Page 16 of Lethal Abduction

And Roman Stevanovsky isn’t just a boss, apakhan, leader of the Stevanovsky clan.

He’s also the creator of Mercura, a digital money laundering platform that launched last year and has since gone on to become a multibillion-dollar money machine. It’s invisible, untraceable, and the method through which every major criminal transaction in the world is now done.

I’m happy for Roman’s success, just as I’m happy my oldest friend has finally found love with Darya. A family. A home.

And I fucking hate the fact that my loyalty to him means I lost my chance to have any of that.

I’ve never told Roman what Abby said to me the night she left, about making my own life. It wouldn’t be fair if I did. And I know that making me head of the task force to return the Naryshkin treasures was Roman’s own way of giving me some form of autonomy.

But only a form of it.

In the end, I’m his right hand. The man who has his back. I’ve been that person since I was ten years old, and I’m starting to realize that, in Roman’s mind, that’s who I’m always going to be.

Up until the night Abby left, that never bothered me.

But since that night, I can’t seem to stop fucking thinking about it.

Her words echo through my head:You belong to Roman first, above everything else—even above yourself.

Fuck this. I need another drink.

I look up and realize my mindless wandering has brought me to Pillars nightclub, down by the marina.

Ha.Of course it has.Right back to the start.

I stand across the road in the shadows for a bit, just watching the posers and pretty people going in and out. Then, on an impulse, I push off from the wall and cross the street.

Memories.

They’re fucking murder.

I greet the men on the door and go inside.

If the memories are going to come, I’ll need more than one drink.

Malaga, Spain

Two years earlier

“Nice car.”Abby touches the leather seats of the Range Rover.

I try not to stare at the long length of tanned thigh under her black dress.

“Boss give you this?”

I cast her a sideways glance. “You’re not a Roman Stevanovsky fan, I take it?”

She snorts. “He’s an asshole.”

“Not to your friend, he isn’t.” That much is true. I’ve never seen Roman so hooked on anyone as he is on Lucia Lopez, and I’ve known the motherfucker since he was screwing whores in the back streets of Miami.

“He better not be.” Abby’s tone is fierce. “Because if he hurts her, I’m going to have to kill him.”

That makes me smile. “Good luck with that. Roman is a very difficult human to kill, and believe me, many have tried.”

“That Iwouldbelieve.” She turns to me. “What about you? Let me guess. You’re Roman’s human shield.”

I grin. “Something like that. Although he’s not bad in a fight himself.” The thought of Roman hearing himself described asnot bad in a fightmakes my smile even wider.

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