Chapter 12 – Kostya
“I'm in position, Boss,” the sniper's thick voice reverberated through the phone's speakers.
“Do you have eyes on him?” I asked, leaning back in my swivel chair, fingers absently twisting a Rubik's cube.
“Negative,” he replied. “Setting up the view now.”
I was in my office, waiting for the job to get done, but I didn't want to miss out on the action. I wanted to watch how the bullet would hit that son of a bitch. I wanted to watch the life leave his body and see him hit the ground, motionless.
The plan had been to make his death look like an accident; maybe I would've crashed the plane he was on, regardless of how many other people died with him. Or maybe just have my guys run his vehicle off a fucking bridge. But no. I wouldn't get to watch him die that way, and I wasn't going to miss out on that.
He'd crossed the line when he not only threatened me but also went ahead and blackmailed me. The last guy who tried that with someone I cared about ended up dead, and Brown was going to suffer the same fate. He'd sealed it when he sent me that video. Why bother making his death look like an accident when I could just as easily have him taken out? That way, in his final moments, he'd know that I was the one who ordered the hit on him. What great joy that would bring me!
My eyes shifted to the laptop screen, which flickered for a moment before switching to a bird' s-eye view of a busy street. The sidewalks were crowded with people rushing to and fro, and cars were honking, swerving through traffic amidst towering skyscrapers. Neon billboards like fireflies flashed in the night air as the camera, positioned high above the hustle and bustle, captured the vibrant scene unfolding in real time.
“Do you have a visual, Boss?” his voice crackled through the phone.
“Yes,” I replied, watching the activities going on in the streets.
My sniper had set his shop in a building directly opposite the upscale restaurant where Brown and his daughter were supposed to have a family dinner with a business partner of his. From the angle of the sniper's camera, he was most probably on a top-floor office or a deserted rooftop, judging by the clarity of his vantage point.
I continued to toil with the Rubik's cube, eyes watching the streets like a fucking hawk. I could see the restaurant's elegant facade, its large windows, and every single detail within the camera lens.
It might take a while, but Brown would eventually show up at this location. I was certain because I had Alex find out where Brown was going to be tonight. He'd never given me a wrong lead, so I had no reason to doubt him. If he said Brown would be meeting a business partner in this restaurant at this time of night, then that was exactly what was going to happen. All I had to do was wait.
In the meantime, thoughts of Madelyn were slowly creeping into my mind, easing the frown etched upon my face. Her smile played in my head, and I sought comfort in the fact that I'd have her to myself again. I'd feel her skin mine and kiss those cherry succulent lips of hers. I'd touch her sensitive parts again and listen to her moans—her soft, sweet moans. But first, I needed to focus on taking care of this prick.
I hadn't reached out to her yet because I needed to know what Alex would find when he dug into her. The woman wouldn't stop running through my mind, and with the way she made me feel—satisfied, at peace, and always fucking horny—I wasn't going to share her with anyone. Never.
I felt creases lining up my forehead as I balled a fist at the mere thought of another man being around her.
Filled with rage, I couldn't allow myself to go deeper in my thoughts about another man kissing her or even…. Fuck, no! I'd kill the bastard and feed his bones to my hounds.
I gritted my teeth, my face scrunching up into a frown. She was mine and mine alone. Nobody was permitted to even hold hands with her. Madelyn was off the market, even though we hadn't made things official yet. I didn't care. Never fancied the idea of sharing what was mine. She was mine and no one else's. Period.
“Boss, incoming.”
The sniper's words drew my attention back to the screen, where an exotic car was pulling over outside the restaurant.
It had to be Brown.
I leaned forward, narrowing my eyes at the sleek black vehicle that had just parked by the sidewalk. The chauffeur emerged, walking over to the back of the car. He swung the backseat door with practiced motion and stepped aside. I felt my blood boil as a manly figure climbed down from the rear seat, his tailored black suit simmering in the overhead lights.
He turned in the direction of the camera, and the sniper's crosshairs settled on his face. It was Brown. I gritted my teeth and tightened my grip on the armrest. The confident bastard straightened, adjusting his cufflinks with a self-satisfied smirk lining the corners of his lips.
“I've got eyes on him, Boss,” the sniper said, cocking his rifle. “Permission to take the shot?”
Brown extended his arm, as if waiting for someone inside the car to take it: a lady—maybe his daughter. It was a shame that she'd have to watch her old man die, but he messed with the wrong man.
Brown smiled so genuinely that for a split second, he looked innocent. A proud look was plastered on his face, and soon, a manicured hand stretched out from inside the car, and he helped a lady out.
A smirk played on my lips as I thought this was the perfect time to have my sniper take the shot. It'd be great if Brown's blood spilled on his daughter's face. Her shriek would fill the air, and chaos would erupt in the streets. She'd instinctively duck, seeking shelter behind the car while watching her father drown in the pool of his own, his brains splattered over the floor.
I shaped my mouth, ready to give the order, when the classy woman stepped out of the vehicle, glancing around like a pageant queen on a runway. She looked really familiar from the side, and I leaned in for a closer look, zooming in the footage. Just then, she turned, smiling in the direction of the camera, and for the first time in ages, I felt my heart skip a beat.
“The fuck…?”
My spirit was crushed, and my jaw dropped in shock.
It was Madelyn.
“Boss, I have a clear shot,” the sniper said, his voice tinged with urgency, as Brown was already on the move with his daughter.
Reflexively, my hand flew to my face as I sank into the chair, fingers rubbing over my face with a million different thoughts plaguing my mind at the same time.
“Boss, I have a—”
“Hold your fire,” I ordered, and he went silent on the other line.
I watched Brown glide into the restaurant with Madelyn, and my teeth gritted, my fists clenched tighter. My blood was boiling with rage as my pulse quickened. It was hard to breathe, and I sprang to my feet before I lashed out, sweeping the laptop off the table. I swiped a hand over my face as I paced around the office, unsure of what to think or believe.
Madelyn was Brown's daughter. Did she know about my feud with her father? Did he send her to me on purpose, or was this some elaborate joke the universe was pulling on me in the form of a fucking coincidence?
“No, no, no. She must have known about this.” I clicked my tongue rapidly, shaking my head with both hands on my waist. “There's no way this was a coincidence because she lied to me about her last name,” I whispered to myself, feeling the rage surging through my body like electricity.
She told me that her name was Madelyn Everly when, in fact, she was Madelyn Brown. I was pissed off at her for deceiving me and even more pissed at myself for letting it happen.
Now, Brown was two steps ahead of me. Fucking sneaky ass bastard!