Page 40 of Lord of Vengeance

My steps echoed as I walked through, paying attention to every detail inside her lovely home. Her taste in design was almost simplistic, yet the beachy atmosphere fit her perfectly. She had a small wine rack filled with inexpensive red wines, every plate in the cabinets neatly stacked, and all her mugs were turned the same way. I tugged on one of the towels as any good stalker with balls would do.

I was eager to see if she realized she was being watched. I’d learn that soon enough as I had no intentions of keeping my distance for long.

A smile crossed my face when I opened the refrigerator door. Everything also had a place, the interior perfectly clean. What I did notice was there wasn’t a single photograph in her living room. There wasn’t a woman I’d known in my life who didn’t have a collection of pictures in snazzy frames, reminders of family members, holidays, or vacations. I found that more than just curious.

I was fascinated by it, more determined than ever to peel away all her layers. As I headed down the small hallway, I gathered a whiff of the same perfume she’d been wearing two nights before. When I walked into her private space, I was pleasantly surprised that finally I could see what she preferred spending her money on. There were several pillows on her bed, the comforter a rich color of royal purple, two of the walls painted the same.

Even her lamp was more girlish than the vibes she’d given off, creating an air of intimacy inside her most private space. I glanced at the book on her nightstand, my balls tightening from the title alone.

Taken as His

It would seem I’d been right after all. The stunning girl did approve of a dominating man. Well, perhaps I’d provide her with her darkest fantasy. I headed to her dresser, opening one drawer then another until I found what I was looking for. While her outward appearance was that of a tough woman, her selection of lingerie was very feminine, although not nearly good enough for her intense beauty. Every piece had been bought from a big box department store, which simply wouldn’t do.

I made a mental note to do a little shopping. That was if a place like Sitka had any acceptable stores. I pulled a red lace thong to my nose, taking a deep whiff. I could still gather a slight hint of her natural fragrance, which pushed my arousal to another level.

Without hesitation, I pocketed the thong, selecting another. When I bit down on the lace crotch, yanking my head, the slight ripping sound brought me a round of satisfaction.

I placed the panties on top of her others, patting my hand on the thin material.

I’d ceremoniously laid my claim.

Within hours, I’d return to collect.

CHAPTER 12

Diego

The usual quaint buildings of the downtown area gave way to older facilities flanking the mountains. Given sunset had already occurred and a storm was rolling in with a vengeance, the road where the meeting had been established had an eerie dingy yellow glow from the aging streetlights lining the curved two-lane road. I glanced out the window from the driver’s seat, Ivan and Jacob heading to the location earlier.

There was light traffic and the further we headed into what appeared to be a residential area, the darker it became. In this part of town, there were no posh residences as there were located on the shore and rocky cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The area reminded me of the some of the worst parts of LA where poverty ruled. My thoughts were driven back to the hunts that had taken me to South Los Angeles where the rodents were the size of small dogs. It was a far cry from where I lived closer to Beverly Hills, or the house I owned in San Diego. At least with Alaska, there remained a quiet stretch of colorful homes instead of dilapidated, abandoned buildings.

That was about all I could say regarding the area given it was still depressing.

I was forced to park on the street a full block away, which was fine in my book. When I climbed out, I felt a few drops of rain, the wind continuing to pick up in intensity. It would seem a washout was long overdue for the area. I headed down the cracked sidewalk toward the house in question, constantly scanning the street. The six o’clock news had proven interesting. I’d managed to catch it moments before leaving for the meeting.

While Ms. Martin had done a fairly good job of keeping the report professional, she’d made it sound as if there was a suspect in mind already. Something else to discuss with Sabrina later.

The house was nothing special although it was obvious one of my men had kicked in the front door. That meant the dealer had been none too happy with the arrival of my soldiers instead of junkies looking for a quick fix.

I yanked my weapon into my hand before pushing open the door with a single finger, immediately wrapping both hands around the handle and scanning the room.

The noise coming from another room was easily identifiable. As expected, my men were softening up the asshole, confiscating and tossing the drugs in question. The last thing I wanted was for some other kid to die from a bad batch or overdose.

I studied the room before moving toward the sound, leaning in the doorway and grinning from the sight of Jacob roughing up the rough-looking young man while Ivan stood on the sidelines smoking a cigar. He appreciated Jacob’s desire for brutality as much as I did.

When the dealer was pitched against the back wall in the kitchen, I couldn’t help laughing. “Afraid to get your hands dirty, my Russian friend, or you’re getting too old for the rough work?”

He gave me a droll look, even rolling his eyes. “Let those still wet behind the ears do the heavy lifting. I’ve paid my dues.”

“That you have.” I walked closer, giving a nod of appreciation to Jacob’s handiwork. “What do we have here?”

“Mr. No Name dealer insists he’s a nobody, just a small time kusok otbrosov.”

Piece of scum indeed. I crouched down beside the bloodied man, studying him carefully. He might be a small fish but from what I’d been told, he bore the same tattoo I’d seen before. It would seem my assumptions had been correct. I hoisted the asshole to his feet, not surprised he decided to try to grin even though his mouth was bloody and swollen.

“How much did you toss?” I asked, giving Ivan another quick glance.