him,” Addy said. “How?”
“One of the men you caught on surveillance from the first attack works with him almost exclusively.”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell us?” Addy shouted. “Jesus. Don’t you think we should have known you were making a power move to take the syndicate from him since our asses are on the line right now?”
Why would he want to run the vile organization who’d tried to destroy them both? Her pulse quickened. She fisted and unfisted her hands as she battled the urge to punch Kristof. How the hell could he do this to her? To them?
This wasn’t about her, though. How could she have been so blind?
“Does he know we’re here?” Gage asked.
“No.” Kristof motioned to Maksim. “We are the only two who knew.”
Right, like they could trust that. He’d lied to them at every turn.
“Which brings us right back to what I asked before. Who the fuck are you?” Gage took a step toward Maksim.
“I began working for Kristof nineteen years ago. Before that I did private contracting work. I continued with it and helped Kristof with a number of assignments through the years. Jud will recognize me easily enough.”
“You were Collective,” Mary said.
“I contracted for them a long time ago.”
“How does Jud know you?” Addy asked.
“We trained together on occasion a long time ago. He may not remember me at first.”
None of it made sense. Why would Kristof’s own father shove him into that camp? He’d been fourteen when he arrived. Most people who went there had been far older and headed for special forces or black ops groups.
“Why were you at the camp?”
“Father said I was weak, an embarrassment to the Sidorav name.” His jaw twitched as he clenched his fists. “I needed to be conditioned.”
“So he pulled you out once you were. That’s why you left. Without word. Without giving a damn about me. You promised. You swore.” Anger burned her eyes. She blinked and forced the hurt back.
This wasn’t about her. It couldn’t be.
He was that monster’s son.
Disgust rolled through her. Had she ever really known him? Had everything been a lie?
“Addy.” His voice cut through her thoughts and forced her to the present. “Look at me.”
She clenched her fists and tensed when he approached. She punched his chest when he reached for her. “Get away!”
“Look at me!” He grabbed her face.
Gage moved toward them, but Maksim stepped between him and Kristof and shook his head.
“He wouldn’t ever hurt her.”
“There’s more than one way to hurt someone,” Gage growled. “Step back or I’ll make you.”
Kristof gripped her chin and pulled until her gaze collided with his. “I had no choice. I swear I would’ve come back and saved you from that place if I could have. I had no choice.”
“You did.” She shoved his hand off her. “You could have told me who he was to you back then. Why didn’t you?”
“He’s never been anything more than a sperm donor to me. No one could hate him more than me.” Hurt flashed across his face, visible pain in his haunted gaze. He looked away.
“You still work for him. With him,” Mary said.
“Sometimes the only way to destroy a monster is to become one. I vowed to do everything possible to destroy him and that syndicate long ago. I’m close.”
“Closer than you realized if your suspicions are correct,” Maksim commented.
“Do you have access to his financials?” Mary asked.
“Some of them, not nearly all.”
“Give us what you know, and I’ll get the rest.”
“This isn’t an Arsenal matter,” Kristof argued. “I’ve given you my suspicions even though they don’t matter at this point. After tonight your mission is complete and you’ll be back where you belong.”
Far away from him. The unspoken words hung between them when his gaze cut back to Addy. Maybe she’d added the regret in his face when she studied him. It eased the ache radiating in her chest and calmed the sourness in her gut. She couldn’t believe he was anything but the protector he’d always been back then. He’d cared. Right?
“Your underground operation funds his syndicate?” Mary asked.
“No. It did at first, but not for the past several years. The only profits he reaps are when he uses my services to move assets.”
“Like those women,” Addy said. “They were his. Weren’t they?”
“Yes.”
Disgust twisted her gut. Damn him. Damn Kostya. When would her nightmare of a past stop surfacing?
“Is that why you helped free them?” Gage asked. “Because they were his. Maybe that’s why he went after you.”
“It’s possible, but unlikely.