The Handler : A Dark Russian Mafia Romance (The Cells of Kalashov Book 2)

hang low on his face turn up slightly as he wags a finger at me. “That job in London..” He trails off as his smile grows, and the admiration in his gaze would give the illusion that we are friends and I should relax.
An illusion, that’s all this is. “Thank you.”
He nods several times before his lips crumple back into their down-turned positioned on his face.
“A yacht that was transporting highly valued assets was attacked as it was docking.”
I’m sitting forward now as this was business. This is what I did. I handled situations. More precisely, I handled people. Ones that the bratva needed eradicated for good. I got the call, did the job, and no one ever asked how I did it or where the person disappeared to. It was a gift.
“The full security team was wiped out quickly. Camera footage, of course, is gone. All the assets were taken.”
“I know this isn’t your area, Lucca.” A soft knock at the door has Igor glancing at it. “Come in.”
I’m tempted to turn in my seat. I’m tempted to see the face the voice belongs to. I have a knack for faces and names.
“The Torpedo is here to see you, sir. I knew you would want to know.”
The Torpedo was a contract killer for Igor. Is he putting two of us on the job? I work alone.
Igor’s gaze slides to me. I haven’t taken my eyes off the man. He nods at whoever is at the door before he continues speaking to me.
“Another matter, Lucca.” He exhales loudly and turns to his laptop. He hits a few keys before he pauses, stares at the screen, and turns it to me.
An image of a young woman pacing a room fills the camera. She doesn’t look up, so I can’t see her face, but the white lace gown that hugs her body makes my trousers tighten. Long black hair flows down her back. She turns and looks up at the camera. Frightened eyes darken before she looks away and sits down.
She’s beautiful.
“She is the only asset that wasn’t taken,” Igor says.
I haven’t looked away from the screen as she sits down on the bed and drags her legs up to her chest. Her bare feet dig into the mattress.
“Why wasn’t she killed?” The moment I say it, my skin grows tight across my bones at the thought of anyone destroying something so beautiful.
The screen is moved, the image of the young woman disappears.
“She hid. That’s what she told my men. She’s the only witness.”
A tingle races along the back of my neck, but I don't reach back and scratch it. I’m assuming the other assets were women too. The fact that they are highly valued can only mean one thing; they must be virgins. They make a lot of money on the black market.
“I need you to find out what she saw and get my assets back.”
Igor moves papers around his desk.
“No disrespect, sir, but this isn’t my area.”
Igor looks up at me. “I know that. That’s why I want you on the case. You have always shown great discretion, and every job, you get done.”
I sit forward. “Assassinating people.” I remind Igor. That was my job, my role in the Bratva. I wasn’t a detective.
Igor’s lips drag up. “You will get to assassinate people, no doubt about that, Lucca.”
Irritation makes my skin tight.
“I want you on this.”
I can’t refuse. I’ve already spoken out of place.
Igor picks up the phone and presses only two buttons. He was ringing someone within the building. “Bring her in here.” He hangs up.
Igor pushes documents over to me. “All the information about the layout of the yacht, codes.” He waves a hand in the air as the door opens behind me. Footsteps are heavy—a male. There is a second set that is cushioned, and I think of the barefooted woman. I don’t turn but take the papers off the desk as a large security man steps to the side.
She appears a second later. Her blue eyes shine with fear. Tears have left marks on her creamy skin.
Igor stands and walks to her, taking her hand, and presses a quick kiss to it.
“My beautiful Evie, everything will be okay.”
This was very personal to Igor. The fact he knew the beauty by her name made me pay even more attention. A small blue diamond mark on the side of her thumb clarified my suspicions about the girls. They were virgins. The marking was a brand that men with lots of money knew; Men who could pay millions for someone like Evie.
“This is Lucca, and he will be taking care of you.”
For the first time, Evie looks at me. Her collar bones jut out sharply as the air is dragged into her lungs. Fear lights up her blue eyes.
“He will help us.” Igor takes her chin in his thick fingers, dragging her gaze away from me. “You need to help him, Printsessa.”
She doesn’t answer, and Igor releases her before sitting back down.
I want to keep looking at Evie, but I know better and focus on Igor, who has returned to his laptop.
“Any information you find out, you can update me here.” He turns away from the laptop and copies a number down from the screen onto a small piece of paper that I take from his outstretched fingers.
I put the piece of paper in my jacket pocket. This whole situation wasn’t standard, but once again, I remember my place and don’t question Igor. Circling in the back of my mind is that I’ve been set up to fail.
I rise as Igor walks around the desk. He pauses at Evie. “Don’t disappoint me.” His words have her nodding.
He takes my outstretched hand and pulls it to his