Page 45 of Beautiful Devil

Diego shifted a glass in front of me, staring down at me with a conciliatory look on his face. “You need to stop overreacting.”

“Overreacting?” I yanked the glass off the desk, swallowing half in a single gulp. “Maybe I haven’t reacted enough lately.”

“Because of the woman’s presence.”

“She has a goddamn name and I don’t want her mentioned.” I polished off the rest, shoving the glass in his direction as if he was my personal servant.

He muttered under his breath then refilled my glass, this time shoving it hard enough that the drink landed a few centimeters away from the edge.

“We need to fucking talk.”

“You’re giving me orders now?” I snarled.

“Goddamn it, Kostya. Those assholes managed to accomplish something not a single other person has in the thirteen years you’ve been here. Have you stopped to ask yourself why?”

I leaned back in my chair, rolling the glass back and forth across my forehead. “Eddie Falco didn’t have the resources to make this happen.”

“Fuck, no, but if I had to guess, I’d say he became a very wealthy man after providing the information to someone who wants you dead. The question is who?”

My laugh created another ache in my gut. “There are far too many to list. However, only Vladimir Kozlov knew I was in New Zealand.” I could tell he was shocked. It was a piece of news I hadn’t mentioned.

“What the fuck?”

“Don’t chastise me.” I swallowed another gulp, wishing the liquid burned my throat.

“Well, if that’s the truth, then the Russians have a leak the size of the Titanic.”

“Or Jonathan Shephard was provided sensitive information.”

“And broke his undercover position by sharing it with some lowlife out of a diner?” Diego scoffed, shaking his head.

I knew that didn’t make any sense. From what I’d learned about Jonathan, he was dedicated to his job. He’d been a low-level player before accepting the undercover assignment, completely off the radar. The DEA had gotten creative in selecting their people, training them for over a year prior to sending them undercover. By that point, all references to their former lives had been wiped out. I had to admire the DEA’s change in tactics from the standard bullshit that had failed every time. They’d caught the Kozlovs with their pants down, a stain that would forever remain on their reputation.

“No. That’s not what happened.”

Diego studied me before sitting down in one of my leather chairs. “Have you thought anymore about talking with Ovachov?”

I swirled the liquid in my glass several times. “Yes, I have.”

“You think he’s involved in the breach.”

“You know how I feel about coincidences.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Tell him I’ll be happy to have a brief discussion with him tonight. If he’s unavailable, then there will be no additional communication.”

Diego grinned. “You’re finding out how hungry he is.”

“Something like that.”

“I’ll set it up for just before midnight. Where are you going to be?”

I took another sip of my drink, my anger finally abating. “That will depend.”

He eyed me warily, shaking his head before finishing his drink, setting it down on the bar with a hard thud.

“Is there something you need to say to me?” I asked irritably.

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