Nix. (Den of Mercenaries Book 3)(67)

“Maybe after,” Kit returned with a smirk in the man’s direction, more than happy to hand over his gun.

It wasn’t as though he would need it—he’d faced worse odds once before.

Aidra huffed, but didn’t hand over her gun, but she didn’t stop there. Instead, she removed nearly every weapon that she had strapped to her body. And as the man’s eyes widened in surprise, a trace of fear flooding in, she smiled and moved around him.

“I apologize for my man there,” Caesar said once they were at his table, his attention on Aidra for the moment. “He is cautious.”

He took her hand in his, pressing whiskered lips against the back of it before he turned to Kit with a boisterous smile, as though the pair of them were old friends.

“Se?or Phoenix—is that right? A pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard great things.”

Kit didn’t return the sentiment. “You’ve asked for a meeting, you have ten minutes.”

Some of Caesar’s good nature dimmed as a flash of his temper showed. Undoubtedly, he wasn’t used to being the one on the receiving end of such words.

“Please,” he said with a gesture of his hand to a pair of seats. “Let’s discuss business.”

Unbuttoning his jacket, Kit pulled out a chair for Aidra first, then himself, folding one leg across the other as he regarded the man across from him. “What exactly would you like to discuss?”

“I understand that if I wish to expand my business internationally, you are the man I need to speak to,” he started with a wave of his hand to get one of the waitress’ attention. “My associates speak very highly of you.”

As to be expected. Kit took his job as the Facilitator seriously.

Though he couldn’t say who Caesar’s associates were.

“What is it, exactly, that you need from me?”

“I have a shipment of girls coming in from the Ukraine—a gift from the Russians should I choose to enter into a deal with them.” Caesar rested thick elbows on the table, leaning forward slightly. “He assured me that should I find a proper route, this can be an ongoing arrangement.”

Depending on how the deal was negotiated, it could very well be profitable for them all, but there were only a few problems with this arrangement.

Kit needed to know, and agree to, whoever was involved in the deal, down to the person that drove the f*cking trucks.

And there were just too many variables the didn’t equate for this to be worth it for him in the end.

“The first shipment won’t arrive for another six months,” Caesar went on when he didn’t respond, “but should that go well, the next would be here much faster.”

Kit didn’t bother placating the man with false smiles and promises he knew he wouldn’t keep. “As tempting as your offer is, I’ll pass.”

Caesar hadn’t expected that.

Kit could tell from the way the man’s joyful expression bled away. “You’ll reconsider then, once you hear the figures.”

“Apologies, but you couldn’t afford my services.”

All of Caesar’s grace fled as he pulled the thick cigar from behind his ear, fitting it between his lips and lighting it. After taking two deep pulls, the end briefly lighting up, he said, “You’ll reconsider.”

“I can assure you, I won’t. So, if this is all you needed …”

Kit got to his feet, offering his hand to Aidra. They couldn’t have been in the lounge more than a few minutes at most, but he was already ready to leave.

“I am a powerful enemy to have, se?or Phoenix. You—”

“If you think you know me, you should know that I don’t respond well to idle threats. I suggest you stop while I’m in a forgiving mood.”

Reluctantly, and with great effort, Caesar closed his mouth, though there was hatred burning in his eyes. “I’ll see you again, Phoenix.”

Aidra collected their weapons, and by the time they were driving out of the lot, Kit was more annoyed than he had been before they got there.

“Filter through any that you haven’t. Anyone involved in those trades is automatically rejected, is that understood?”

“Yes.”

“And figure out who his associates are.”

“Right—shit!”

Aidra’s panicked exclamation had him looking in her direction sharply, but her attention was on the incoming messages on her phone.

“What is it?” Kit asked. Aidra was never one to panic easy.

“It’s your brother—he’s been shot.”

Kit snapped into action a moment later, first dialing Luna’s mobile phone, and when she didn’t answer, he punched in Fang’s number and called.

“Yo.”

“Stay on the line,” he snapped before looking at Aidra. “There were three separate protocols Uilleam implements should this happen—figure out which one it was.”

He and his brother had a lot of time to prepare for this considering it was a rarity that he was ever harmed despite the legion of enemies he had—his mercenaries never let them get close enough.

But should one of them have succeeded, there were only three numbers he would call, and each one had a different stash house that he could be found in.

“The warehouse on 57th,” Aidra said once she finished on the phone.