He turns the gun on me. “I kill you where you stand,” he seethes, cocking the gun back.
“No,” I shout.
I rush forward and block Natasha with my body. He points the gun into my face as I shield Natasha.
Misha
You want war, you build army. I respect what LaSalle aims to do. This is why I help.
“Would you like another drink, my friend?”
I look around this office in disgust. He sits comfortably in his leather chair, offering me a drink. His desk is handcrafted, I can tell, I’ve had one made by same artist.
Smug son of a bitch. I know what lies beyond these walls. The balls to bring me here tells me this piece of shit knows not to fear me. Lesson he will learn hard way.
I don’t like business my father and his sisters are in. It is not the way to do things. I don’t sell little girls and boys for profit.
I want to blow this vile place up and be done with it. However, I need to help LaSalle get those people out of here first. I’m not quite devil they make me. Tonight, I prove.
“Da, more vodka,” I say to bastard sitting across from me.
Dead men don’t need names. I have forgotten his because it’s not necessary. I don’t like him. He thinks I’m stupid.
“I’m so glad you could come, Misha. I think we can build lucrative business together,” he says.
“But this is gun and ammo business, da. These rumors about selling babies, it’s lie?”
“Da, da. I am not in the business of selling people. You shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”
I nod, but I know lie when I hear. It’s written all over his face. He sells women, girls, and boys.
Nate and his team have been watching this place for two weeks. Tonight, they plan to take truck load of women and boys to auction. Too bad that truck will never make it.
“Do you mean to insult me?” I say and lift a brow.
“Net, I mean you no insult, my friend.”
I glare at him. He has no idea that Bobby is private buyer that has been purchasing from him for almost year now. It was one of the things LaSalle asked me to set up for his brother to nail this prick.
“Da, I think you mean to insult me,” I say.
“Net, my friend. Not at all. In fact, I have gift for you.” He looks over my shoulder. “Iosif, bring gift.”
The asshole that must be Iosif goes to rush from the room. When he pulls the door open, the sight before me nearly makes my head explode. I raise to my feet so fast, the chair I’d been sitting in falls to the ground.
“What is this?” My voice thunders through the room.
Bastard whips his head toward door. I’m seething as I watch girl guard another with her body. There is fucker holding a gun to her head. He grasps her arm and pulls her toward his chest. She’s not the younger of the two, and young like some girls I’ve seen in surveillance pictures.
“Kodiak, take your friends home. You and all friends leave, now,” this bastard behind me spats.
For a split second, confusion crosses Kodiak’s face. Catching on to his boss, he begins to tug the girl away, nodding for other to follow. She tugs free and rushes toward me.
“Wait,” she calls.
“I said shut your mouth,” Kodiak growls, grabbing her by the arm to pull her out of my sight.
I turn to this lying sack of shit, then back to the open doorway. “Bring them here. I want to ask questions,” I demand.
It is clear they are both unhealthy as their bones jut out in their faces. Although there are signs that curve once were there in the old girl, her body is well on the way to rail thin. Her clothes hang loosely from her.
Then there are her eyes. Her eyes are haunted and sunken. She seems to protect right side with one arm even as she tries to protect friend.
“They are nothing. Don’t worry.”
“I said bring them here.”
“You are worried about nothing. They are nothing. Let Kodiak handle his personal life. Those two fight like this all the time. He has temper. She and little sister will be fine.”
“In that case, Kodiak. You bring me gun. Now,” I say firmly, daring him to defy me.
He looks between Iosif and his boss. Iosif gives him a nod that I narrow my eyes at. I go to reach for my knives, but Kodiak hands gun