Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 80602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Fuck.
“Throw your gun behind you,” the man who holds the weapon says in an indecipherable accent, but I don’t have to guess at his origins. His Asian eyes and thick hair give him up as either Chinese or Japanese.
“I’m Rai Sokolov, Sergei Sokolov’s grandniece.”
“Gun on the ground or it will be your brains.”
Shit.
I slowly let go of my gun, making sure to throw it far enough and on its back so it doesn’t go off.
He motions at me with his weapon. “Put your hands behind your head and come out.”
I follow his instructions so I’m standing in the open in front of him. “Don’t you know who I am? You’re making a grave mistake.”
“Maybe you made it, Miss Sokolov.” The suave voice coming from my right takes me by surprise, especially since I recognize it well.
The man with the gun bows his head in respect—to his boss.
Kai Takeda.
He stands a few feet away from me, taller than his guard, but leaner and with the aura of an undercover assassin. He lost his jacket somewhere, since I recall him wearing it at the beginning of the ceremony, and is now only wearing a black shirt and pants. His eyes are Asian like his guard’s, but darker and more mysterious. His hair is thick, ink-colored, styled back, and falling to his nape. His face is also stronger than most of his countrymen, and he has a quiet beauty to him that fits his role.
Kai is the brains of the Yakuza here, and a very dangerous person at that. However, the fact remains, he’s one of our allies and a ruthless investor in V Corp.
I drop my hands to either side of me. “What are you doing, Kai?”
He pauses for a beat before he speaks quietly in a flawless American accent. “I should ask you that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I must admit, I hadn’t thought you capable of carrying out a hit at your own wedding, but it’s a mistake I will not repeat again.”
“A hit?”
He motions at his side, and that’s when I make out the blood oozing out of his shirt. Since the cloth is black, I didn’t notice it before. “Either your sniper missed, or perhaps…you asked him to do it on purpose? What is your message, Miss Sokolov? Do you think you can threaten me?”
His guard’s posture tightens more at his boss’s words, and his grip on the gun turns deadly. I have no doubt he’ll shoot any second now.
The thought of dying like this cripples me, but I hold on to logic, because Kai only respects that.
“We have no sniper.”
“Yes, you do.”
“The only sniper we use in the brotherhood was standing with me at the altar.”
“It could’ve been a different sniper, one for hire.”
“And you think I would hire them at my wedding to terrorize my family?”
“At first, I didn’t believe it, but it’s becoming more plausible by the second.”
A shadow appears behind Kai and points a gun at the back of his head. My breathing hitches at the view of Kyle’s face. He’s grounded, his grip on the gun steady, almost like he’s not holding a deadly weapon. “Tell your guard to drop his gun.”
Kai’s expression remains the same as if his life isn’t on the line. “Not before Miss Sokolov confesses.”
“Then your guard will be collecting your corpse.”
“And you will be collecting your wife’s.”
“I didn’t do it.” I meet Kai’s neutral black eyes. “I would never put my family in jeopardy and you know that.”
“You could sacrifice a member for the greater good.”
“We don’t believe in that in the brotherhood. We’re one for all and all for one.”
“There was a sniper,” Kai insists. “Do you deny that?”
“No.” I saw the window break myself. Even a toddler would know there was a sniper at the scene.
“Who do you think it is?”
“The Irish,” I say confidently. “They’re after the Italians and us. Lazlo and Sergei were their targets. Either you were caught in the crossfire by pure accident or they’re also bringing you in because you’re our ally.”
Kai motions at his guard with two fingers, and he lowers the gun. Kyle doesn’t disappear from behind him, probably because Kai can order his henchman to shoot me at any second.
“What option do you think it is?” Kai asks me. “Was it an accident or intentional?”
“Intentional.” I don’t even hesitate. “You wouldn’t have been that lucky if it were an accident.”
His lips twitch as he approaches me, not attempting to stop the blood oozing from his side. Sure, it’s not a lot, but it’s still a wound.
“I will pay a visit to V Corp.”
“Not Sergei?” I ask, bemused.
“Not Sergei.” He motions at my waist, and I follow his gaze to find blood on my front and on my wrists. I must’ve caught it during my sneaking journey. “Congratulations on the wedding.”