Page 15 of Gangster's Empire: Leeza & Havel

He didn’t form attachments easily, but when he did, his attachments were unshakable. If he were to be upset by what she was about to do, then she would rethink her plan. It was childish anyway, but she’d read enough self-help books to know the experience was going to be cathartic.

Kris didn’t answer her question but continued to stand silently, clutching the gas cannister and rocking on his feet.

Simion, her personal bodyguard, placed on her detail that morning by Havel, stepped into the shed and cleared his throat. “Ma’am, I would be happy to fill any vehicle you want if you’ll let me know which one you intend to use.” She wasn’t sure if his job was to make sure she didn’t try to leave the estate or if it was to protect her. Knowing Havel, probably both.

Heat suffused her as her thoughts drifted to the Koba enforcer. Damn it, how could he do that to a body that had gone cold years ago?

“No, thank you, Simion,” she said politely. “I’ve got this.”

“But ma’am, it’s not seemly for a woman of your stature to carry gas.”

Leeza looked up at him from where she was crouched filling a cannister, a smirk creasing her lips. He was a large, grizzled man, tattooed and crammed into a suit in a way that both looked kind of hot, but also like he’d never worn one before and would happily throw it on Leeza’s housewarming fire. “What exactly is a woman of my stature?”

He shuffled his big shiny black shoe, scuffing the tip against the concrete floor. “You’re a member of the family and the family doesn’t carry gas.”

“This family does,” Leeza said pleasantly, releasing the nozzle and pushing the cannister aside. She studied the cannisters she’d filled and looked at Simion again. “Do you think five is going to be enough?”

“For what?” he asked. “It’ll fill your tank enough to get you to Prague and back a few times, if that’s what you’re asking.”

She nodded decisively. “Good enough.” As far as she could tell, Simion hadn’t reported her strange activity to Havel, probably because he thought she was filling her personal car up with gas in the stupidest way possible. She loved when bodyguards misjudged her. In the past, very few thought her capable of causing enough harm to report on her activities, which was how she was able to rise up as the Phantom undetected by her own family.

She handed Simion two of the cannisters and picked up the other two, letting out a groan as she realized how heavy they were. Looking down at her son, she decided if he couldn’t carry his cannister, she’d leave it behind and see what kind of a fire four cannisters could set.

“Let’s go team!” she said cheerfully, setting off at a brisk pace back toward the cottage. They had to cross a short section of the estate, following the winding road where it led to the cottage. With the full canisters it took them almost ten minutes.

Leeza entertained Kris with a song as they walked, then pointed out a bird that had landed on a nearby tree, telling him it was a starling that would fly south for the winter in a few months. Kris was fascinated by the bird, and they stopped for a moment while he took pictures of it with Leeza’s phone.

As they reached the cottage, Leeza discovered a pleasant surprise. Saskia was standing outside, her hand lifted as if she was about to knock.

“Saskia!” Leeza shouted as they neared the front door, startling her sister.

“Uh… what’s happening?” Saskia glanced past Leeza to where Kris was standing with his cannister.

Simion stood next to Kris, the expression on his face becoming more and more suspicious. Leeza suppressed a grin at how long it took for the bodyguard to realize the gas she had in hand was not destined for her Fiat.

“Come on in,” Leeza said, pushing past Saskia to open the door. Looking over her shoulder, she said to Simion, “Bring the gas inside please.”

“Uh, ma’am…?”

She ignored the question in his voice and entered the house. “Upstairs, I think,” she murmured, carrying a cannister up the stairs. The others trailed after her.

She went into the one room she most wanted to burn first, looking around as she did. Oddly, spending part of the night in this bedroom with Havel had lessened its horror for her. She still hated it, but it didn’t have the same hold over her as it had when she’d shared the house with Adam. It was just a room, same as any other.

She opened the door to the closet and stepped inside. Rows of Adam’s clothing greeted her. Brown tailored trousers, white button-up shirts, brown coats, dozens of blue patterned ties. Several belts lined the back of the door and she touched each one, remembering the way they’d struck her flesh, bruising her, teaching her the lessons that brought her to this moment.

She hefted the cannister and tried to throw gas on the clothes, but nothing came out. “Damn it,” she muttered, setting it on the ground and fiddling with it.

“Here, let me.” Saskia kneeled with her, twisting the cap, then flipping it upside down and locking it into place. “This way the spout helps you aim, like if you were filling a gas tank. Like how these things are supposed to be used.”

Leeza laughed as she imagined her sister filling gas cannisters. It was an easy image to call up. Saskia was a wild card, but her wildness would come in handy now. She was always up for mischief.

Leeza gripped her sister’s face. “You’re absolutely perfect. Don’t ever let anyone change you.”

Saskia looked surprised and pleased. “Who are you and what have you done with my stick-in-the-mud sister?”

Leeza grinned. “We’re burning her, along with everything else in this terrible little house.”

“Awesome!”

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