Westminster narrows his eyes. “What do you want our help with, Angel?”
“I need you to examine her.” Which is probably the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever said, and that includes the last ten minutes.
Every eyebrow in the room shoots to the ceiling.
“Not likethatunless you want to die today,” I clarify. “An academic test of herBusiness Studies skills.”
“He won’t let me go to my final university exam,” she explains to the mafia bosses who look either alarmed or sceptical or both.
“You are fucking kidding me,” Bethnal spits out, then turns on his heel and strides towards the exit.
“Where are you going?” Artem calls after him.
“I haven’t got time for this,” he snarls. “I’ve got a wedding toruin.”
“How intriguing.” Westminster smiles down at his wife.
“I know we call ourselves the London Maths Club, but that is a joke. This is a mafia syndicate. You’re aware of that?” Cavendish says cautiously. “And aware of what a joke is?”
“He means our legit businesses,” Jessa Lambeth interjects before I can reply, and leans in towards Caterina. “What would you do if your cash cow wasn’t performing?”
There’s a beat of silence.
“Low growth, but high market share, so, I would look for an alternative, stable investment.” Caterina’s voice gets stronger at the end of the statement.
“Good answer. Is that why he kidnapped you?” Cavendish smirks. “The Bratva men have no head for numbers.”
“I can count the number of men I’ve—” I snarl.
“Angel.” Adi Cavendish slips in front of her husband and raises one blonde eyebrow pointedly. “I thought you said you had something you needed to do.”
She has a point. The Geraci men who hurt my girl won’t murder themselves.
“Fine. Proceed.” Swallowing, I step back. I glare at the gathered mafia bosses over Caterina’s shoulder. My hand is still gripping hers, and I’m sure for a second that she’s holding on tight too.
“Will you be okay?” I lean down and say into her ear.
She turns her head, and her mouth is close enough to feel her breath. Her brown eyes are too near to see clearly. I wish fervently that I had the right to kiss her.
I’m breaking all my rules as it is.
“Yes,” she whispers.
“You’re going to do great,” I reply, almost against her lips, then withdraw. “Don’t let her leave. I have something I need to do. I’ll be back,” to claim Caterina, “as soon as I can.”
I arrive at the normal-looking townhouse and take the steps at a run. Bogdan meets me at the door.
“We have them.”
“I thought you said this was going to need all our resources?” I scowl, but follow as Bogdan leads me into a room where two cowardly excuses for men are tied to spindly chairs.
The fury explodes in me like flame held to gas. They hurt Caterina. They terrified her. If it weren’t for her quick thinking, they would have killed and defiled her in the most horrific way.
I snatch my gun from its holster and the world slows and narrows to pulling back the safety and feeling the ricochet as I fire again and again through the red haze until I’m squeezing the trigger, but nothing is happening.
I’ve emptied the clip.
They’re dead and I have to shoot them more.
