Stolen

4. Blackmail

Stolen

Chapter Four - Blackmail

"Let me out!"

"Go to sleep."

"No one goes to sleep at 7'o clock!"

The door was yanked open, and I hoped back, my stance immediately becoming defensive.

"What do you want?" Nikolai said, a look a pure annoyance on his face. "And don't even think about running again... "I took another few steps back at his dark tone, as he backed me up against the wall. He scowled. "I won't hesitate to shoot you this time."

I arched an eyebrow. "Well, someones grumpy. "

"I just got my as* chewed out because of you, and now because of that, I'm on babysitting duty, so yes I'm grumpy. "

I sighed pushing past him. "Well I'm not going to be much use to you dead am I?"

He turned around, his dark gaze following me. "I don't think you quite realize what you're dealing with, Enzo doesn't want you here. You're a liability. You screw up, he'll gladly put a bullet in your head. "

I crossed my arms.

I don't doubt it.

There was something deeply disturbed in that man. The rumors I had heard painted him as a force to be feared. And spending ten minutes in a room with him had just confirmed that. But I wasn't one to get scared. So I was determined not to let it get to me.

I was escaping this place... one way or another.

"It was Mosi who thought, for some reason, I cannot fathom, that this would be a good idea. " Nikolai continued.

" Why exactly did he think this was a good idea then? "

"Because we've run out of willing volunteers. Out of options. We can't afford to expend any more men. "

My eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about? "

He chuckled humorously. "Funny. You managed to piss Enzo off so fast we never actually got to why your here. "

"So why am I here?" I growled through gritted teeth.

"One of Enzo's more violent alliances took a bad turn. They ended up taking a hostage...someone vital to this establishment. "

My eyes suddenly widened at my own realization.

"Wait, where is this going..."

He cut me off.

"We would normally just raid the place, or leave the man to his destiny, but he's too valuable an asset to take the risk. We've been negotiating but it's getting us nowhere. We've already sent a few men in to extract him but they've all failed. Wait much longer we'll end up getting his fingers in the mail. "

He looked up at me. Confirming my anxiety.

"Oh h*ll no!"

"We need you to get him back, with your experience as a thief, it shouldn't be too hard for you to get in and get out."

"I STEAL PAINTINGS! NOT PEOPLE!"

He smirked, flopping down on the comforter and closing his eyes leisurely.

"Just think of it as a living breathing piece of art..."

I began anxiously pacing the room.

"That you have to get out alive, or you and all your friends will die." He added casually.