“I was—” I hesitate. “At first. But he never asked for anything other than an SD drive. I never told him anything about your operations or the training center. I didn’t even tell him about us.”
“There is no us.” I can hear the sound of ice clinking against crystal. He’s drinking. “Tell me, little traitor, if you weren’t working with that agent, how did he have my brothers name? Because he knew it, Avaleigh. He whispered it in my ear and you’re the only one who could have told him.”
What is he talking about? I never gave Archer any information on his brother. I only met with him once, before I was taken, and even after, I never gave up anything. I wouldn’t.
“Fuck you, Matthias,” I whisper brokenly. “You know I would never do that.”
“Well, darlingwife,” he spits out the word like it disgusts him. My chest tightens painfully, tears gathering in the corner of my eyes at his darkened tone. “I don’t believe you. Now, if this is all you called for, I have better things to do.”
Better things to do.
Fuck him.
“Christian is moving to containers of ammunition in one week,” I tell him, forcing my tone to flatten. Let him think I am unaffected by his words. That I no longer care, even if every word he utters is like a small death to my heart.
“And I care why?”
I never wanted to punch someone as badly as I want to punch him.
Okay, not quite true, but it is a close call.
Twatwaffle.
“Kavanaugh wants to form an alliance against him,” I keep going. “If we can start taking out his convoys and find out who is supplying him, we can start taking down whatever he is building.”
“He shouldn’t be building anything,” Matthias growls. “The DEA froze every asset Ward had. There is nothing left for him to build.”
I bark a laugh. “Wow,” I breathe. “The great Matthias Daskov doesn’t know everything. How cute.”
“Ava.” His tone is a warning I choose to ignore. I no longer have to obey him. The great BratvaPakhanhas no control over me. Not anymore.
“No, just let me soak in this moment for a second.” Letting out a long, happy sigh, I count to ten before finally moving on. I don’t need to Matthias on the end of the line to know his jaw is clenched, eye twitching, no doubt ready to paddle my ass.
His loss.
“Christian mentioned that there is someone backing him.” My breath hitches as I push back the dark memories to the far reaches of my mind. I can still feel the pain from his beating ghosting along my face and body. The punches. The whip. The fucking cattle prod. “Not only that, but the FBI agent who tried toblackmailme, is in on it too. But…” I pause as I search for the right wording. “He’s playing Christian, too. I think.”
“You think?” It irks me to know that the man no doubt has his eyebrow raised in disbelief, mocking me, even through the phone. I resist the urge to send him a scathing remark.
I am the bigger person.
Or so I tell myself as I hold the phone away from my ear and stick my tongue out like a petulant child denies her ice cream.
It’s not like he can see me.
“Mark confirmed that Agent Jonathon Archer was real,” I continue like I didn’t just act like a toddler. “But Christian isadamant that it has all been nothing but a façade. A trick to lure me in.”
“He’s definitely a real FBI agent,” Matthias puts in.”
“Christian is also the one who killed Elias.” I wonder if Matthias knows that. “And Libby…”
Matthias is silent on the other end for a moment before he lets out a long sigh.
“Vas told me Libby didn’t make it,” Matthias murmurs, not unkindly. “I didn’t know about him Elias. Did he tell you why?”
“Because he gave me to you.”
“Makes sense,” Matthias sighs tiredly. “Christian is obsessed with you and Elias just fed on that obsession to control him.”
