Page 24 of Beautiful Revenge

“Like survive a kidnapping. When I was twelve, I was kidnapped by Sergei Belov. And I survived. And look where Sergei Belov is now. He’s dead.”

Finn’s only response is to smirk. “I’m not old like Sergei Belov was. I won’t die. And you don’t have the protection of Erik Koslov. I know he was the one who saved you back then. Dante told me all about it. You think you’re so tough, princess, but you’re not.”

I scoff. “No. You’re the one who thinks he’s tough but you’re not. You use your strength against me. That’s not honorable. That’s cowardice and you know it. Now, are you going to tie me back up or am I going to have to do it myself?”

For the first time since meeting Finn, I see pride in his eyes. He’s impressed with me.

I do have my own power.

Finn

I tie Aria back to the bed before I head off to meet with a client.

I still have to make money, now that I’m not working with Viktor any longer. I took a huge pay cut when I broke things off with Dante a few years ago now.

My new client is a middle-age man who meets up with me at a shitty, run down bar. It’s the type of bar where no one asks any questions. His name is Jakob Anderson and he wants his wife dead.

I slide into the back booth and wait. I’m wearing a green jacket that I told Jakob I would be wearing. We exchanged information over the website I use to book clients but I still like to meet in person to make sure they’re legit. And get paid in cash. No better way to guarantee someone has the money than to pay me in cash.

Jakob finally arrives, looking skittish. He spots me in the booth and takes his seat opposite me. “Mr. Dark?”

That’s the fake name I use on my website. No way am I going to let these fuckers know who I really am.

“Yep. Jakob Anderson?”

“Yes.”

“Have the money?”

“I do. In my car.”

“The whole hundred grand?”

Jakob nods.

“And no one will think it’s strange that you took out a hundred grand in cash?”

“I took it out over the course of the past few weeks. This needs to happen soon. My wife is the one who makes the most money out of us. She has a great life insurance policy.”

“So you want it.” I eye Jakob over. He’s not ugly but he’s also not handsome. Just average. “What does your wife do?”

“What does it matter what she does? I want her dead.”

“It matters. What if she’s a fucking cop or something?”

He sighs. “She’s a surgeon. She has no time to even raise our kids anymore.”

“And what do you do for work?”

“I used to be a teacher until I got laid off. Now I… do DoorDash sometimes to pick up some extra money.”

“So, let me get this straight. You want your wife dead because you think she’s not a good mom because she works as a surgeon and you’re a laid off teacher?”

He flushes. “I know how it sounds, ok? But it would be better for the family if me and the kids had her life insurance money. We could live off it for years. I could be more involved with my kids, not having to work.”

“You don’t work now.”

He somehow gets even redder. “I do work. I just told you. And you’re not one to judge. You kill people for a living.”

---