Chương 4 - The Debt Collector
The restaurant continued its quiet hum of luxury around them.
No one noticed the lethal extortion taking place at table 4.
Dominic was growing increasingly impatient with the secretive Russian dialogue.
“I demand to know what you are discussing,” Dominic snapped, glaring at Cassidy.
Cassidy forced a polite, professional smile onto her face.
“They are discussing the escrow terms for the initial transfer of funds, Mr. Pierce,” she improvised.
Dominic’s greed instantly overrode his paranoia.
He pulled a secure tablet from his briefcase and began typing in his banking credentials.
Cassidy realized Victor was using her to distract Dominic while the trap was set.
She needed to find a way to take control of the situation before she ended up dead.
“I must excuse myself for a moment to retrieve the proper signing pens from the manager,” Cassidy announced.
She stood up slowly, ensuring Dominic moved the gun away from her ribs.
Victor nodded once, silently granting her exactly two minutes of freedom.
Cassidy walked briskly toward the back corridor leading to the kitchen.
As soon as the heavy velvet curtains closed behind her, she let out a shaky breath.
She reached into her apron to grab her phone, intending to call her old intelligence handler.
Before her fingers could touch the screen, a massive hand clamped over her mouth.
She was dragged backward into the dark supply closet.
Cassidy fought viciously, driving her elbow into her attacker's stomach.
The man grunted but easily pinned her against the metal shelving.
“Stop fighting, Cass,” a gruff, familiar voice whispered in the dark.
Cassidy froze, her eyes adjusting to the dim light of the closet.
It was Marcus, the ruthless underground loan shark who owned her father's medical debt.
He was supposed to be in Chicago, not wearing a tuxedo in a Manhattan restaurant.
“What are you doing here?” Cassidy hissed, pushing his heavy arm away.
Marcus looked at her with grim intensity.
“Dominic Pierce is my employer, and he pays me to eliminate threats,” Marcus growled.
May you like
He pulled a serrated hunting knife from his jacket.
“You are going to go back out there and make sure Pierce wins, or I will start collecting your debt in blood.”
