Merciless Hunter (Dark Syndicate 4)

31

Olivia

Ican’t sleep.

It’s bordering one and Aiden isn’t back.

Last night when Aiden came home he was distant.

Tonight he’s at the club again.

I found myself thinking all kinds of things earlier from when it started getting late.

First, I was thinking about him with all those naked women around him. I remembered how the women talked about him when I took those fateful steps to work for him.

What if he’s with one of them now?

Why wouldn’t he be?

They were all beautiful.

Beautiful and eager to be with the Pakhan. The man in charge who could solve all their problems with his money and his touch.

My thoughts soon travelled to Mom and then Eric. That’s where they’ve stayed for the last few hours.

The slam of a door downstairs has me bolting upright.

That’s the first time I’ve heard anything like that in this house. If not for just now I’d think I was too far away to hear it.

I slip out of the bed and crack the bedroom door open so I can listen out.

Raised voices travel up the stairs. Raised angry voices.

The lights are off, so I chance moving closer to the banister.

“You should go to a fucking hospital,” Maksim is saying in a hurried voice.

“I don’t need a damn hospital,” Aiden growls out. “What I need is what I said. I need the men out there keeping watch.”

“How long for cousin? Until Jude kills them all? He sent men from the Order this time to get his woman back. That means he definitely knows you have her. There’s too much evidence to suggest otherwise.”

My breathing stills. They’re talking about Jude. He sent men from the Order to get me. That means this just got serious.

They move into the living room and I can’t hear them as clearly. Their voices fade and it sounds like they’re heading to Aiden’s office.

Today I discovered the staircase that leads down there. It also branches off to the library. That’s where I spent most of the day.

I follow the passage around walking quickly but quietly, eagerness to hear what’s going on fueling my steps.

I want to know what’s going on and what to expect.

I make it to the corner, and I hear them again. I was right. They’re in his office. The door’s open and Maksim is outside.

I crouch down in the corner, making myself small so I can hide in the shadows, blend in, and disappear. Anything so I can hear.

“Aiden, this has gotten out of control,” Maksim says.

“Don’t you think I fucking know that?” Aiden barks back.