Page 74 of The Silent Princess

“It better not have anything to do with trafficking or…”

“It is a report of all the money laundering he did for various politicians, members of Congress, and senators. Things a lot of people would like to see disappear, and if it so happens that they become aware of it, they would be quite determined to make him disappear.”

“And if he does not back down after you threaten him with it?”

“Then things will turn a different way for Cole, and I am afraid his legacy will stop with him.”

“Tristan,” Nate warns, trying to reason with me. Only, does he not know that a madman cannot be tamed? Cole Vodianov has been poisoning our lives since I was born. It was all business games until he targeted Ella. My Ella. And I do not just see red now. I see guts, and cartilage, and liters of blood, and torn flesh. Fate. Just like his family did to my family. I never wanted to become like my father, but circumstances are twisting my hand.

“You will go back home to Maddie, and you will take over all of this if anything happens to me. Along with Ella. She is home, and I asked for you to come tonight so you could look me in the eye and give me your word to take care of her.”

“Tristan, I won’t. This isn’t…”

“Your word. I need it.”

“You…”

“Shit, Nate, we don’t have much time,” I cut him off.

“Okay, okay. I’ll do it, all of it. I’ll take care of her, but I am coming with you to Cole’s.”

“No. And that is not your big brother talking. That’s your boss.”

“Then I will quit and help you either way.”

“You guys are done, or?” Matt cuts in. “We really need to get going before they find us.”

“You stay. End of discussion. Maddie needs a father.” Nate groans and shakes his head, but at least I have won the vital argument. Cannot have a dead brother. I can do a lot of things, but this isn't one of them.

“How will I know you are all right?”

“I’ll call you. Please go home now.”

“You really won’t let me win this.”

“Not this time.” Turning on his heel, he gets out of the office, anger weighing on his shoulders. We did not say goodbye. Because it would mean that it could happen, and I am trying to stay positive. Now that he is gone, I can get to the ugly part.

“You are not going to let Cole out with it, right?” Matt asks, one brow up, calling on my bullshit.

“No.”

“Why meet him, then? Why the bullshit blackmail?”

“Because I needed Nate to give me his word and understand what was about to happen, even if things go more violent than I let on. Killing was always out of the picture.”

“Why go all the way, then? Why now?”

“Because I have never had a reason to do it. Killing for money is not worth it, especially when you can beat your opponent in so many other ways. Now it’s different.”

“Different?”

“If you had a wife, would you kill a man who threatened her with a target on her back?” He scoffs, then his face turns blank, emotionless, as if the thought of it could not even be a possibility.

“I would, and I’d sleep like a baby after.”

“Thought so.” I wave my hand at him. “You can still back down.”

“And let you go by yourself?” He scoffs. “Like hell I would. You do know I’ve been to Iraq.”