Chapter 3
Two weeks later
M
My mom died seven years ago, and I miss her every day.
I think she would have been proud of what I have become, and that is not becoming like my father.
That piece of shit doesn’t deserve my grace, and when I find him, I will kill him.
But now isn’t the time to think about Daddy dearest. I actually need to unpack and wash my clothes.
“I packed way too much shit.” I curse myself as I put my clothes into the washing machine.
While I don’t particularly like to dress to the nines myself, I had to for this occasion.
Istanbul was beautiful, but not as magnificent as Lejla and Arsen’s wedding.
While he kept up appearances because of his tight-ass family, he couldn’t fool us.
His friends.
He tried, emphasis on tried, to convince us that his wedding to Lejla was only so he could get his inheritance.
Inheritance, my fucking ass.
The facade that they are keeping will crumble eventually, and I can’t wait to see that. Not because I want to see my friends fall; on the contrary, they deserve to be happy.
See, I have some morals.
Movement detected, the automated voice says through my computer.
I move toward the screen, and there she is.
My hummingbird.
Well, with that, all of my morals are gone, seeing I’m watching her like a hawk.
I decide to wash my clothes tomorrow and watch Lana tonight. I make my way to my computer and have a seat in my comfy-as-fuck chair. The moment I sit down, Lana is taking off her clothes in her bedroom.
Yes, I have cameras installed in every single fucking room of her shitty apartment.
The nerve-racking, pulsating rhythm of my heart is making my fingers itch in anticipation of touching her. I can feel my own blood coursing through my entire body with every move she makes. Lana tosses the pullover on her bed and goes to her closet to grab a T-shirt and put it on.
Why the fuck is she doing that? Her apartment is fucking cold, and the heating is all off.
I make a mental note to wire her a million euros so she can move out of that garbage can.
To regain focus, I shake my head and look at her again.
“Yeah, girl, he was so fucking rude today. Again!” Lana recounts her story to the person she is on the phone with. I was so focused on myself that I didn’t even notice she is talking to someone. And that makes me sit up straight.
Who was rude to her? It should be common fucking sense that being disrespectful to waitstaff is a sign of poor character and not fucking cool. Even though I’m not religious at all, I’m praying that she gives up a name.
“He asked for eggs with some sausage, and when I told him we were out of sausages, he grabbed my hand and slapped my ass.”
I’m. Seeing. Red.
My knuckles turn an alarming shade of white as I’m gripping my chair so hard.
Even Lana’s soothing voice can’t quieten down the ringing in my ears.
Breathing through my nose is getting harder by the second, and after a full minute I open my mouth and exhale.
Now I finally have the feeling that I can breathe again.
The only question I’m dying to have the answer to is—
“Nenad Semic. Girl, it’s the asshole with the receding hairline, the one missing a tooth.”
Bingo.
I will never look away from Lana, but right now? I have to. The thought of that asshole assaulting her again is not going to happen. The chair flies to the wall when I get up from it.
I am that fucking mad.
The only thing I can think of is to call Hana.
“Hana, what are you doing?” Fuck social decency right now.
“I’m good, cousin. How are you? How was your day? I ate two apples today, cevapi, a coffee—”
“Hana, shut the fuck up,” I cut my cousin off. She doesn’t even try to conceal her sarcasm or her laugh.
“Fine, what do you need?” That’s what I admire about Hana. When she gets down to business, she does her fucking job.
“What are you doing right now?” I ask while pacing my room and simultaneously looking at my screen from a distance. Lana is sitting on her couch now, watching TV and switching channels with the remote in her right hand.
Stay in that veil of false tranquility, my little hummingbird. It’s much nicer there than here.
“I’m studying because you made me.” Hana’s tone tells me she is annoyed, but I do not give a shit.
“We’ll talk about that later. I need you to look up someone for me.” I can basically hear her jumping for joy on the other line.
“Who is the culprit that set your boxers in a twist?” I stare at Lana while answering my cousin’s question.
“Nenad Semic.”
“Got it.” Hana’s fingers are flying over what sounds like her keyboard, and with every second that passes, I grow more impatient. Someone touched my hummingbird without her consent, and I want to burn the whole of Sarajevo down.
“He was arrested a couple of years ago for petty crime, now he is living in an apartment which he inherited from his mother."
“Anything else?”
“Other than being an asshole and a misogynist, he is clean. Why, is this bottom feeder a person of interest to you?”
I grunt as that’s the only response I can muster right now.
“Oh shit. It’s because of Lana, right? You are in deep—” Hana cuts herself off really quickly because she almost said my name.
Only a handful of people know my real name. I use Adi Hodzic for my business, but other than that? M is the only ‘name’ I use. I instructed the people who know my real name never to utter it.
You never know who is listening.
“Hana, I need to know where he lives.” She gives me his address, and I feel lighter. The wheels in my mind are turning with all of the things I’m going to do to him.
“One more thing, Adam and Sara are back in Sarajevo, right?”
“Yes. Do you want me to call Adam and have him watch Lana?” Hana asks me. I sigh at her question.
“Hana, you can’t go and give orders to my team members, you know what the requirements are.”
“Fuck that fucking diploma. Say hi to Sara and Adam for me.” She hangs up, all riled up. I don’t fucking care. I take my phone out of the pocket of my pants and call the best sniper in the world.
“Adam.”
“M! To what do I owe the pleasure?” he says in his usual happy tone. Don’t let that fool you, Adam is fucking dangerous.
“I need you to watch Lana tomorrow. Can Sara spare you for one day?”
He laughs. “Of course. She is going to be training anyway. I’ll be staking out the whole day. We’ll be in touch.” With that, I hang up on him, and I’m relieved.
I go to my computer and wink at Lana.
“Don’t worry, hummingbird, you’ll be safe as long as I’m around.”
1. Bosnian pastry paired with smooth cheese.