Violent Beginnings (The Moretti Crime Family 2)

“Take. It,” Markus repeats, his tone more insistent this time.

It’s a trick. It has to be. After everything, he’s willingly giving me the one thing I need to set my sister free?

He sighs deeply and closes the distance between us in two large strides. Before I can spiral into a full-blown panic, he grabs my hand and shoves the thumb drive inside. Then steps back again.

He reaches into his back pocket. “Here is some cash for a cab or whatever you need.” He takes out a wad of bills, that must be at least a few hundred dollars from his wallet and hands them to me. I can’t seem to comprehend what is happening. Why is he doing this? Why is he offering to help me? He asked me to trust him, and now he’s giving me what I need and letting me go.

On autopilot, I lift my hand and take the cash.

“You’re letting me go?” I ask in disbelief. “You said you would never let me go.”

Markus shrugs, a cold mask sliding over his face. “Changed my mind. Getting rid of Julie is such a relief. Made me realize how much work you are. I’ve got better shit to do. Plus, I’ve grown tired of your pussy. I’m going to buy something better next auction, someone prettier and less mouthy.”

His words slice through the thumping organ in my chest. I feel myself bleeding out. Fading.

“You don’t mean that.” I don’t know why I say it. I should be glad he changed his mind. I should be running out of this apartment as fast as I can.

Trick or not, I need to take the chance to get away. Instead, I’m hurt by his words, hurt by the thought of him replacing me as if I were nothing to him.

“Let’s go. I have better things to do. Get out.” He points toward the door.

“Are you serious?” I swallow around the ball of emotion in my throat, around all the words I want to say but can’t.

“Out!” Markus roars, and my limbs spring into action.

He doesn’t move as I head toward the door, and I don’t hear him following me to the elevator. Even when I step inside, I am convinced he is about to jump around the corner and pin me to the ground, but nothing happens when the door closes, and nothing happens when it reopens into a large foyer downstairs.

The front of the building is all glass, and I can see the busy street ahead of me. Still unable to trust this whole situation, I take a hesitant step out of the elevator. I’m prepared for something bad to happen but again, nothing.

Clutching onto the thumb drive, I speed walk toward the exit. I push the front door open, and the sounds of the city wash over me. People talking, laughing, cars speeding by, and honking somewhere down the street. The onslaught of sounds is almost overwhelming. The only thought keeping me sane is the one where my sister needs me.

I take one more glance back and into the foyer. It’s empty… Markus didn’t follow me.

A mixture of relief and disappointment floods my veins. Maybe he was telling the truth? Before I allow myself to dwell on the thought, I shove both feelings down into a deep corner of my mind, spin around and hail a cab.

Someone stops in a matter of seconds, which isn’t surprising seeing that every other vehicle seems to be a taxi. I get into the back, stuffing the cash into my pocket but keeping the thumb drive in my hand.

“The library, please.”

“To the library,” the driver confirms and takes off. Thankfully, he doesn’t try to make any small talk with me since I don’t have the nerve for that right now.

He drops me off in front of a large gray building, and I pay him with one of the twenty-dollar bills Markus gave me. “Keep the rest,” I call on my way out and slam the door shut behind me.

Walking up the stairs to the front door, I wonder if this is the right move. Maybe I should just find a phone and call the number myself? No, I need to see what’s on this drive.

Inside, I bypass every single bookshelf and find a public computer instead. Luckily, they have one available all the way in the corner, away from prying eyes.

I shove myself down into a seat and plug the thumb drive into the USB port.

A few seconds later, a folder appears on the screen. It reads Victoria.

Sucking in a shaky breath, I move the mouse over the folder and click on it. Two sub-folders open, neither one is labeled, so I just click on the first one. My heart clenches so tightly in my chest, I wonder if I’m having a heart attack.