He thought about the consequences of what his mind was mulling over. Was the risk worth the reward? Could she learn to trust him again?
To hell with everything, including the rigid guidelines set forth by the Dark Haven. They were no longer in the nineteen-forties,a time where the consortium led by brutality. This was the dawning of a new regime. He snickered at the thought.
Easing his phone from his jacket pocket, he set the plan in motion. Every detail would need to be perfect and he was taking a significant risk, but in his mind, every aspect of Sophia was worth the danger. The decision was his alone, delving into the unknown. This could cost him everything he held dear, as well as his life, but he didn’t give a shit.
Fifteen minutes later, everything was in place. He was excited, even sweating along the back of his neck. Another drink was in order then he’d prepare for the night ahead. Just seconds before he clicked off his computer, he noticed that she’d recently been online. He had a streak that had never been controlled, not by his dominating and harsh father or his brothers during years of being trained, groomed into the man he’d become. The devious aspect to his personality simply would not be denied.
And so, he began to type.
Wrath was going to require her full and complete submission to him, body and soul. By the time he was finished, he would own her once and for all.
And this time, it would be forever.
“Gather round, boys and girls.”
Sophia dropped her head into her hands, trying to ratchet down her rage. There was no doubt the director was pissed and his target of the day? Their team.
Again.
She dragged herself off the chair, heading toward the small group gathered just below the alcove. Every agent had been called in given their recent fiasco. When a few nasty glares were shot in her direction, she smiled, the plastic response her norm. She’d gotten too close to the assassin, allowing her desire to cloud her judgment.
Wait a minute, she no longer gave a fuck about him.
Liar…
She’d spent far too many nights alone digging through files, finding out everything she could about Wrath and the Dark Haven. Phone calls had been made, calling in favors owed. What she had learned should terrify her. Certainly, the two informants she’d talked with had been terrified, barely giving her anything useful then disappearing out of sight for fear of retribution.
They feared for their lives from an organization that was halfway across the world.
She’d collected enough information that she should also share her findings, but she wasn’t ready just yet.
Was this about the glory of taking the man down herself? Perhaps.
Her heart continued to tell her otherwise.
She sucked in her breath, clenching her fists and digging her nails into her skin. Pain. She longed to feel pain, craving the endorphins released. Wrath had taught her that with his dominating ways, his controlling mannerisms.
A warm flush crept up her jawline, the quiver in her pussy a dead giveaway that she was too close. If she were truly as married to her work as she claimed to be, she’d ask the director to take her off the case.
At this point, she might not have to ask given the director’s level of anger.
Director Montgomery shook his head and gave her a single glance before leaning over the railing, the separation between the agents and the big man in charge. She could swear he was reading her thoughts.
She resisted shuddering at the thought. While hierarchy wasn’t her style, she was going to keep her mouth shut for now. She was playing with fire and there was no chance she wasn’t going to burn in hell, but she’d already gone out on more than one limb by herself. There was no turning back. She either managed the arrest or went down in flames.
David remained sheepish as he flanked her side, trying his best to stay in the background.
“Listen up and let me be very clear,” Director Montgomery started then exhaled. “We are in a crisis. One of Miami’s most colorful citizens was shot dead tonight. George Marguiles.” He allowed the statement to linger. “A man with powerful influences. Now, we might not appreciate the man’s style of business, but it was our job to protect him.” He tipped his head, his eyes connecting with Sophia’s. “And. We. Failed.”
The murmur in the room was ugly.
“No great loss,” Sophia said with no inflection. George found his wealth in dealing cocaine and Ecstasy, rumored to have killed a solid dozen enemies in the process. Unfortunately, he’dridden under the radar for years, pretending to be nothing more than a real estate developer. Interesting that an assassin would kill a man of such significant… stature. She resisted chuckling. What else could the drug dealer be into that was vital to the consortium that he be eliminated?
Neither she nor David had picked up on anything out of the ordinary.
They’d found nothing useful at the crime scene, other than one terrified high dollar hooker, who’d been otherwise engaged in a bathroom during the execution. The hotel suite was one of the most expensive in the city and Mr. Marguiles had enjoyed an entire day of debauchery. The shot was clean, Wrath in and out in less than a minute. The kill could have been performed by anyone, except Wrath had left his mark—a change in his methods. A crisp white business card with the single letter of ‘W’ written in script. The man was playing them for fools.
He’s testing you…
