Page 91 of Unexpected Redemption

Hovering beside me, she taps her mauve fingernail on the screen, pointing to the email entitled:A little something for Redleg’s finest.“This one?”

My blouse feels tight around my chest, so I give it a tug to straighten it. “Yep. The subject is odd. But if you’ll notice, it shows me as the sender. And I didn’t send it to myself.”

“Very strange.” She gestures to my seat. “May I drive?”

I bounce up and move aside. “By all means.”

In a series of rapid clicks and typing at a speed that makes her seem more robot than woman, she logs me off and signs in with an administrator login.

“I’m isolating the email so we can open it without risking the network. It’s like putting it in a steel box.”

Silently, I watch her work in astonishment.

She stops to rub her palms together, resembling a mad scientist, minus the diabolical energy. “Okay, here we go. Let’s open this baby up.”

My heart slams in my chest as soon as my eyes latch on the text inside the email—none of which was visible in the preview line since it doesn’t start until halfway below the top of the page.

This one is for you, Violet Holt. Share it with your boyfriend as a token of my appreciation. Just like a trained dog, he played fetch, doing my dirty work for me. Or perhaps share with the one who has your eyes, my pretty little slut. Maybe both.

Viktor. The bastard.

Below the text are two images.

I cover my mouth to stifle my gasp. The first one is a screenshot of a text message reading:It’s done, Boss. The text also has a picture of a bludgeoned man. Looks like a prison inmate based on the blood-soaked orange jumpsuit.

Must be Yev.

And below that is . . .

Mia minimizes the screen before I have a chance to look too closely. Thank goodness she did. I wouldn’t have been able to look away. Like a car accident, as much as you don’t want to see, you’re powerless to avert your eyes.

Bolting to her feet, she whips around to face me. Her lightly freckled cheeks blanch. “Lettie, I’m sorry you saw that. I shouldn’t have opened it in front of you. I wasn’t thinking. Are you okay?”

I don’t have words, so I stand there, flapping my jaw silently like a freaking fish.

The whooshing sound behind my ears drowns out whatever she’s saying. But a bit makes it through.

With a gentle shake of my upper arms, she urges, “Breathe. Just breathe. Everything’s fine. You’re safe.”

A huge exhale comes out in a rush, making my shoulders collapse. The tightness in my chest and throat cause me to struggle to replace the oxygen I just expelled. My knees buckle, and my vision wobbles.

Where are Simone’s breathing techniques when I need them? I realize I should be doing them, but I have no clue what they are right now.

All I can think of is Viktor.

How he smelt.

The horrible things he said.

The pain.

Somehow, Mia gets me into my seat before I fall.She squats in front of me. “Look at me, Lettie. Focus on me.”

I blink repeatedly, searching for something to cling to. My skewed vision makes me want to throw up. The weight of her palms settles on the tops of my thighs. “Breathe in for four. Breathe out for four.”

Trying to follow her instructions, I struggle to suck in a deep breath, only getting small flutters of air past my teeth. A tremble runs through my hands.

Mia holds up something in front of my face. “Lettie. Focus on this. Look at the pen. Do you see the pen?”

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