We double-park across from the building where Alex was staying. The same building Luka kidnapped her cousin in front of. It takes Dom two seconds to get us inside the building. Mailboxes line the right wall of the hallway, brown paint chipping at the corners. I find the one marked ‘Landers’ and push the small door with my finger. I don’t see much, but there’s obviously some mail inside.
Dom leads us to the third floor and stops outside apartment marked 301. He gets to work on the lock, while I slip my hands into my pockets, watching him work.
I used to pick locks, too. We’ve learned to do all the dirty work ourselves while growing up, but I never found much joy in it. Luka would laugh if he saw I needed Dom to pick open a lock. Fuck, no matter how much he used to annoy me, I miss the motherfucker.
The door creaks as Dom lets us inside, and immediately I know she’s not here. I don’t know why — her clothes are strewn all around the place — but a part of me knows she’s not here. Walking inside, I lift a red dress from the back of the couch and rub the smooth fabric between my fingers, imagining her wearing it. The next thing that catches my eye is a fist-sized pink rock on the side table next to the couch. I guess it’s one of the crystals she was telling me about. Fuck, it feels like years have passed since she told me I should get one to help with productivity.
Dom does a quick sweep of the place, confirming what I already knew. She’s not here.
Taking the gemstone with me, I stumble into the kitchen, where I open the wooden box labeled bread. A small piece of bread is inside, green with mold.
“She must have left days ago.”
The tiny flames of anger that crackled under the surface bubble to the top. “How the fuck did she leave with Andre keeping an eye on her?” This isn’t his first rodeo, for fuck’s sake.
“I have no fucking clue,” he responds, getting back into the hallway and checking for other exits. “There’s a fire exit. But she would still have to pass his car in the street. She’s difficult to miss.”
I grit my teeth at Dom’s insinuation that she’s too hot not to notice, even though I’m living proof of it. Reaching him, I glance at the fire escape, calculating the possible scenarios. “Someone experienced could’ve done it.”
And that’s the truth, isn’t it? I still see Alex as a fragile, vulnerable woman, not as a career criminal.
“Yeah, probably.” Dom adds.
“It goes without saying I want her found as soon as possible. Put a word out on both of her names.” If she’s any good, she has more than one fake name and more than one fake ID. Judging by the way she played poker, we’ll have no chance of finding her. My fist wraps around the crystal tightly, and I hurl it at the floor. It shatters into a thousand pieces. “Fuck,” I mutter, regretting it instantly.
My insides boil with rage. She played me again. But there’s one more emotion battling for dominance — fear. If the police are looking for her, who knows who else is? I’m the only one who can hurt her… and protect her. I can’t let anyone else get to her first.
CHAPTER 27
Leon
Three days later, we make no progress on her whereabouts. I’m crawling out of my skin with frustration, my sanity hanging on by a loose thread, ready to snap at any point.
The casino is dead at this time of the morning, with only a few hardened gamblers inside. Most of my employees aren’t here yet, so my workload is easier, leaving me more time to mull over my feelings.
“Sir, you can’t go inside.” I hear one of my men say just before the door slams open.
Maybe I’ve spoken too soon.
Stipe’s ugly face struts into the room, with a pissed-off expression. His thinning hair is slicked back, a toothpick stuck between his yellow teeth. With a shake of his head, he drops into the seat in front of me.
“Please let yourself in.” I gesture for him to sit. “How can I help you?”
“Great question. You can share what the hell is going on. People are talking, and they’re not sure they like the way this new leadership is going.”
Stipe was one of my uncle’s men. They became a separatefaction within the family, trying to push Uncle into a leading position. The position that Father left to me. I pour myself a drink, lifting it to my lips. “Should I give you a PowerPoint presentation sharing where I’ve been and what I did the last few weeks?” My voice is laced with sarcasm.
He lets out a loud sigh. “You know what they mean. We made no headway with the Russians, we have no idea where the fuck Luka is, and they’re just worried if you’re up for the task.”
The rakia burns its way down my throat as I try to keep my cool. My newfound aggressive urges are concerning, but I plan to do this my way. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we made plenty of headway. As far as Luka is concerned, maybe you’re the one who took him?”
His eyes widen as he bares his teeth in a fake smile. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten the way you strutted in here asking for him to be punished.”
“H-he killed my best friend. I was emotional.”
“Your best friend was scum. You might follow right behind if you don’t learn some respect.”
