“Okay, boys.” Natasha walked up, saving me from snapping his neck like a twig.
“Ciao,Natasha.” I continued to ramp up the Italian accent that so many women loved in bed.
“Hi, Lorenzo.”
Ouch. That didn’t sound like my girl.“If this is the second—ahem—third round of fighting,” she said, “me and my cousin can go.”
“Nae.” Lachlan groaned beneath his breath.
“Enzo?” she said, eyes swinging to me, and I caught Lach’s wince. He didn’t like that, her using a nickname.
I shook my head. “Clearly, I’m the problem. I’ll bow out.”Today.
I softened my stance, shoulders sagging, and focused on that helpless, lost-puppy look I knew she couldn’t ignore. Her gaze bounced away from me.Dang.She couldn’t look me in the eye. Didn’t ask me to stay. Next thing I know? Natasha exhaled.Relief?
I turned away. As Lachlan embraced her and kissed her head, I mouthed over my shoulder,See you Monday, Tasha.
I hope she didn’t realize I knew her schedule with that cancer doctor. Meeting her at the hospital could be risky, but I’d have Rain infiltrate the hospital security film again. She’d scrub footage for the entire floor in case Vassili Resnov checked. And, yeah, he’d checked. Rain had told me that someone else had found a back door after she had scrambled the elevator and parking structure footage weeks ago.
At the lot, my boots struck pavement, the sound measured, soldier-sharp. Mission parameters set. Objective locked. The Scot had gotten under my skin, but killing him …
“You can’t kill your brother’s … brother.” Sighing, I slipped into the truck, duct tape in multiple places from where the sun cracked the leather.
I shook the image of Jamie from my mind and dialed Rain Howard.
The cyber operator picked up on the second ring, voice silk wrapped in steel. “Talk to me.”
“Almost snapped his neck.” My knuckles whitened while I choked the steering wheel. “The arrogance. He thinks money keeps her warm at night. Thinks because he throws a ball and poses for cameras, she belongs to him.”
“Enzo. Focus, baby.” Her tone dropped, steady. “Maybe you should let this go.”
I dragged in a breath. My head wanted blood. My chest … empty. Okay, maybe not empty. I had a heart. I’d fought spine to spine with his brother, Jamie. For now, that connection kept Lachlan alive. “You know why I can’t let it go. Why I can’t lethimgo. I never had my father. Vassili saw to that.”
“I know,” she said in a purr. “I’m listening. Just let it out.”
“My papa was a fighter. UFC. Just like Vassili.” My voice cracked before I forced it low again. “A greater man than Vassili could ever be.”
I shut my eyes. Saw the fight that haunted me. Every replay burned in my memory. Blinking it away, I said, “I don’t want Natasha …” I lied.
“Of course not, she’s that monster’s daughter.” I heard the hitch in Rain’s voice. My denial gave her the confidence to proceed. “What do we do next?”
“Use Natasha to prove I’m not powerless because I grew up foster.”
“Oh, baby. Don’t forget, I was a foster youth too. We are not powerless.”
We’re talking about me.
“You have a plan, Enzo. Monday, you’ll get rid of her.”
I exhaled slowly, tension bleeding from my shoulders. “Monday,” I echoed, the promise etched in stone.
Rain hummed. “I’ll handle the hospital footage. Like last time. Vassili won’t see you there.”
Good girl. Always covering my flanks. Always believing in me.
“Game plan’s set,” I murmured. “See her Monday. And Lach?” A smile curled my lips, glass sharp. “He won’t see the end coming.”
Or the fact that instead of killing him, I’d allow him to be eaten alive by how Natasha chose me. Because I didn’t intend to get rid of Natasha like Corporal Rain Howard assumed. Nothing so simple. I’d have her first.
