Dangerous Husbands, Broken Wives [18+]

THIRTY EIGHT: CONFIRM SUSPICION

[IVAN]

"But I already said everything I know," the man cried, tears streaming down his face like the pathetic loser he was. Although he looks good with fear in his eyes this time. He now knows that he messed up with the wrong person. That this mistake he made this time would probably cost him his life.

Good. I like to watch people regretting their actions. I like it when they beg.

I lean back in my chair and look around. After Dimitri called and informed me that he was coming here to hand me the information about the abduction himself, I got out of the office and came back to the tool shed. This is the last place Ana and the kids would venture since it's practically hidden from plain sight. The snow does the job well, but the trees surrounding the property also make it harder for it to stand out.

Besides, it's an old shed that I never cared to renovate. However, with Ana and the kids at home now, I don't want to bring business to home. I have made that mistake once and ended up scarring Ana for life, but I can't anymore. I have to keep my business miles apart from my family. I have to keep my home a home and not some slaughterhouse.

"Just do as I say," I give him a nod, wanting him to know that he doesn't really have a choice.

He swallows, making himself even smaller as he sits in the corner of the room, his legs sprawled out after being treated by the doctor. The blood still stains the floor. I intentionally avoided having my men clean up the mess. I want this guy to look at it and remember what he's paying for.

He shivers. "I got a call two days ago at my motor shop. The guy said he got my number from a friend in prison. I was convicted a few years ago and only got out last month. The guy on the phone said he'd pay me well if I agreed to do a small job. I knew it would be something illegal. Why else would someone pay such a huge amount? I agreed anyway. I'd already done enough shady work in my life, and after coming out of prison, money was always a constant worry. The next morning, a car pulled up to the shop. I thought it was a customer, so when I approached to ask what I could do for him, he handed me a packet. There was so much cash in it..." he trails off. "...all real. I took it. He handed me another envelope and a phone. He said the instructions were in the envelopes, and after the job was done, he was going to pay me double."

"You do realize that bastard probably intended to put a bullet in your head once the job was done, don't you?" In our line of work, people are always paranoid about staying alive. They wouldn't hesitate to eliminate anyone who might spill the beans and cause trouble with rivals or the law.

He frowns at the floor, his jaw clenched. "Yeah. But I thought I could handle it. That's why I convinced some of my old friends to help me out. They needed money too. We made a plan to kill the man when he returned to take that woman."

I can't help but scoff, amused. "You planned to turn on him?" Well, that's a first. Then again, desperation could lead a man to do much more than just cutting the hand that fed him.

"I didn't have a choice." He mumbles.

No, he didn't.

"And?"

He looks up, uncertain. "That's it. You know what happened next."

"No. That's not the whole truth."

"This is the whole truth. I swear, that's all I know."

"I don't believe you," I rise from the chair and walk over to the table in the other corner of the room. Various tools are scattered on top of it. I wonder which one I would need for the job.

"What are you doing? What are you planning to do?" He sounds terrified. My back is turned to him, but I can tell he's ready to piss his pants.

"I'm going to help you retain a certain memory." I pick up a huge pair of scissors.