bucket,” he said calmly, his composure returned. “I can make you rich. Return my immortality, and we’ll work out an exceptional arrangement. You’ll never want for anything.”
“I just bet.” I spat on the ground as his dark blood churned in my stomach like spoiled meat.
“We all have our secrets,” he went on, turning his gaze downward. “How many people know about your little secret? Does the Mageri know you’re a half-breed?”
I slammed the door and rounded the car from the rear. “I don’t like veiled threats.” When I reached the other side, I set the pointy tip of the sword against the concrete and rested my hands on the pommel. “I’m not here to make deals. You picked the wrong woman. That’s a mistake you’ll have to live with for the next thirty seconds of your life.”
He held out his hands, beads of sweat clinging to his wrinkled forehead. “Wait! If I die, my fortune goes to the Mageri. Wouldn’t you rather see it go to the little children? I can make this right. That video isn’t what you think. It’s old, and she was an actress!”
I gripped the handle with my right hand and drew in a deep breath.
Crawford’s last words put the nail in his own coffin. “They had a choice. They wanted to do it. And I gave them plenty of money.”
I swung my arm. Bright-red blood gushed from his neck. When he tried covering the wound with his hands, blood sprayed outward.
Crawford didn’t deserve a quick end. I wanted him to suffer for years before the sweet release of death. His victims deserved justice.
I tossed the sword to the ground, and the metal clanged against the concrete as Crawford bled out. Ignoring the gurgling and gasping, I reached into the back seat and snatched the envelope filled with cash.
Someone seized my arm, and I spun around and threw energy into him.
Flynn gave me a hard shake and glowered. “What the bloody hell have you done?”
I wrenched away. “Taking out the trash.”
He noticed the envelope. “I knew you were trouble.”
“How did you know I was here? Did you follow me?”
“Of course I followed you. I stepped outside for a smoke when I saw you getting in the car with that deranged cad.”
“You warned me to stay away from him.”
He snorted. “You suck at taking advice.”
I stepped forward and narrowed my eyes. “Did you know about his perversions?”
“A few months ago, a lady quit after going off with him. Seems he likes it rough and wanted her to assault him or something along those lines.”
I gave Flynn a hard shove and forced him into the back seat. Seconds after viewing the video, he shot out of the car and stumbled backward. When the audio filled his ears, Flynn dove back into the car and pounded his fist against the screen until it broke.
He got out, his breath heavy. “If I’d known about that, I would have done something about that manky bastard myself.” Flynn put his hands on his hips and looked down at the body. “We can’t leave him here like this.”
“Help me lift him,” I said. “We’ll dump his body in the trash. I can drive the car somewhere and clean it, strip the plates, remove personal items—”
“Have you lost your mind? You want to toss him in the bin? That’s exactly the kind of thing that draws attention from the Mageri.”
“And what do you know about body disposal?”
“That there’s a learning curve.” He took out his phone and sent a message. “I know a cleaner who owes me a favor. Did anyone else see you leave together?”
“About thirty humans. What’s the doorman’s name? He saw me go with Crawford. His name starts with a G.”
“I’ll take care of Gordon.”
“What do you mean by ‘take care of’?”
Flynn put his phone in his back pocket. “Money takes care of everything. He’s a good chap and knows how to keep secrets. Did you think I was going to bury him in cement? I’m not the mafia.” He ran his fingers through his windblown hair. It defied gravity and refused to lie flat, as if he’d stuck his finger in a light socket.
Why the hell am I thinking about his hair when I just murdered an elite?
“Why was Crawford considered a VIP?” I asked. “Please don’t tell me he works for the higher authority.”
“Money makes you important. I don’t know what kind of personal connection he has with the owner or if it’s just about money, but he’s not