Page 141 of Unexpected Redemption

Without giving him a chance to continue, Katia flings more insults at him. When she’s done, she glares at Sawyer over her shoulder. “Let me go.”

A deep laugh oozes from Viktor’s chest, the sickening sound settling in my gut. “Interesting how you have a pregnant female restrained. Yet I move freely.”

“You’re not as free as you think.” I tip my chin over his shoulder. “Several guns pointed at your head from behind, plus ours in your face.”

Viktor mashes his lips together, the pressure turning them into thin white lines. Addressing Sawyer, he orders, “Put her in the front seat of my car, and we’ll finish our transaction another time. First, I must deal with her for attempting to stop me from delivering the architect’s message.”

“I won’t go anywhere with you. Never again.” She spits on the ground in Viktor’s direction, then whips her head to address Leo, who also has raised his night vision goggles off his eyes. “Tell him let me go, and I give you what you came for. Then I go free.”

I keep my eyes and gun on Viktor as my thoughts swirl.Is she who the architect sent or is Viktor? I don’t trust either of these fuckers.

To Sawyer, Leo utters, “Release her.”

As he complies, there’s a blur of movement in the corner of my eye, and then he issues a stern warning to Katia. “Don’t try anything stupid.”

Viktor’sfathomless eyes burn into her, and his upper lip curls. “Ty umresh' za predatel'stvo sem'i, shlyukha.”

Fucking hell.Is he threatening to kill her for betraying the Lenkov family or the architect’s family?

Her reply enlightens us only slightly. “No. You betray the family. Not me. You let your father’s prize get away. You shouldhave moved blonde slut when I told you. You are weakandstupid. It’s why Nikolai send me to watch you.”

Operating on instinct, I swipe my gun from Viktor to Katia, aiming the barrel between her eyes. She takes a step back and holds her hands up, but Sawyer is there to stop her from getting too far.

“Don’t you ever call her that again,” I force out, vision going hazy with my wrath.

Rage over her calling Lettie something so vile. Over teaming-up with ViktorandNikolai. For her role in the disgusting ploy to hurt my girl.

Everything.

I want her to die. I want herandViktor to die.

Neither are innocent.

Leo sticks out one of his giant paws in front of me. “Easy, T. She’s fucking pregnant.”

No shit. Doesn’t change the boiling fury inside me or make what she did forgivable.

Swiftly, I bat his hand away with the side of my gun and return it to where it was. “Who sent you, Katia?” I demand, my teeth grinding.

“My father. Daedalus,” she answers flatly, one brow arched in triumph. “I have what you need to sendhim,” she glares at Viktor, “to prison. Where he belong.”

She’s the one we were supposed to meet. Most likely, Viktor found out and came to stop her.

My arms slowly fall, dropping the gun toward the ground. “Where is it then? The proof? Give it to us.”

Reaching behind her, she lifts the back of her blouse and moves toward her waistband.

Muscles tightening, I raise my weapon again. “Slowly.”

Reducing the speed of her movements, she lowers her chin, looking at me with condescension dripping from her sneer. “I am not one you should cross, Mr. Stillman.”

She isnotour ally.

My stomach pitches and rolls with dread.

“Oversized delivery van incoming. West side of the lot,” Klein announces in a rush.

“Fuck. It’s blocking my line of sight,” Jonesy huffs.

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