Dark Vow (Blackwoods College)

It blinded poor Emils. He blinked rapidly.

The wife said something in Latvian. Fear dripped from her tongue. Emils gaped at me, and I removed my hand from his mouth. He said something back in Latvian, and although she relaxed slightly, fear still oozed from her pores.

I could almost smell it.

“Your wife is pretty,” I said softly, head tilted to the side. “It’d be a shame if something bad happened to her.” I’d let him fill in the blanks. I wouldn’t touch the woman or allow her to be mistreated by my men.

But I would kill her. Quickly, efficiently. A mercy in disguise.

“No need for threats. You’re in my house.” Emils sounded angry. So the little bureaucrat had a spine after all. “What do you want?”

I pointed at the wife. “Go into the bathroom. Sit on the toilet seat. Do not make noise.”

She glanced at Emils, who nodded. She got out of bed and drifted into the attached room. Matthias stepped in with her and shut the door.

Emils stared at the space his wife had vacated a moment earlier.

“I met with your friends,” I said, speaking low and slow. “The Russian men. They weren’t very nice.”

“Brnovich has all sorts of associates. I assume it didn’t go well.” He turned his gaze to me. He was sweating. Poor bastard.

“No, it did not. What’s going on here, Emils? Why would Brnovich send me to deal with Russian gangsters?”

“They’re not—”

I punched him in the mouth.

He recoiled, groaning. I didn’t hit him hard, only enough to make my point. He glared at me, dabbing at his lip, which was already swelling.

“Try again.”

“I don’t know why.”

I believed him, but that didn’t help. “Is Brnovich serious about this deal?”

“As far as I know, yes, he is.”

“Call him. Right now. Set up a meeting for the morning.”

“Please, Mr. Solar, I cannot just—”

I hit him again. Harder this time. His head lolled and he groaned.

“Call him.”

He reached for his cell phone on the nightstand and did as instructed. He stared blankly at the far wall until someone picked up at the other end.

His conversation was short and clipped. He spoke Latvian, which was frustrating. I knew some Russian, but Latvian was different enough that I couldn’t entirely follow what he was saying.

Emils covered the phone. “He says you can go meet him at his estate. He has land outside of the city.”

“Address, please.”

He pulled a piece of paper and a pen from the top drawer and wrote it down in a quick, precise hand. He shoved the scrap over.

I folded it and placed it in my pocket.

He uncovered the phone and spoke briefly before hanging up.

“You’re expected. Please go straight there. Brnovich will be waiting. It’s a several-hour drive.”

“I’d apologize for this, but you understand now, don’t you?”

“Understand what, Mr. Solar?” He tilted his chin up in my direction.

I grabbed his arm and wrenched him forward. He sucked in a shocked breath as I took his palm in my hands, tucking his forearm into my armpit for leverage, then twisted his joint with all my strength.

His wrist snapped like a twig.

He screamed in pain. I shoved him away as he curled around his injury. I heard sounds, noises from other rooms. My men said soothing words in the hallway.

Matthias came out of the bathroom. The wife was crying.

“Finished?” he asked.

“Finished.” I left Emils groaning on his bed. In the hallway, three young children, ranging from ten to four, stood gawping at my soldiers. I winked at them and pressed a finger to my lips. “Not a word, children.” I gestured and my men followed.

We left through the front. No need for stealth now.

In the car, Robyn’s eyes met mine. She looked miserable and exhausted. “I heard screaming.”

“Emils wasn’t happy with our conversation.” I buckled my seatbelt and handed Matthias the address. “We’re going for a drive, but we’ll stop back at the hotel first.”

“This place is four hours away,” Matthias said.

“Then we’ll leave at two and get there around six. He’s expecting us sooner.”

Matthias nodded, understanding. Robyn stared at me, bewildered.

“Who’s expecting us?”

“Brnovich. We’re going for a vacation in the countryside.” I smiled at her sadly and inched closer. “I’m afraid it won’t be much fun, but I can do my best to amuse you.”

“No, thanks. I can amuse myself.”

“I’m sure you can,” I said softly, touching her cheek as the car pulled out. “But I have to warn you, this might be dangerous.”

“I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“I’ll keep you safe. You know that.”

“I know you’ll attack a man for looking at me the wrong way. I can’t say I’m very safe with you around.”

I smiled and reached my hand around to wrap my fingers through her hair. She tried to pull away, but I grabbed tight, leaning across the seat to stare into her eyes. “We’re not at Blackwoods right now, love. This is the real world.”