“I’m not using people like pawns, that’s your way of operating I’m told, Finch.”
His smile turned bright with a pinch of crazy. “You would know everything about being pushed around on a chess board, wouldn’t you Victoria? A woman’s life and will are worth less than damn motorcycles. But it’s where you belong, who you are, isn’t it? An MC princess, roaring royalty, so unlike my boys. And I can’t imagine how glad your father will be to recover you. He’s one difficult man, and I was wondering what to offer him as a boon to become his friend. You would do just fine as a gift, my dear.”
Fear almost drowned her, and she was glad to feel Lazarus and Lance closing in. Aleksei stayed silent and didn’t move, still out of her sight.
The goons stepped in her direction, Lance moved fast and hid her from view.
“I don’t think so, gentlemen.”
Finch laughed as his two guards whipped out guns and pointed out them at Lazarus’ and Lance’s heads.So much for being a weapon free zone, Deva thought.
“You come on your own two feet, my dear girl, or you’ll step on two corpses. Decide quickly.” Deva’s head reeled, but there wasn’t any choice. If she got out of her father’s grasp once, she could do it again. However, resuscitating corpses weren’t in her power.
Slowly she lifted her hands and sidestep around her two defenders. “I’ll go willingly, as long as they are unharmed.”
Bowing slowly, Finch offered her his arm which she ignored. Unoffended, the man reached for the door handle.
“Nobody leaves this room.”
At Aleksei’s deep, fierce tone, Deva froze, and the familiar clicking sound behind her made her realize that Finch wasn’t the only one who had broken the event’s rules.
Finch’s civilized veneer slipped as he looked at his son with a deadly gaze. “You would jeopardize everything you have bled for on a simple woman, Aleksei? For an MC bitch who was probably backstabbing you while you thought she was sucking your cock? Don’t be fooled son, you won’t win this fight by choosing her over me. If you step away, all the money you have accumulated will remain mine, and you will be back where you started. Is this what you want?”
Deva turned her head to look at Aleksei. The gun he was pointing at his father’s head was steady and his expression fearless. “You better go now, Father. Alone.”
Finch nodded, intelligent enough not to put himself in danger, and gestured to his goons to exit. “This is not over. I do not reward treason. You chose your camp, I hope she was worth it. Because when her father knows that she’s still breathing, you won’t have her for long. That’s a promise.”
Deva didn’t know she was in survival mode until the door closed behind the devil incarnate and she could finally draw a full breath. Her body wanted to flee, and her brain was agreeing with that plan. It was difficult to think clearly, but for everybody’s protection, she needed to get her wits into gear and fast.
Lazarus put a hand on her shoulder, making her jump. “Deva, I’ll arrange a safe house for you.”
Disappearing was a temptation, but not the solution.
“I’m not going anywhere. It may be the nerves talking, but something’s wrong. It’s impossible that Jamieson Finch would know who I was so quickly.”
Lance came beside her. “Maybe one of the security guys who saw your tattoo was working for him?”
“Maybe. It doesn’t sit well with me though. There is something bigger that I don’t see. A leak.”
Lazarus shrugged. “I wish I knew what it was too. But we need to move. I’ll find you a safe house, Deva. I’ll drive you to it now.”
The logical solution but again, her gut was disagreeing with it. “No offense Lazarus, but I have the feeling that Finch knows things before we even think about it. We need to move. I’ll find a solution later.”
But as she headed for the door, Aleksei blocked her path. “No, Deva.”
She backtracked from the wall of tattooed muscles. With only his pants and boots on, he was a sight to be seen, but lust had to take a backseat. “Stop right now. You think of me as a lying spy, well, you’re not far from the truth. But I’ve sacrificed my life and freedom to be here. And one thing I fled was an overbearing, directorial male so you can stuff the attitude, Aleksei.”
Lance opened his arms to stop the confrontation and ignored the fiery stare Aleksei aimed at him. “Can we continue this conversation in a safer place? By now, the parking lot should be packed with dangerous people, some of them at war. I don’t know how long the truce will stand, but the more we wait, the more complicated it will be getting out of here without a fight.”
Aleksei grabbed a black t-shirt and got his phone out. “I’ll call my Pakan, he’ll offer protection.”
Deva winced and put a hand on his wrist to stop him. “Bad idea. Unless you want to tell him you are trying to protect an MC princess, this could backfire on you. I doubt the Russian Bratva wants to get involved.”
“So, what do you suggest? We have only one gun, and there are hundreds outside. Not all waiting for us, but many begging for a fight.” Lazarus rubbed his beard, evaluating the situation.
Deva knew all of this. And from an early age, she had learned to consider them like wild animals, feeding on the weak. They couldn’t possibly get out of here, her hiding beneath her hood. They would be swarmed in a matter of minutes. The opened first-aid kit gave her an idea.
“Aleksei, go through the warehouse and get out. Oz, Lance and I will take the emergency exit door.”
