked toward the back of the lot, but Burian’s nowhere nearby.
“Where did he go?” I ask, squinting at the storefronts. There’s a cafe, a sporting goods store, a Mexican place, a pizza place, and a dollar store. Only one shop front is empty, the windows boarded over. A faded sign reads Toy-a-palooza.
“Can’t say for sure, but I have a bet.” Lanzo stares at the abandoned toy store. He parks in the middle of the lot, surrounded by other cars, but leaves the engine running. Cool air blasts from the AC.
“What’s he doing in that place?”
“It’s smart, actually. If the former owner passed away, or at least if the owners don’t live in this area anymore, nobody’s going out there to check on that space. Maybe the landlord, but it doesn’t look like they’re trying to rent it.”
“He’s got those FBI agents inside, doesn’t he?” I cover my mouth. “Oh my god. He’s torturing people inside a freaking toy store.”