Sonata (Butcher and Violinist 2)

I would do more. Already, a plan hatched in my head. Already, I’d made moves on the chess board, without my opponent siting down to continue the game.

If I was upset, then everyone would be anxious too.

The military brigade was in place. Over sixty uniformed men and women surrounded the hotel. Local cops guarded the exits. Thirty of my own trusted men waited behind me.

Louis sat in the hotel’s security room. His team had hacked into the system. They had a camera view on the Lion and his lover.

Louis’s voice came into the pod in my ear. “The Lion’s awake.”

“Did he leave the bed?”

“No. In fact, I doubt he’ll be leaving anytime soon. He’s currently banging the shit out of the black woman.”

I rolled my eyes. “Unfortunately, you have to keep watching.”

“Where’s Rafael?”

“He said that he’s coming.” I gazed at the hotel and raised my eyes level to the top floor.

Movement came from my side.

Gripping my gun, I turned.

Rafael approached.

It’s about time.

I let go of my gun.

Rafael spoke first. “What are we doing here?”

I did my best to keep the edge out of my voice. Rafael didn’t deserve any anger. It would all have to go to my enemies. I looked at the hotel as it towered over us. “Kazimir is upstairs. This is where he’s staying.”

“Yeah, Louis clued me in on that part, when I called him.” Rafael stepped in front of me. “What I’m asking is why are we here?”

“Someone took Eden. We know the Russians are behind it. Two of the dead men in my apartment are Bratva. Misha, Kazimir’s cousin is searching for Celina. This is simple.” I looked at him. “The Lion knows more than us. Now it’s his turn to tell me.”

“We have other people we can ask.”

“Do we?” I glared at him. “What did you find out from Shalimar?”

“That the Yakuza are probably involved too.” He ran his fingers through his hair.

“And?”

“And she knew there was a tracker on the necklace.”

I clenched my jaw.

“Celina thought that Eden was still in Belladonna. With her men watching Eden, and your men too, she figured that the necklace would be safer around Eden’s neck.”

I rubbed the tension out of my jaw, unable to deal with the stupidity of the situation. “What’s the tracker attached to? All these people didn’t die over a fucking violin necklace.”

“Shalimar wouldn’t say what it is.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Wouldn’t say?”

Rafael let out a long breath. “You have to talk to her.”

“You understand that we won’t only have a conversation?”

“I’m aware of that.”

I directed my attention back to the hotel. “After this, we’ll go to Shalimar.”

“After what?”

“I want to talk to Kazimir. He’ll have answers. He’ll know what the hell the tracker deals with. If Misha is looking for Celina, then she must’ve stolen something from Igor after he died. Something that is very valuable to Igor or the Bratva.”

Misha hired the Devil. That meant he wanted a discreet psycho to handle something quick and privately.

Why so quiet, Misha? What did she take? Why not have a band of Bratva all over Belladonna?

Perhaps, that was why Kazimir had come after all. Maybe he thought Celina would come to me for help.

No. She’s too stubborn and stupid for that.

I pressed the pod on my ear and spoke to Louis. “Is he still fucking her?”

“Oh yes. He’s a big bastard too. I think he’s about to break the bed. If we interrupt now, the woman and the bed might be grateful.”

“We’re coming up.” I headed off and crossed the street.

My men followed.

We moved through the barricade of military men.

Rafael walked on my side, taking in the whole scene in. “Do we have enough fucking people with us tonight? I’m surprised news cameras aren’t out here.”

“No cellphone service within a fifty-mile radius. And we’re at the center. Everyone thinks the terrorist suspect might be in here.”

Rafael frowned. “What are we going to say to Kazimir?”

“Any fucking thing I want.” I wasn’t sure, if he’d been behind Eden’s kidnapping. I wouldn’t have put it past him. He enjoyed the games and the hunt.

If you’re behind this Lion, I’ll chop off that little furry tail of yours and feed it down your throat.

We entered and hit the elevators.

Rafael stirred on my side. “I think it would be better, if we talked to Shalimar first, before we started fucking with Kazimir.”

The doors slid open.

We stepped on.

Several men followed.

Others waited for the next elevator.

We rose.

Rafael attempted to throw more logic my way. “If you could figure out what the tracker is, then maybe we can—”

“If Celina stole it from Misha, then Misha can track it. Clearly, he’s giving it to the Devil to track. I want to track it now too. Wherever the necklace is, the Devil is near and Eden too. And Kazimir can make Misha and the Devil do what I want.”