Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Boris was dressed in a black assault suit. He had a gun at his side and a knife in a belt at his waist. He wore jump boots and looked like he was planning to wage an all-out attack on an enemy.
Her, probably.
Diana yelped as he jerked her off the bed. Her broken wrist was agony, sharp and stomach-churning. He unlocked the other cuff keeping her anchored to the bed and then dragged her toward the door. Her ribs ached, hurting when she breathed too deeply. He’d bruised them with punishing blows earlier.
“I can walk on my own,” she snapped. “You’re going too fast.”
“Shut up,” Boris growled, dragging her up the same stairs as before, shoving her into the living space.
The kitchen was dimly lit, but it didn’t interfere with the view beyond the windows like the brighter lights had hours ago.
It was still dark, but there was a band of pink on the horizon. Dawn was coming.
Boris shoved her into a chair, and she cried out as her bruised hip hit the side of it.
“Ah, did you sleep well, Diana?”
She jerked her head toward the sound. Viktor stood there with a cup of coffee in his hand, smiling like she was a houseguest rather than a prisoner.
He wore dark jeans, a maroon polo, and a gray jacket.
He also had a camouflage ball cap on his head.
Like he was planning to go hunting or hanging out with a group of good old boys.
“Lovely, thank you. Your hospitality is stellar, as always,” she spat.
He laughed. “Such a fiery girl. Perhaps I should have married you. Made you my wife and enjoyed your body every night. It was quite fun, what we had. Don’t you think?”
She seethed. Just seethed. “Oh, certainly. Best rape ever. Also my only one, so it’s possible someone else could have done a better job.”
It made her sick to say the words, but even if he pretended what had happened between them was something different, she wasn’t going to play along.
“You are wasted in the FBI. You could have joined my group, could have commanded battalions. But no, you would rather waste your time chasing criminals. Such small thoughts, Diana. You never could see the bigger picture.”
She heard voices. Two men emerged from the darkened hallway. Ackerman and Brent Gannon strode into the room.
“I should have known,” she said as Ackerman met her gaze. “You and this douche. All that hanging out in clubs, serial dating women. You and Gannon. Peas in a pod. The whole time, you were buying into his bullshit. Neither one of you is worth the air you breathe, you know that?”
Ackerman’s expression hardened. “You don’t understand anything.
And why would you? Your family’s in the middle of everything that’s wrong with Washington.
And yeah, I knew who you were all along.
Joel didn’t say anything to me. He’s too much of a pussy to do anything but threaten you so you’d take him back.
Guess he didn’t reckon with Bishop having a bigger dick though. ”
Sadness pierced her anger. “I really thought you were different, Ackerman. I thought you were one of the good ones. All that talk about not being a creep, the way you never made me feel less of an agent for being a woman. You always treated me like your equal. Was it all an act?”
His face reddened. “I liked you, kiddo. I did. But this is bigger than you. Bigger than me.”
Gannon looked smug as he eyed her. “You really thought I was a stupid fuck who had no idea what you wanted from me, didn’t you?
All that flirting, promising, and then you roofied me so you and your boyfriend could search my apartment.
Didn’t do any good though, did it? All you ever hear on that bug you dropped is a bunch of porn and people getting off. ”
Her stomach clenched. All this time, she’d thought she and Alex had a chance, but these people had been one step ahead of them the whole way.
“As lovely a reunion as this is,” Viktor interjected, “we have things to accomplish. Is Bishop still expected at the gathering in a couple of hours?”
Gannon nodded. “Yes, sir. I texted him. Told him to come alone. That this is a test, and she’ll be fine if he does as we say.”
“And how do we know he cares enough about her to do it?” Viktor said.
“We don’t. But he’ll show. Either he cares and wants her back, or he really wants into the movement.”
“Hmm.” Viktor sipped his coffee. “Yes, well, I want him and his men. Boris? Are you prepared to sweep up his team?”
“My men are waiting. We’ll take them all before the day is through.”
“Excellent.” Viktor set the cup down. “I do love when a plan comes together. Now—”
The lights went out and silence descended. But only for a moment.
“Where is that fucking generator?” Boris grated. “This should not—”
“Hands up, asshole, or I’ll blow your brains all over these beautiful countertops.”