Page 94 of Caged

“We just need to know what’s on it, so I can learn what Melissa, um, Mila, is up to.” I hate what she does to me.

I lean back in the rickety chair and watch Enzo take control of my screen from his end.

Pretty nice, being able to sit in Vegas while I’m back in Russia freezing my ass off, tending to the newest stab wounds I have.

“Give me a sec. I have to break this encryption.” His keyboard clicks furiously in the background.

I hurt. Everywhere. Mainly my heart, but my body is catching up.

Weeks of fighting is taking its toll on me.

I think when Enzo is finished, I’m going to take a hot bath and soak some of this ache away.

“What the fuck?” he says low, under his breath. But, I can hear it through the speaker of the phone.

“Did you find something about her?” The way he sounds, it must be big.

I never hear him get flustered.

“No. It’s just…it can’t be.” More clicking.

It’s driving me crazy.

“Tell me,” I growl.

“It’s nothing about your girl,” he sighs. “But, it is about a girl I used to know.” He trails off again. “Look, this is just a dossier drive. Maybe it’s a hit file, I don’t know. It’s, well, it’s from a long time ago.”

“Okay. Why does Mila have it?” I’m getting tired of this conversation.

Exhausted, actually.

“Look, I wiped a few files off, but the rest is fine. You can probably use it for leverage. Other than that, it isn’t going to get you any closer to Ivan, or Mila.” Enzo’s talking quicker than normal. “I gotta go. Sorry I wasn’t much help.”

Perfect. Just what I needed to hear.

Alexei looks up from his phone with a grin.

“Lara is calling, I’ll check in with her and Elena for you and grab some dinner, I’m starving.”

I roll my eyes.

“Make sure it’s real food, I’m sick of candy,” I call out as he reaches the exit.

“Don’t forget to put some cream on those holes of yours.”

His shoulders shake as he tries to hold in his laughter.

“Just leave my dinner by the door when you get back, then fuck off.”

I’m glad he’s finding the fact I’ve been repeatedly stabbed funny.

After he leaves, I rest my hands behind my head and lean back, closing my eyes, I think of my options.

The drive is important to Mila for some reason.

I need to know why Mila is doing this, her true motives are a mystery. Yet sometimes, I feel the truth in her words.

Letting out a sigh, I have to work this out to protect Elena. She is all that matters to me now, my only ray of hope in this shit storm.