His grip tightens. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not—”
He shoves me back. I stumble, catch myself on the desk.
“You went to his apartment,” Gabriel says, voice deadly quiet. “You stayed the night. And now you’re standing here telling me he did that out of the what?Kindness?”
“He offered me shelter. I chose that over walking in the rain, you texted me to stay, I stayed, but he didn’t tell me anything. That’s all.”
“Bullshit.” He circles me like a predator. “What are you hiding from me?”
“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
“I’m not—”
His fist connects with my stomach.
Air rushes out of my lungs. I double over, gasping, pain exploding through my abdomen.
“Try again,” he says.
I can’t breathe. Can’t think.
“I didn’t get anything from him,” I manage between gasps. “I swear.”
He grabs my hair, yanks my head back. “Then why did you stay so long?”
“Because you told me too and walking through Bratva territory alone at night is suicide and you know it.”
His eyes search mine. Looking for the lie. He won’t find it.
Finally, he releases me. I collapse to my knees, clutching my stomach.
“Get up,” he orders.
I force myself to stand. Every muscle screams in protest.
“You’re going back,” he says.
I blink. “What?”
“ToMaksim.New plan is, now that you’re in with Maksim. Seduce him, make him like you, let him fuck you, whatever you got to do. Get me my intel.”
***
Between the diner, cleaning Mrs. Hardinoff’s place, and the bakery, I’m exhausted and I haven’t seen Maksim in weeks.
Excellent for me but also Gabriel is on me almost daily. I don’t dare tell him I have Maksim’s number. He’d force me to call him. I drag the trash to the alleyway behind the diner, toss it in and shut the top.
Footsteps shuffle behind me.
The hair raises on the back of my neck. I drop, grab the knife from my boot and turn with a swing.
A hand catches my wrist.
“Hey, it’s just me.”
