But then the sirens reached full volume...and stopped, right above us.
“Chyort,” breathed Valentin. We both started looking for an exit. Except...this was a basement. All the exits led upwards, towards the cops. We looked at each other in horror. Radimir owned the buildingthrough a complex series of holding companies: no one could tie it to us. But if we were caught down here with four million dollars’ worth of stolen cars…
Voices, upstairs. Coming rapidlydownthe stairs.
Valentin, ever resourceful, ran to a drain cover and levered it up. Both of us recoiled as the stench of the sewer hit us. Valentin climbed in and started descending the ladder. “Come on!” he hissed. “You want to go to jail?”
I hesitated, looking around. I couldn’t lose all this. Not mycars!My brain refused to accept that the raid was happening.No one knows about this place. They can’t have found it, it’s not possible!
Then I heard a familiar female voice, rising above the others. “You two, down there. The rest of you on the south side!”
Alison!And suddenly, itwaspossible.
I scrambled into the sewer and slid the drain cover closed above my head. Before I could even climb down the ladder, boots clattered above me as cops swarmed the garage. I hung there, squeezing the rungs in silent fury.Goddamn you, Brooks!The drain cover had a couple of tiny square holes in it and when I shifted my head, I glimpsed her: hands on her hips, scowling at the cars. “They must be here somewhere!” she yelled. “Search everywhere!”
Very, very quietly, I climbed down the ladder into hip-deep, stinking water and crept away.
Valentin and I had to wade for half a mile before we could climb back up. We emerged down the street from the garage, filthy and coughing from the smell. I wiped my hands on my suit and looked at the ring of red and blue lights encircling the garage.
Gone. Four million dollars' worth of cars. Fourmillion!It wasn’t just the money; it was the power they could have bought us. They could have been used to smooth things over with district attorneys or bribe judges. And in some stupid, childish way, they’d beenmine.
The anger expanded in my chest, and I paced, unable to stand still.Alison.She must have figured out, somehow, that I was behind the car thefts and found the common link between the owners: they’d all visited the same restaurant. She’d probably put a tracker onone of the cars, let me steal it, and then follow it to the garage.Yebat’! How dare she? Howfuckingdare she?! I drew in a shuddering breath, every muscle tight with rage. I’d never hated anyone so much, but, even now, the memory of her soft skin, the feel of her pussy caressing my cock through those tight, tight leggings…
“Blyat’!” I yelled. “Blya, blya...Blyat’!” I picked up the drain cover and hurled it at the nearest parked car, caving in its hood and shattering the windshield. The alarm started to blare.
Valentin put his hand on my arm. “Gennadiy?”
I spun around. “Leave me alone!” I roared.
He stumbled back...and the look on his face made me freeze. He was shocked, wounded...even a little afraid. And that felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. The anger blew away like mist and, for the first time in months, I saw clearly.
This woman had worked some magic on me. Ever since she walked into my life, I’d been making mistakes, losing money, jeopardizing deals, all because...what? Because she was beautiful? Because I wanted to fuck her? And now things had gotten so bad, I was taking it out onValentin, on my baby brother?!
I grabbed him and pulled him into a tight, tight hug. “I’m sorry, brother,” I told him, my voice rough with emotion. “I’m sorry.” I closed my eyes. How could I get mad at him? The one I’d sworn I’d always protect...because I’d failed to protect him when he needed it most.
I released him, took a deep breath, and started walking towards my car. The emotion had hardened into rock inside me, blocking out any doubts. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“What are you going to do?” asked Valentin.
“What I should have done back in the casino.”
I was going to kill Alison Brooks.
15
GENNADIY
Except I couldn’t findher.
After I’d dropped off Valentin and changed my clothes—my suit was so badly soaked with filth, I had to throw it away—I drove back to the garage. The area was still swarming with cops, but Alison was nowhere to be seen.
By now, dawn was breaking, the sun weak and barely visible behind thick gray clouds. I drove around town for a while, waiting for Alison to show up and start following me: she was never out of my hair for long. But she didn’t show. Radimir called again. He was calling every ten minutes, wanting to know how one of our most important businesses had been taken down. But I wasn’t picking up. I didn’t want to speak to him until I could tell him she was dead.
I made sure to drive past some traffic cameras, so she could pick me up that way if she was searching. When that didn’t work, I drove right past the FBI headquarters.I’m here! Come and get me!
Nothing. I thumped the steering wheel in frustration. How was I going to kill her if I couldn’t find her?Where the hell is she?
Was it possible that...she had the day off? But she was like me; shenevertook time off. And why would she choose to go on vacationtoday,the morning after a major bust?
