Chapter 11

eleven

Phoebe

I've been back home for about a week now. I'm walking out of my chemistry class when my phone rings. I answer it, trying to juggle my books.

" Hola, Tio. Cómo estás ?" I ask in Spanish, and he chuckles, loving hearing me talk in his language.

"I'm good, princesa ; your tia has finally let me back in my own bed after months in the guest room." I chuckle. It's not the fact he cheated that one time; she knew about it but decided to move on, and he never did it again. It's the fact she could have been a mother to an amazing man she's, that's what she's pissed about. She has it in her head that he would have lived with them. I just don't have the heart to tell her that Sergi would never have left his mother; she was his world and an amazing woman.

Juan snaps me back to him. "Did you see him?" I sigh. I know he wants good news, but Sergi comes first. "I'm sorry, Tio , he's just not ready. Twenty-nine years is a long time of hurt and abandonment issues."

He sighs. "I know, sweetheart. Hopefully, he'll talk to me soon, if I keep pursuing it." I smile, and I think they will get along well. Sergi is the spitting image of Juan; how I didn't notice it in the six years I was with him and my grandmother, I honestly don't know.

"Listen, princesa , I have another one for you." I stop and move over in the hallway.

"I'm listening, Tio ." I'm eager to get rid of some more scum. This is what I do, like other assassins trained by the Shadow.

I live to hunt and kill traffickers and rapists.

"A 39-year-old male was inside for child pornography and attempted rape of an 18-year-old. He got out on parole last week for good behavior. A package is being sent to your farm. He has been caught on CCTV raping a 15-year-old girl, and it was brought to my attention. I have investigated him, and he is in contact with the Cartel…and Mihai. It seems Christian was just the front man to hide Mihai's identity."

I suck in a breath. That cowardly.... I knew I should have just killed the fucker.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, you can go after him once we get this fucker. His name is Thompson Ellison. He's been scoping out the group homes in Casper. All the details will be in the package, but he should be creeping on another group home again tonight."

I growl out, "I'm on it, Tio . I'll call once the jobs done."

He chuckles. "My little Angel of Death, don't worry about calling immediately. I know you'll get it done. Te amo, princesa ." I furrow my brows. I always call him right away, but before I can question him or tell him I love him, too, he hangs up. He actually fucking hangs up. I growl, then walk to my Buick and head home. Abby didn't have classes today, so she will probably be there when the package arrives, putting it in order for me, and making bullet points like always.

Half an hour later, I'm pulling up near the front of the farmhouse. Abby is sitting on the porch with the package already out in organized piles. You've got to love good help from your closest friends. I quickly unbuckle and get out of the car.

"Fuck me, Phoebe, this asshole is sick. I mean, I know there's evil, but the pictures he's saved on his computer from the photos he's taken at the children's home…I can't." She shakes her head.

I frown and have a look, and I'm instantly sickened. Young boys and girls are undressed, and he's even labeled the file as "for later." Yeah, this guy is gone! I storm inside, going through the living area to my bedroom, slamming the door on the wall, and making Ares, who was sunning himself on my windowsill, jump. I stroke his head as an apology and go to change my clothes.

Abby leans against the door frame as I change into my leather pants and crop top, and put on my biker boots. I put my gun behind my back in the slot on the inside of my pants, and grab my knives, placing them in the spaces in my boots. Then, I grab my throwing stars, and they go in the slots on the inside of my top, so I don't cut myself. I made that mistake before. I look at Abby, and she holds out a Kevin's cheeseburger, and I grin. I quickly snatch it and chomp through it before heading toward the kitchen for a bottle of water, and she chuckles.

"Your bike arrived while you were at school." She smirks, and I nod, finishing my burger and taking a few big gulps of water. She gives me a mint, and I thank her and kiss her cheek.

"I should be home by tomorrow, but I'll let you know." She nods and passes me the cliff notes she's made for me. "I know the drill; end the bastard," I smirk, then head out for my bike. I quickly review the notes, spending fifteen minutes studying all the details. It should only take me roughly an hour to get to where I need to go. I place the information in my saddlebag and hop on, before revving my girl and driving off.

It only takes me forty minutes to get to the building the fucker moved into with the help of Mihai, and I look around; there are tall buildings around the group home. I know Thompson lives in the building on the right; he's rented a one-bedroom apartment in the middle so he can get a good view, but likes to go down and sit in his car just to the side of the building, between the left and the one he lives in, to take pictures and help plan the extraction for each child he deems worthy of selling.

I enter the left building, go to the second floor, and enter apartment 2A. It's an apartment my uncle rented under a false name; the information was in the notes Abby gave me. I go to the window and climb out onto the fire escape, then to the rooftop, and set up. I know there are only a few cameras, but I want to avoid getting caught. I take out the very large grappling hook with the rope attached, and secure the hook to the base of the retaining wall at the edge of the roof.

I look at my watch. It's 9 PM. I have roughly two hours before Thompson sneaks down to his car, and I have a perfect view of his driver's side, where, from the angle of the pictures he's taken, I know he sits.

A few minutes later, I hear footsteps from behind me, and I quickly pull out my trusty Glock and point it at the intruder's head. I roll my eyes, and of course, he fucking found me.

"Isn't this the part where you put the gun down, malen'kaya ptitsa ?"

I snort. "I think I'd rather keep it where it is, thanks. What are you doing here, Alex?" As I talk to him, his eyes take me in, devouring me, and I see them linger on my tattoo. I see his emotions as clear as day crossing his face: sadness, heartbreak, and sorrow when he notices they're sparrows.

I once asked him about the endearment.

"Why, little bird?" I asked, and he looked at me.

"Because you're my sparrow, my joy."

Then he kissed me .

What absolute bullshit! If I were his joy, he wouldn't have fucked my sister.

He looks back at me and says, "I'm here to get my fiancée back." He says it with so much emotion that it almost, almost makes me want to give in and go to him, but then I remember what a pig he is, and decide against it. I put my gun back in its spot in the back of my pants, and I turn around to look at the weasel's car.

"Sorry to disappoint, Alex, but that ship sailed long before you got yourself a coke head mistress." I can feel him behind me; he's moved, so his front is nearly touching my back—but not touching, probably knowing I'll break his arm. Or at least try. He is third-in-command to a Pahkan, so he's well-trained, too.

I feel his breath against my neck, and I close my eyes. This sucks; I've fucking missed him so much, but he slept with my sister.

"I know I fucked up Phoebs; I only got a mistress to punish you for leaving me; I didn't know you left because of what I did behind closed doors until last week." He tries to pacify me, and I snap. Is he serious? Behind closed doors, really? Is he really trying to downplay the fact that he fucked my fucking sister, and continued to fuck her when I left like it was okay?

I turn around fast—so fast that he takes a step back. I grab a throwing star simultaneously and hold it against his neck. He lifts both of his hands up, but not out of fear. More to prove he won't do anything,

"Behind closed doors? Are you fucking serious?" He swallows, realizing what he said to me. "So you fuck my sister and some slutty whore, probably for fucking months , despite our engagement, and all you can do is label it 'what I did behind closed doors' like you didn't betray me with my fucking backstabbing sister !" I shout the last bit, and he takes another step back, eyes wide. Not once in the years we've been together have I ever raised my voice to him. I kept the throwing star raised between us.

"It was the wrong choice of words, Phoebs. I'm sorry, okay, I fucked up, I know?—"

I don't let him finish. I twist to my side and sidekick him in the stomach. He grunts in surprise and lands on his ass. I walk toward him and lean over him.

"You disgust me. It was bad enough that a slut was trying to get herself knocked up by you, and you were basically letting her by not using protection, but then you go and fuck my sister, who fucking tried to sell me, even after I fucking left! Then you move a disease-ridden coke head into a hotel and make her your mistress. I don't want you anywhere near me. I might be bound by you, Alexandr, but as far as I'm concerned, you no longer exist. I don't know what you said to my uncle to get him to agree to tell you my whereabouts, and I don't give a fuck. Stay away from me, or next time, you'll learn exactly why I'm called the Angel of Death," I sneer, then turn and walk back to the edge of the building. Looking at this weasel's car again, I ignore the pain I saw in his eyes, but the truth fucking hurts. He did this, not me. We'd be married now, on our way to starting a family like we've always talked about, but he decided to add extras he knew I wouldn't be comfortable with. I don't care if he's Bratva, I don't share, and neither does he, so I don't understand why he would think what he was doing was acceptable.

Fucking Juan. Other than Abby, he is the only one who knows where I am; he did this, and I can guarantee he used time with Sergi as a bargaining chip. I swivel around and point my finger at him.

"If I find out that you've used Sergi as a way to get to me, I swear to fucking God, I will castrate you, Alexandr!" He swallows hard, guilt shining in his eyes, and I know he did. I go up to him and punch him in the lip, slitting it, and he takes it, too, knowing he deserves it.

He wipes his lip and grunts. "Sergi agreed; he didn't have to, either, but I know he wants his cousin back home. We all do." I narrow my eyes at him; clearly, Sergi's told them who he is to me. I turn my back on him, go back to the edge of the building again, and lean down, keeping myself hidden while still being able to see the bastard who's going to meet his Maker. I try to hide my guilt for hitting Alex, even though he deserved it for forcing Sergi into a meeting with a man who didn't claim him until it suited him. I love my uncle, but what he did was wrong, and he knows it.

I look at my watch again. 9:55 PM. I sigh. Just over an hour to go. And this is where I stay, at the edge of the building, watching and waiting. I can feel Alex is still on the roof with me. I can feel his eyes watching me, studying the new me. Well, the new to him . I've been this girl since I was ten. I ignore him, and we stay quiet. Then, finally, the sick bastard appears, and I stand, straightening, causing Alex to stand and look over the edge as well.

I smirk. "Well, hello there, darling, it's about time you showed," I sneer evilly. Alex's eyebrows shoot up, and he steps away from me, clearly not used to this Phoebe. I grab my gloves from my pocket and put them on; I don't need any DNA around. Then, I take out my throwing star from my top and examine it. I remove the plastic film that covers it, and Alex's brows furrow.

" Malen'kaya ptitsa , I don't think that will work from up here."

I smirk at him, then look at Thompson. I flex my wrist as Alex raises his brows, shocked that I will attempt this. This won't be the first time I've done this; we're only four stories high.

Just as Thompson is about to enter his crappy rust bucket, I throw the star, flexing my wrist at the same time, and it imbeds itself nicely in the side of his neck. I chuckle and look at my ex.

"You were saying?" I look back at the weasel and watch him choke on his own blood while trying to grab the star in the side of his neck.

Five minutes later, he's in a heap on the ground, and I get my burner phone out, dialing my uncle's number. He answers on the second ring.

"Angel," he answers calmly, but I can hear the hesitation.

I sneer, "Job complete, and don't fucking bother calling me for a week, or I'll travel to Spain and make my lovely aunt a widow. You've betrayed me and forced Sergi into something he is not ready for in the same night."

He sighs. "Now, sweetheart, I only have your best interest at heart. He—" I hang up on him, then take a loose brick and smash the burner. I pick up the pieces and place them in a plastic bag. I'll burn them once I get home.

I pack up the rest of my stuff, and go to the edge of the building opposite, where there's a dead body. My uncle will have the police out in exactly twenty minutes, just enough time for me to high-tail it out of here. I throw the bag down, and it lands near my bike.

"Phoebe."

I stop short, then turn to look at him and lie through my fucking teeth. "I've moved on, Alex, so it's about time you did, too!" I turn around, grab the rope, and throw it over the wall. I hear him growl loudly, but I ignore him and climb over the wall.

"What are you doing, Phoebs? You can't go down the side of a fucking building."

I continue to ignore him and wrap the rope around my leg to get a tight grip on it before I lean back, hanging off the building.

"Fucking hell, baby, get back over here." He sounds panicked, but tough shit; he's seriously underestimating me. I begin repelling down the building, and I hear Alex shouting at me again, but I continue my descent. A few moments later, I jump the last few feet. I yank the hook hard, and it falls down. I pick it up and put it in my saddle bag, and I climb on the bike, and drive off without looking back.

He is my past; he made sure of that five months ago, and has continued to do so every day since.