Page 54 of Vengeful King

“Step out,” the man commands.

They want to see if I brought a weapon, make sure no one’s in the car with me. I step out slowly, then watch someone get out of the passenger’s side to come around the car and watch me.

My heart thuds in my chest. The security man pats me down, making sure I don’t have a gun. Then he steps back.

I can’t hold my tongue. As soon as the window is down, I blurt, “I need more time.”

I can almost feel the disappointment emanating from the other car. I can feel the annoyance. The man in the car doesn’t make a noise, but I can feel his aggravation.

“You haven’t even used up all of your time yet, in case you didn’t notice.”

“I know. I just—I just need more time.”

I can hear in his voice how much he’s annoyed by my request. I don’t expect him to give the time to me, though. It was never part of the plan. The point was to have an excuse to get him here, talking to me, so Lachlan can figure out who it is.

“Tell him you have a plan,” Lachlan says in my ear. His voice is low, almost inaudible. “And take a step to the right.”

He wants to see the man’s face. I move uneasily, hoping they don’t notice. I swallow hard. “I have a plan. I’m getting close.”

“Do you, now?”

“I can promise I’ll do it. I just need time.”

“You already had time. You still do.”

I clench my hands in my pockets. Even though I knew what he’d say to me, it still feels like a crushing disappointment.

Lachlan’s voice comes into my ear again. “Step forward. Tell him again.”

I take a step forward, even though my gut is screaming at me to run. The shaking in my voice is real; I can’t control it. “I need more time.”

Finally, Mr. V leans forward. “You know what you have to do. You know the consequence.”

My heart shoots into my throat; I feel like I could throw up, my stomach cramping from nerves.

Then I hear Lachlan in my ear again. “I’ve got it.”

I can’t answer; I’m too focused on Mr. V, his voice low and dangerous as he speaks to me.

“Do not come back until you’ve finished the job. And if you ask for anything else, I’ll kill you.”

I stand frozen as the guard gets back in the car. I don’t move when they pull away; I just stand there, terrified, all my thoughts wiped away by the reality of what’s just happened.

I’m alone in this. I feel entirely alone, the parking lot empty, the threat still hanging in the air around me. I can almost hear the clock ticking. I don’t have much time before I’m dead, one way or another.

“You did good,” Lachlan says in my ear, breaking the silence.

Did I?I wonder.Or did I just make sure that they’ll want to kill me when this is all done?

I don’t know what happens next. I only know that I’m running out of time.

CHAPTER20

Lachlan

When Katrina steps aside, the man in the car leans close to the window. Even without the help of a street light, the faint glow of lights from Katrina’s car is enough to illuminate parts of the man’s face. With a scope pressed up to my eye, it’s easy to see who he is.

Yuri Vasiliev. A man who should be dead.

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