Page 95 of The Councilor
“It was fucking fifteen years ago. Fifteen,” Roman insisted. “A lifetime ago. I thought nothing of it. But you were right in your assumptions.”
“Meaning what?” We were almost to the house, Ivan driving like a bat out of hell to get there. I couldn’t stop shaking, more from anger than anything else. I had no clue what to think, what to expect. Vadim had dispatched his soldiers to scour the area but since a boat had been used, she could be anywhere. Jersey. Pennsylvania. Fuck.
He knew what to do, assuring me we would find her. How? In New York, it would be like a needle in a haystack. Unless the fucker responsible wanted her found. If he couldn’t take me down, he’d decided on using her? I would crush every bone in the fucker’s body.
One by one.
“Meaning I think I’m onto something, but I need to check one last thing before I mention his name.”
“Who the fuck is it?” I slammed my hand on the dashboard, almost scaring Ivan, which was very rare.
“Not yet. I know you’re going to go off halfcocked. I need to make certain the bastard remained in town upon his release.”
I could hear the fear in Roman’s voice. I might be ruthless as one of the best defense attorneys in the business, but he’d also seen my darkest side, the unleashing of the beast.
God help the man and the city. No one wanted that to happen. Ever.
“You will fucking tell me. Do you hear me?” I didn’t bother waiting for him to give me another excuse before ending the call. “Drive faster.”
“I’m already breaking about ten laws. Are you sure you don’t want to see the harbor master instead?”
“No!” I snapped with way too much vehemence, immediately rubbing my eyes. Whoever the fucker was, he’d made a list and was ceremoniously going down it. “I can’t handle this, Ivan. You know why.”
He was one of a few people who did other than Vadim.
He swung around the last corner so fast, I was slammed against the passenger door.
In addition to his men scouting the entire city, blanketing them with soldiers, Vadim had made phone calls to the people ofBrighton Beach, specifically the men who’d placed themselves in charge even if the Bratva owned everyone involved.
Given their loyalty, the fact they’d met Raphaella, they knew they had a stake in the situation.
They certainly didn’t want me burning down their portion of New York.
The area surrounding the house was blanketed in a dozen or so residents as well as additional soldiers working for me.
They’d also come to provide cleanup, giving aid to the injured men when possible while taking the dead bodies of the soldiers to a chilled facility. They deserved a proper burial, every one of them. Plus, their families would be compensated for their losses.
But right now, I couldn’t concentrate on something so mundane.
Not when her life had been placed into the hands of a madman.
I was out the door before Ivan pulled it to a full stop. No one tried to stop me as I raced toward the house. They all knew better, and it was about reverence.
The thought of losing someone we cared about was enough to create a moment of silence as well.
Vadim was quick on my heels, whistling as soon as we walked inside.
As I walked further in, my mind was already in a huge fog. The living room and so much of the furniture was riddled with bullet holes, the patio glass leading to the deck she loved so much shattered into hundreds of pieces. The goddamn thing was supposed to be bulletproof. That meant the door had been peppered with gunfire, which would eventually work.
Vadim shifted forward, studying the room before shaking his head. “Likely an AR500. As of today, they are the most powerful weapons in the sniper business.”
He knew his guns, especially assault rifles. Given the usual trajectory, it was entirely possible the sniper had been far enough out on the water he hadn’t been detected while blanketing the area with bullets.
My men never had a chance.
What I didn’t know was whether he’d struck and killed her.
“I don’t see any blood, boss,” Ivan said.