Page 12 of Power of Shadow

The very thought makes me grit my teeth.

The Jackal! A man who has been a thorn in my side for some time now. The man with whom I compete in this wild field for recognition, power, and money. I hate him, even though I’ve never met him.

He showed up from nowhere and scrambled up the ladder of a murderer’s career. For a long time, he didn’t get in my way but more and more often, I’ve been encountering recognition of his sophisticated killing methods.

And I don’t like this at all. Something inside me turned when I encountered the recognition he deserved.

Did I mention I hate him? Oh, yes...

“I’m the best, and you know it,” I say through clenched teeth.

“Don’t deny it. Some doesn’t even dare to ask for your time. The rest knows you’re worth every penny. But if I have no choice, I’ll go for the second-best option, and that means—”

“Fuck you!” Anger rises in me again, and he just laughs.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Back to business. Someone important needs to sleep. The client specifically requested Shadow.”

“Okay. Nothing strange about that. Where’s the catch?”

“It’s going to be a challenge. The target isn’t easy to catch. He’s also more protected than a Supermax,” he answers.

“Are you kidding me? Who’s better protected than the most heavily guarded prison? The damn president?” I’m joking. I think I’m joking.

“Nah... The president is a small fry. Want to know the reward for this head?”

“Now you have my attention.”

“Two million.”

I gasp. It sounds almost unreal.

The client must be desperate, or getting rid of the target must bring him much greater benefits. Or both.

But for me, it’s not about the money. I mean, it is, but it’s more about maintaining my position as the leader among paid assassins. The Jackal threatens that position, and I can’t wait for him to hear he has been screwed over.

“What’s your cut?” I ask after a moment.

“As usual. Ten percent.” Two hundred thousand. He’s set himself up pretty well in all this. “I’ll have the files delivered to you as soon as we’re done talking. This is a sensitive issue.”

“Do that. I’ll take it.”

“Ash… If you screw this up, blood will spill. I’m not just talking about your head, but mine too. Everyone close to you, everyone you care about, everyone you love, will be in danger. Zoe won’t be safe either. Don’t fuck this up.”

When I hear my sister’s name and the thought of her being unsafe... “I won’t.”

“And that’s why I love you. As Shadow, you’re like a fucking aurora that we can’t take our eyes off. You’re in a class of your own.”

“Flattery won’t get you very far with me. Besides, I’ve already agreed. Now fuck off.” I should end this now.

“How did your date go yesterday?”

My eyes flare at his words. “How do you know about that?”

“I know everything about you, Princess. You didn’t think I’d just forget about you when we weren’t seeing each other, did you?”

To be honest, that’s exactly what I thought. Just because we fucked here and there for a few years didn’t mean he was my boyfriend.

“Don’t tell me I’m right, Ash. You’re a gem, and I protect what’s precious to me. But it’s good that you took care of him. If one of my guys had laid a hand on him, he would never have seen the light of day again, wouldn’t have been able to find his ass with his finger, or even piss standing up. I heard it was quite a nice show.” The amusement in his voice is clear.