Page 105 of Savage Enemy

The Russian nodded, his eyes never straying from me.

“Yes, well, here is what I am permitted to offer... We will transfer two million. Half when we take her and half at the end of the first year. That is, if she survives. Then we open trade routes through Canada for you.

“We do not recommend American drivers in the winter. The roads get very difficult. Twenty-five percent of every shipment belongs to us, either in transported goods or the equal value in cash. Bribing of border patrol and any other authorities comes from your pocket.”

Aris shrugged. “That seems fair.”

I caught movement from the corner of my eye. Marco had straightened his posture. His fists were balled at his sides, and when I turned my head to see his face, he had his jaw clenched.

He’d lost his battle with pretending to be apathetic.

Still, my older brother did nothing to help me.

Saul extended his big fat fucking hand to the Russian.

“Tell your boss ten percent, and we have a deal.”

Really? Even I knew a terrible deal when I heard one.

“I must ask his permission first,” the Russian said, gripping Saul’s hand, “but it should not be a problem. We will send you a deal or counteroffer soon.”

Aris laughed. “You could just take her back to your hotel now and give her a test drive.”

The Russian pawed at my breast before tweaking my nipple.

“Ah, it is a tempting offer, yes. But as with all new whores, gifted to a son or not, the boss always goes first.”

I wanted to vomit, but there wasn’t enough food in my stomach for that, which was probably why they’d starved me.

The men continued talking as I stood before them.

Naked and exposed in every way.

I tried to drift back into my fantasy, but I couldn’t see Enzo there anymore. I could only see snow and blood stretched far into the distance of my future.

If this deal went through, if an opportunity didn’t present itself soon—my life would end with a cold death.

Aris settled his hand on my arm and pressed his thumb against my bullet wound.

I fought to stay upright beneath the pain.

It was all I could do not to cry out.

I might not have known what waited for me over the next few days, but I did know one thing for sure.

Aris would die before I left this fucking house.

CHAPTER 21

STEFANO

Unlike the last time I appeared before Edgardo Lordi and his Commission cronies, this meeting pulsed with tension the moment I walked through the door.

Lordi’s men searched Tony and me more thoroughly and stripped us of all weapons. They made Tony wait in the empty restaurant while pushing me through the door into the back room.

The heads of all Commission families filled the room. No plates of pasta or glasses of wine sat in front of them, and not a soul spoke out of turn.

“Do you know why I’ve brought you here?” Lordi asked.

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