Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73724 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73724 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
There’s another pause before he says, “Let me talk to him.”
Jesus.
It pisses me off that the men are all so fucking close-minded, but I need this deal to go through.
Standing up, I walk the short distance to Knight. I put the phone on speaker so I can hear what they say.
“Nikitin wants to talk with you,” I inform him
“I’m listening,” Knight mutters. “Talk.”
“Are you going to run the business?” The Russian asks.
“No. I’m going to assist Cassia,” he corrects him. “She’s in charge.”
Nikitin chuckles again. “Interesting. My men told me you were the one who stopped them from killing her.”
“And?”
“It was quite impressive. One man against an army of my best.”
“Get back to business,” Knight growls. “You have thirty seconds to accept the offer.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then it’s war,” Cassia says. “You against the entire force of the alliance.”
I start counting down thirty seconds, and when I hit the single digits, Nikitin mutters, “I’ll accept the deal as long as Knight handles everything. I don’t want my men thinking I grew soft by working with a woman.”
Through clenched teeth, I growl, “Fine.”
“Good. I trust you’ll be in touch so we can discuss the trade routes, Knight.”
“Yes.”
We end the call, and I toss the phone on the sofa while letting out a frustrated growl. “The asshole! God!”
“You handled it very well,” Knight praises me.
“Jesus, I wanted to reach through the phone and rip his throat out. The arrogance! Seriously, why is it so hard for men to accept a woman can do the job just as well as them, if not better?”
Knight takes hold of my shoulder and tugs me closer to him. “I don’t know, but you did good, Cassia. You just saved tens if not hundreds of lives.”
“I know.” Only then does it sink in that I actually brokered a deal with the bratva. “Oh my God. I did it.”
A smile spreads over Knight’s face, then he says, “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
With Mom being killed, I didn’t think I’d hear those words again. They fill my chest with warmth, acting as a soothing balm to my grief-stricken heart.
“What?” he asks as he tilts his head.
“My mom used to always tell me she’s proud of me.”
He nods, understanding filling his eyes.
I let out a sigh before saying, “It’s so frustrating that I have to have a man at my side to be taken seriously.”
“It doesn’t matter to the alliance or me. We’ll show the rest of the world you’re a force to be reckoned with, and in time, they will all accept you for the badass woman you are.”
I appreciate his words of encouragement, but I know there will always be a man out there who refuses to talk to me. That’s part of the reason I made Knight my second-in-charge.
I take a deep breath, and as I exhale, I think about the piece of information Nikitin let slip.
Where I should feel heartbroken, there’s only anger.
“I know who the traitor is,” I tell Knight.
Surprise flashes over his face. “Who?”
“Savvas.” I shake my head.
“How do you know?”
“Only four people had access to the organization's bank accounts. Dad, myself, Michail, and Savvas. Nikitin said the man who made the deal with told him he would have access to the money after the attack.” I rub my palm over my face. “Nikitin is on top of everything. He would’ve heard of Michail’s death by now, but he said he spoke with the traitor this morning. It can only be Savvas.”
Knight places his hand on my shoulder. “How do you want to handle this?”
“I want him dead,” I murmur, my tone emotionless as I shut the door on any love I ever felt for the man who had my family killed.
“I can take him out within an hour. Just say the word.”
I appreciate that Knight isn’t just running out of here to kill Savvas but waiting for my command.
“First, I want to talk with him,” I say. “And then I’ll pull the trigger. I have to kill him myself.”
Knight steps closer to me. “If you can’t pull the trigger, just give me a nod, and I’ll do it.”
“I have to do it.”
He pulls me to his chest and wraps me up in a tight hug. “Take a moment to savor the win you just had.”
I nod again, my cheek brushing against his shirt.
It’s a big win and half the battle won. Now to take care of Savvas, and then I have to shuffle things around so the right people fill the crucial positions in the organization.
Chapter 27
KNIGHT
Cassia has been quiet since the call with Nikitin. I know she’s processing the fact that Savvas betrayed them and thinking about how she’s going to handle it, so I’m giving her some space.
When I steer the SUV up the driveway, my eyes flick to her face. Her eyebrows draw together, and the sad expression returns as she looks at her family home.