While we’re waiting for our food, a commotion in the back of the restaurant catches my eye. Two guys that definitely don’t work here walk toward our table. “Heads up,” I warn with a jerk of my head. These guys are Viktor’s; you can tell by how they’re dressed.
They stop beside the table, and Les doesn’t even spare them a glance. “Mr. Orlov wants to see you in the back,” the biggest one says, making sure he flashes the Glocks hanging in his holster.
Les looks up, glances at them, then looks back at the table, dismissing them without a word.
“That wasn’t a request,” the other guy grits out.
“You can tell Mr. Orlov,” Les says with a sneer, “to fuck off.”
Everything happens fast. The biggest one reaches for Les, grabbing her arm and jerking her to her feet. Zane moves in a flash, his chair toppling backward when he stands up. “Remove your fucking hand, or I’ll blow your brains all over this fucking floor,” Zane growls, Glock pointed at the guy’s head.
Shit. That escalated way faster than we expected. Everyone in the restaurant is staring, shocked as hell.
Ryder casually points his Glock at the other guy’s junk without standing up.
Les jerks her arm free, eyes blazing. “If Orlov wants a meeting with me, he knows where to find me.” She jerks her head, signaling it is time to go. She turns to walk away when we all stand, then looks back. “And if you ever lay your hands on me again, I’ll cut your balls off and feed them to your fucking boss.”
We all follow her to the car without a backward glance, all of us piling into Ryder’s Explorer, Les up front with Ryder. He squeezes her thigh before shifting into drive, leaving the parking lot.
“Nice reaction time, Big daddy,” I remark, causing Zane to slap me on the back of the head from his seat behind me.
Les groans. “Please stop calling him that.”
We make it a block from the restaurant when Les’ phone rings. “It’s an unknown number.” We know what that means. I jerk my phone out of my pocket, firing a message to Holden to tapinto her phone, hoping to track this asshole. She slides to answer, flipping it to speakerphone. “Hello?”
“That was quite the show you put on, Precious.”
All color drains from Les’ face at the sound of that voice; Ryder takes one look at her and jerks the wheel, pulling to the side of the road. I subtly rub my scar, remembering this motherfucker almost took me out.
“What do you want?” she asks with a quiver in her voice.
Jay chuckles. “You,” he says simply, and I hear Zane growl behind me. “I see Zane didn’t listen again.”
As much as we don’t want Les to go through listening to him, we need to keep him on the phone so that Holden can trace the call.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Les replies, her voice getting stronger.
“I see you, Precious,” he purrs. “No matter where you go, you can’t hide from me.”
“Good fucking thing I’m not hiding, then,” Les grinds. Pissing him off could go in so many different directions; the only one we want is him dead.
“One by one,” Jay sing-songs, then the line goes dead.
Les drops the phone, all bravado leaving her at once. Ryder jerks her to his chest over the console. “You did good,Il mio sole.”
Ryder glances at me, and I shake my head. Holden messaged and said he couldn’t get a trace; the call ended too quickly. Ryder shuts his eyes and pulls her closer. He strokes her back until her shoulders stop shaking, and she pulls back with a smile. “I’m okay.”
Jay has to die.
Soon.
Chapter 23
Alessa
No sooner than I pull back from Ryder’s arms, his phone rings, making me jump out of my damn skin. “It’s Ghost,” he says softly, squeezing my thigh. I know what I need to do to draw out Jay, but hearing his voice is much worse than I anticipated. Glancing back at Zane, I can see the worry lining his face and the anger.
“What’s up?” Ryder answers, pushing the button on the steering wheel and pulling back onto the main road.
