climbed the stairs. He could hear two people snoring. Deep sleepers. It angered Calix that Maury could sleep peacefully after what he’d done to Rum. He fingered the Glock in the front of his pants as he contemplated putting a bullet between Maury’s eyes. Calix was a patient man; his obsession with Rum was testing that patience. It wasn’t as much fun playing with Maury. His protective nature was overriding his desire to mindfuck Maury. He’d have to kill them both if he shot Maury tonight, and he didn’t want to do that. He had no beef with Earlene. Calix wasn’t a man who believed innocents should suffer; casualties of war weren’t an option. A killer with a conscience. Some Sicario you are.
Calix stood in the doorway, breathing the stale air. It wasn’t the smell that sickened him; it was the sight of Maury sleeping in boxers. The guy acted like he didn’t have a care in the world. Calix’s fingers absentmindedly grazed the butt of Glock again.
He forced himself to walk to the dresser where Maury’s watch was. He picked it up and put it in his pocket. It was cheap, but it wasn’t about money. He quickly eased all the dresser drawers open.
He tiptoed back down the stairs. One more glance around the room assured him he’d done enough, except for leaving the front door wide open. He did that when he left.
Chapter Seventeen
Kathleen never saw the arm that snaked out from behind a corner until it was around her throat.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”
“I was planning on sneaking away to the Bahamas. You’ve caught me.”
“Real funny, Kathleen,” Glazov hissed through gritted teeth and a piercing gaze. “Don’t play with me, girl. I’m not easily humored.”
“You’re kidding. I thought I could just run you over and use you for your money.”
Glazov gripped her chin tightly and ran a thumb over her jawline as he studied her flawless beauty. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you like getting that porcelain ass of yours spanked.”
“If you think I’m going to bend to your every whim, you married the wrong woman.” Her eyes held the steel of resolution. “You forced me into this marriage. You’ll never force me into dependence on you. I’m a big girl, and I can take care of myself.”
Glazov’s laughter rumbled through the hallway corridor.
“See…that’s why I like you. I never know what crazy thing you’re going to do next.” His expression went cold as if someone had flipped a switch. “Don’t ever get it twisted, Ptichka. I killed to get you, and I’ll kill to keep you.”
Kathleen jerked her head away from his grip. “That’s news to me.” Her mind was running rampant, trying to figure out if he’d really killed anyone to secure her as his bride. Now there was the glint of a secret in the man’s eye who held her captive.
“It would be selfish of you to believe you only put your life in danger when you cross me. My life revolves around you; the world doesn’t. You’d be wise to remember that. Don’t play with me, Kathleen. You’ll never win.”
Glazov stepped back and straightened his tie, never removing his ice blue gaze from her face.
“I have a meeting with Novak. I’ll deal with you later.”
She watched as he strode down the hallway with the confidence of a man who held the power of life and death in his hand. It was his way of telling her their conversation wasn’t over.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t resist antagonizing him. She knew she was playing with fire, but there would always be a part of her that would rebel against him for forcing her into his bed and then marriage. She had no way of knowing she intrigued him with her strong personality. She was the first woman to ever stand up to the man known as the Pakhan.
“Another run-in with that crazy wife of yours?” Novak laughed when Glazov entered the office.
“You’ll see sooner or later,” Glazov smirked.
“I’ll just string her ass up and leave her in the dungeon.”
“Been there, done that. It doesn’t work. An independent woman won’t break. I don’t want to break my wife anyway. It’s too much fun disciplining her.”
“You knew what you were getting into when you married Kathleen. She was the first woman who didn’t bow to your every whim. Oh, great and mighty Pakhan, how many ways can I suck your cock?”
“Fuck you. I see how women fall all