CHAPTER 16
ROSE P.O.V.
The lingering tang of Liam’s sweat and my own arousal still clung to the air, a heavy, musky blanket that coated my tongue and made my skin prickle.
He was gone, the space beside me on the mattress cold, a stark contrast to the blazing inferno of his presence only hours ago.
My body still hummed, a low, persistent thrum of spent passion and lingering hunger, but my mind was already racing, sifting through the layers of deceit and betrayal like a feverish archivist.
Konstantin Volkov. The name was a venomous whisper in my head, a poison that had seeped into the very foundations of Liam’s world.
Decades of manipulation, all orchestrated by a man who had masqueraded as family, a trusted advisor.
The sheer audacity of it, the intricate, patient cruelty, made my stomach churn.
My family’s debt, Dmitri’s twisted vengeance, Liam’s nearly fatal ambush—it all coalesced into a horrifying tapestry woven by one shadowy figure.
I pushed myself up, wincing as a fresh throb pulsed through my bandaged foot.
Ivan had done a good job, but the angry purple bruising on my ankle and instep was a vivid reminder of the brutality I’d endured, and the world I was now trapped within.
Trapped, yes, but no longer just a victim.
Liam had seen to that, in his own brutal, possessive way.
He’d dragged me into the heart of his war, and in doing so, had awakened a dangerous fire in my own belly.
The safe house hummed with a low, almost imperceptible thrum of activity.
I could hear muffled voices from the comms room, Liam’s deep growl occasionally cutting through the low murmur, a clear indication that the war he’d declared was already in full swing.
He was dismantling Konstantin’s network, piece by bloody piece, just as we’d discussed.
The Serpent’s Tongue, the Spider’s Web...
the names alone sent a shiver down my spine.
I dragged myself out of bed, hobbling carefully towards the small kitchenette.
The sterile, metallic scent of the room was almost clinical, a stark contrast to the raw emotions that raged within me.
I poured myself a glass of water, my hands trembling slightly, not from fear, but from a surge of adrenaline that was becoming dangerously familiar.
I was tired of being passive. Tired of waiting for Liam to bring me information.
My brain, sharper than ever after the near-death experience, was practically vibrating with unused energy.
My gaze fell on the tactical map still splayed across the metal table in the main living area.
Red circles, black lines, names. Councilman Thorne.
Markovic, the lawyer. Randall, the CEO. These were the pillars of Konstantin’s “Spider’s Web,” the men who held sway in the legitimate world, making them all the more insidious.
Liam’s plan for Thorne was to infiltrate his systems, plant false leads, use him as an unwitting tool. Clever, yes. But indirect. And slow.
My mind raced, recalling Liam’s words, "We break them.
We find their weaknesses. Their secrets.
And we use them to expose Konstantin. Publicly.
We make them sing." And his response to Vasily's concern about a "delicate touch": "Legal challenges mean nothing when you’re bleeding out. Political pressure doesn’t stop a bullet.
" He was ready to be brutal. He was brutal.
But he also valued strategy. My strategy.
A wild, audacious idea began to form in my mind, a dangerous spark that ignited a thrilling sense of rebellion and purpose.
Liam wanted to use Thorne as an unwitting tool.
What if I could expedite the process? What if I could be a witting tool, one he didn’t even know he had, at least not yet?
I knew how to use my brain. But I was also learning how to use my body, my allure, as a weapon.
And if I was truly to be his partner, his queen in this brutal empire, I couldn’t afford to sit on the sidelines, analyzing dusty documents.
I needed to be in the field, where the real information lay.
I hobbled towards the comms room, pushing open the heavy door without knocking.
Liam was hunched over a monitor, Vasily beside him, both their faces illuminated by the eerie glow of the screens, etched with grim determination.
They looked up, surprise flickering in their eyes at my sudden appearance.
“Rose,” Liam’s voice was a low growl, laced with a familiar possessiveness. His eyes swept over me, lingering on the torn, dirty dress I still wore, then on my bare legs, before snapping back to my face. “You should be resting.”
“Resting is for the dead, Morozov,” I countered, my voice firm, despite the tremor in my injured foot.
I limped towards the map table, my gaze fixed on Thorne’s image on the screen.
“I heard you discussing Thorne. Your plan is sound, but it’s slow.
And indirect. Konstantin is meticulous. He’ll have layers of protection around his key players.
The digital trail can only take us so far. ”
Liam straightened, his steel-gray eyes narrowing, a dangerous curiosity replacing the initial annoyance. “What are you suggesting?”
“I’m suggesting a more... direct approach,” I said, my voice dropping, infused with a deliberate confidence I didn’t entirely feel.
My gaze flicked to Thorne’s photo, a smug, avaricious face.
Vasily had mentioned his "weakness for young call girls." I had other assets. “Councilman Thorne is a known philanderer, with a penchant for discretion. He’s also arrogant. Overconfident.” My eyes met Liam’s, a silent challenge passing between us.
“And he wants to believe he’s smarter than everyone else. That’s his real weakness.”
Vasily frowned, confused. Liam, however, understood. A predatory glint sparked in his eyes, a mixture of outrage and a perverse interest. “Are you proposing what I think you’re proposing, moya roza?” he growled, the words a dangerous caress.
“I’m proposing we dangle bait he can’t resist,” I said, my chin lifting in defiance.
“Something he thinks he can control, something he thinks will feed his ego and his base desires, while actually feeding us information. He’s a public figure.
His reputation is everything. But his urges often outweigh his caution. I can exploit that.”
Vasily looked between us, then back at the screens, a dawning comprehension on his face. “You mean... an honeytrap?” he asked, a hint of concern in his tone.
“A honeytrap with a twist,” I corrected, my gaze fixed on Liam.
“He won’t know he’s being trapped. He’ll think he’s the predator.
I’ll be the unsuspecting, alluring historian who stumbled into his path, full of questions about obscure art and ancient artifacts, questions he’ll be eager to answer, especially if he thinks he’s getting something in return. ”
Liam was silent for a long moment, his eyes burning into mine, analyzing, assessing.
I could see the battle raging within him – the inherent possessiveness, the instinct to shield me from danger, warring with the strategic brilliance of my proposal.
He hated the idea of another man touching me, even metaphorically.
But he also understood the potential payoff.
“Absolutely not,” he finally snarled, the words sharp, definitive. His jaw clenched, a muscle jumping beneath his skin. “You are not putting yourself in that kind of situation, Rose. I need you here. Safe. Analyzing.”
“And what if I can extract information your hackers can’t?
” I countered, stepping closer, my voice dropping to a seductive whisper, pushing his boundaries.
“What if I can get closer to him than anyone else? Make him comfortable enough to let slip crucial details? Details about Volkov. About Konstantin. About the cracks in their network?” I held his gaze, willing him to see beyond his primal urges.
“This isn’t about being safe, Liam. This is about war.
And I am a weapon you haven’t fully utilized yet. ”
His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, a low growl rumbling in his chest. “You think you can play this game?” he challenged, his voice thick with a dark, possessive intensity. “You think you can pretend to offer yourself to another man and walk away unscathed? You think I’d allow it?”
“I don’t just think it, Morozov,” I said, my own voice laced with a dangerous challenge.
“I know I can. I’ve seen enough of this world now to understand how it works.
I know how to manipulate. How to tempt. And I know how to get what I want.
And what I want, right now, is to see Konstantin Volkov burn.
” My gaze flicked to Vasily, then back to Liam.
“And you’ll be there. Watching. Listening. Every single second.”
Liam’s jaw worked, his eyes still locked on mine, a silent battle raging in their depths. The possessive beast in him roared, but the calculating Pakhan was listening. He valued results. And my plan, for all its inherent danger and affront to his control, promised results. Quick ones.
“Fine,” he finally rasped, the word ripped from him, heavy with a bitter reluctance.
“But under my fucking terms. Every move. Every word. Every goddamn breath will be monitored. Vasily will set up the location. My men will be everywhere. And if that pig so much as looks at you wrong, I will personally flay him alive. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” I said, a triumphant smirk touching my lips, despite the cold knot of fear twisting in my gut. This was it. I was stepping into the fire.