Page 60 of No Longer Mine

“And if you can’t find illegal or shady stuff on the rest of them?” Ace looked over my map thoughtfully.

“Favors, funding, and political backing, baby. But that’s the last resort.”

Griffin leaned forward to grab the map. “What if you don’t actually sell your companies? What if you sell them to shell companies owned by one of us?”

Alexei’s lips curled in amusement as he drummed his fingers on the table. “Now that’s an idea. We keep the businesses, but on paper, it looks like we’re playing along. If we control the shell companies, we control everything. Father won’t see it coming.”

I nodded. “Exactly. We make it look like we’re stepping away from the nightlife scene, washing our hands of it, while in reality, we’re locking down tighter control. Father won’t be able to tell what’s ours and what isn’t.”

Ivan, who had been quiet up until now, smirked. “And if we play it right, we can frame it like we’re complying with city policies while actually strengthening our hold.”

Ace exhaled, rubbing his jaw. “This is risky. If anyone digs too deep, if someone connects the dots?—”

“That’s what Benson’s for,” I leaned back and stretched my arms over my head. “Do you actually think I would go to these scum bags myself? No chance. That’s how Father would 100% find out.”

Alexei nodded his head. “Solid. I like it. But we still have a lot of work to do.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Scarlett

Tonight was the night.I was going for Gavin, and then I was going to bring the ring back to Dimitri. I didn’t know which one I was more nervous about.

I shook out my limbs as I made sure the dark brown wig was fitted nicely to my head. I touched the coms in my ear. “Testing?”

“Here,” Oliver’s voice came through crystal clear. “Are you ready?”

As ready as I would ever be. I hated that I couldn’t wear my usual attire, all black with a ski-mask, but I needed to be extra careful. I needed it to look like I belonged in that building.

“How long should he be gone tonight?” I asked again. I already knew, but I wanted this night to go without a hitch.

“A few hours; he has business with Sinclair tonight. They are meeting at a strip club, of all places. That will hopefully keep him occupied, but if it doesn’t and he decides to turn in for the night, I’ll know it.”

“You’re tapped into the strip club’s feed?”

“Yep, and the apartment. He left a few minutes ago.”

I was only a few buildings down. We had a hotel under an alias, paid in cash, down the road from Gavin’s home. I didn’thave to run to the subway. I could leave calmly and unbothered from the apartment and look like I was a natural. I didn’t care about surveillance, Oliver would wipe that once I was out. What I cared about was if someone else passed me. I blew out a breath. This wouldn’t be my first call or my last. I could do this. I’d broken into the headmaster’s office. I’d stolen from him. We’d transferred funds. We’d bled him dry in a matter of minutes, and he wasn’t the wiser. I’d told him to leave me alone. He hadn’t listened. I took everything, and when he found out?

I pushed the memories away and began jogging. It took me no time to get to the front of Gavin’s building. I swiped my arm over my forehead, checked my watch, and then approached the door like I owned the place. I quickly typed in the code at the door. No one around, no one to see me slip in.

Good, we were off to a good start.

“Are you ready?” Oliver’s voice came through the coms again.

“Yep,” I muttered as I approached the elevator. Floor 12. Easy. Until someone shouted for the elevator. Shit. Quick on my feet, I punched a ton of buttons and sighed dramatically when the man got on. He was young, probably in his late teens. He flopped his hair out of his eyes. “Hey!” And then his eyes rounded when he saw all of the floors punched. “Wow. What happened?”

I lowered my voice. “A prank, I guess. You sure you want to get on and risk your time?”

He laughed. “I’m only on the third floor. I wouldn’t mind taking the stairs, but I sprained my ankle last week.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, that sucks.”

He laughed. “Yeah, it was horrible. I have to miss track now. My coach is pissed.”

I nodded my head, and the doors pinged open to his floor. He mock-saluted me. “See you around!”

I waved and let out a breath as the doors closed behind him.

---