Page 67 of Fury
"Yes! She's the mastermind behind everything. I was just the fall guy because no one would suspect her. She's the one with all the recordings, all the evidence. She made copies, stored them somewhere safe. If anything happens to her, it all goes public." The lies flow easily now, fueled by terror. "She's been using the information to expand club territory, pushing your people out."
The man types something into his phone, then shows the screen to his companion. They have a brief conversation in what sounds like Russian before turning back to me.
"If what you say is true, why were you running to her for help?"
I think quickly. "To warn her. I found out you were in town, looking for whoever was behind the blackmail. I was trying to tell her to run, to get rid of the evidence before you found her."
"How very loyal of you." His tone makes it clear he doesn't believe a word. "And these recordings, where did they come from originally?"
"Richard Keller," I say immediately. "He was working with your people, but he got nervous, started recording conversations as insurance. Livie was dating him, and she found the recordings. When she realized what she had…" I shrug, trying to look both innocent and terrified. "She saw an opportunity."
The man studies me for a long moment, his eyes cold and assessing. "An interesting story, Ms. Mercer. We'll see if Ms. Bennett tells the same one."
My blood turns to ice. "What do you mean?"
"Mr. Volkov prefers to verify information personally," he explains, as if discussing the weather. "We'll be having a conversation with Ms. Bennett very soon."
"No!" I grab his arm without thinking. "You can't! She's protected. The clubs will come after you if you touch her!"
His smile is thin and humorless. "Your concern for her safety is touching, especially after you just tried to blame everything on her. But don't worry, we're very discreet."
I slump back against the seat, the full horror of what I've done washing over me. In trying to save myself, I've just painted a target on Livie's back. And this time, she might not have the protection of the clubs to save her.
"Please," I whisper, tears spilling down my cheeks. "She doesn't deserve this. It was me—it was all me. I lied."
"Of course you did." He pats my hand with mock sympathy. "But now we'll need to find out which lie you're telling. The first one, or this new one."
The SUV turns onto a dirt road, heading deeper into the forest that surrounds the small town. I know with sickening certainty that I'm not coming back from this journey. Not alive, anyway.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask, though I already know the answer.
"Somewhere quiet," he replies. "Somewhere we can have a long, detailed conversation about exactly what information you stole, who you shared it with, and what Ms. Bennett's role in all this really is."
I close my eyes, images of Livie flashing through my mind—her kind smile, her unwavering loyalty, the hurt in her voice when she discovered my betrayal. And now I've betrayed her again, in the worst possible way.
"I'm sorry, Livie," I whisper, too quiet for anyone to hear. "I'm so, so sorry."
But sorry won't save either of us now. And as the SUV bounces down the rutted dirt road toward whatever fate awaits me, I know with crushing certainty that this time, there's no escape. No clever plan, no last-minute rescue.
Just the consequences of all the choices I made, lies I told, and the desperate, selfish instinct for survival that might cost my best friend her life.
The SUV stops in a clearing where a small cabin stands, isolated and grim. As they drag me from the vehicle, I catch a glimpse of another car parked nearby—sleek, black, expensive. A man leans against it, smoking a cigarette with casual elegance.
"Mr. Volkov," my captor announces, "we've brought the girl. And she has quite an interesting story to tell."
The man straightens, dropping his cigarette and crushing it beneath a polished shoe. His face is handsome in a cold, severe way, his eyes pale and penetrating.
"Ms. Mercer," he greets, his accent more pronounced than his employee's. "I've been looking forward to meeting you."
"Please," I begin, but he holds up a hand, silencing me.
"Save your breath. You'll need it to answer my questions." He gestures toward the cabin. "Shall we begin?"
As they lead me inside, I see a chair in the center of the room, plastic sheeting spread beneath it. My legs nearly give out at the sight.
"Sit," Volkov commands, removing his suit jacket and carefully hanging it on a hook by the door. "And tell me everything. Starting with these recordings you stole, and exactly what they contain."
I sink into the chair, trembling uncontrollably. "I'll tell you everything," I promise, my voice breaking. "Just, please, please don't hurt Livie. This was all me. She never knew anything about it."
