Aleksandr's face as he stares at the letter I handed over the second he walked into my office this morning would almost be amusing if I wasn't so fucking laser focused on the what I learned last night.

"Holy shit," he whispered, looking up at me, "is there ever a trick he doesn't miss?"

Chuckling, I shake my head.

"I don't know why he thought Rossi would be focused on capturing him... I've got some questions for Mel about that. But it's damn impressive he prepared for literally everything up to and including abduction."

"Who's this Connor person," he said, looking back at the letter and furrowing his brow.

"That's a fantastic question, but I have a suspicion and you're not going to love the answer."

Raising his eyebrow, he meets my eyes and the smirk I've been sporting all morning grows.

"That warehouse is in neutral territory, but turns out it's Irish Mafia owned."

"Wait... Connor... As in Connor Walsh? The fucking... are you saying that Red and Walsh are connected?"

"That's exactly what I think, though I won't know for sure until I call him later today."

"The fu..." he runs his hand through his hair before slumping back in his chair and looking out the window with a grunt, "always full of fucking surprises."

"Understatement. Mel is going to call us this afternoon once she's found the device, and we're going to meet her at her home tonight for dinner to collect it. Then we call Connor."

"I'm surprised she's allowing you to meet her at her home with this whole neutrality concern," he mutters, waving the letter at me with disdain, "Leo was convinced that Mel wouldn't want to taint her reputation by looking for him herself. He went so far as to add our fingerprints to his safehouse because he was so convinced. I dunno, says a lot about her."

"Just tells me their relationship isn't black and white. Sure, I'm pretty sure they are more than friends and probably fuck... but Mel's made it clear what her priority is, and Leo's agreed to it."

Grunting he stands and walks to the window, looking out over the city as if passing judgement on everyone below as Boris walks in.

The way he's holding his laptop open... how pale he is... I sit up straight immediately knowing something is wrong.

"Pakhan," he whispers, his eyes flicking nervously between Aleksandr and I and drawing Aleksandr's eyes, "I... I found something..."

Though he's been here all morning, I set him up to work down the hall while Aleksandr and I discuss the letter. I am not ready to tell anyone else about the tracker just yet.

I told him only to interrupt us if he found something important...

He places the laptop on my desk, spinning it slowly and I see a video-playing window up that's been paused. I raise my eyebrow at him as Aleksandr walks around my desk and bends over, clicking play.

I immediately lunge forward, grasping the arms of my chair so hard I hear them creak beneath my hands. I choke on the air in my lungs, and I feel my eyes bug out of my head.

"Hello loyal viewers, and welcome back! As many of you already know, my precious star has returned after many long years away! Since my girl is still recovering from some recent injuries, we will not be able to offer our normal selection of services tonight. However, we welcome everyone to our reunion session and hope that you will all continue to tune in each week for our live streams. We will add more service options each session!"

The creepy mask doesn't suit the upbeat internet-personality voice spilling through the speakers, but the vibe it gives off fits the background scene perfectly.

Leo looks like shit.

His head is hanging forward with his chin to his chest, his shoulder is bandaged and blood is spotting through, and a large bandage on his abdomen reminds me he's been in the hospital for over two weeks after nearly dying in my arms.

The second the stick Aire is holding connects, I nearly snap the arm off my chair.

When Leo starts crying out in pain - getting louder and louder as the strikes never ease up or slow down - I start seeing black spots in my vision. It took me a while to realize I was holding my breath.

Then... when he... motherfucker.

When the video ended, I was panting and fighting the urge to throw up all over my desk. Closing the laptop slowly, I looked to Boris who had stood like a statue staring at the wall glassy eyed during the entire 49 minute and 22 second video.

"Boris. Where did you get this?" I rasped, trying to keep my head focused on what matters in this moment even as my chest physically aches as if I was the one that had been beaten.

"The... the facial... recognition. I extended it to start scanning online. Most of it was worthless articles. But... Someone purchased this video and leaked a small snippet of it on a regular porn site. Not enough to raise red flags to normal site viewers, but enough for the software to recognize her. Er, him.

I was able to get the video from the moron that uploaded it, along with other key details from his computer about where he bought it. The site is heavily locked down. The only reason this idiot has access is because he's the son of some big wig oil tycoon, but he's clearly the moron of the family. He didn't even hesitate to click on the pop-up ad I sent him. According to the site, this live-streamed yesterday - late in the night. After the streaming ended, people could buy the video, like this asshole did."

He'd had Leo for less than 24 hours... he didn't waste a fucking second.

I rage, finally losing control of everything bubbling beneath the surface as I stand and throw my decanter of whiskey across the room.

The fucker is heavy, and it smashes through the bookshelf, spilling the contents all over the splintered remains of the shelf, the books, and the carpet of my office... but I don't really register it. I don't care.

He didn't even cover his tattoos... just his face. He has no fear of consequences. Arrogant son of a bitch.

I work to calm myself down and get my breathing under control.

"We have enough to bring in the team. Arrange a meeting tomorrow morning with Victor, Denis, and us three. That gives us the evening to meet with Mel, call this Cooper person, and then go through and figure out what details are safe to share and which ones aren't. By tomorrow, we'll have all the details put together into a file of the need-to-knows for a search and rescue."

I'm still seething but I'm impressed that my voice is relatively steady - even as I stand here ready to throw more shit across the room.

"And kill," Aleksandr adds, anger pouring out of him in waves in a way I've never seen before.

He's practically vibrating with fury.

"This ends with Leo back in our arms and Aire dead at our fucking feet."

I nod.

"Fucking right it does."

--

"Punctual as ever gentlemen," Mel comments, stepping away from her front door to usher us inside her home.

I nod stiffly, walking in with my briefcase in my hand.

It feels like it weighs 100 pounds - heavier from the knowledge than the laptop it contains. I haven't told her about the video yet, and I'm not looking forward to the conversation.

Aleksandr walks in behind me, nodding politely at Mel - just as stiff as I am.

She quickly walks around us and leads us to the dining room table. I'm surprised to see it set for dinner this time, a full meal spread out and prepared. A bottle of red wine and a wine glass also present, just like last time, beside Mel's seat. As we all settle in, I find I'm not very hungry and so I don't move to fill my plate.

"I found the device," Mel says, reaching into her pocket and tossing it on the table beside her plate.

Straight to business. I appreciate that. I don't have the wherewithal for small talk right now.

"Based on what I know of dormant tracking devices, I recommend not activating it until you have the ability to track it. The longer it's on, the more likely it is to be found or noticed."

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. I wonder if she'll still want to wait when she learns what we have.

"We'll be calling the person that can track it once it's activated after this dinner. My hope is to meet with him tomorrow, if not before that."

Nodding, she observed me for a long moment. The way her eyes are studying me makes me feel like she can see straight into my mind.

Let's fucking hope she can't because all that's in there right now is images from that fucking video.

"Okay, spill it. What's going on?"

Her voice is tight and her eyes are narrowed, flicking between Aleksandr and I. We both immediately flinch, the reality of what we've seen like a physical injury.

"Aire released a video last night," I state bluntly.

The speed with which she paled is impressive all on its own, a gasp falling out of her involuntarily.

"It's as bad as you think," Aleksandr murmurs, "and apparently it's going to get worse. He's promised a video a week."

"It was streaming live in the middle of the night, but there was sunlight coming through the windows. We believe he's taken Leo out of the country," I explain grimly, holding Mel's gaze even as she blanches further looking more and more nauseous.

"I... I thought... we'd have more time," she clears her throat and continues, "I have a lot of information on Aire, his businesses, his properties. I prepared a thumb drive and provided you everything I have."

She pulls out a thumb drive from her pocket, placing it beside the small black remote that activates the tracker.

Nodding, I consider her for a long moment.

"We are meeting with our team tomorrow to discuss what we know and to start getting a plan in place. We'll do it right after we've tracked the device and figured out where they are. WKTA is pretty notorious for not working with anyone... so how are we doing this?"

"It can't be known we're working together," she says quickly, sitting back, "but rescuing a kidnapped employee has nothing to do with neutrality. If it had been during the Rossi job it'd have been more complicated - but this isn't related to our world. Aire taking Leo has nothing to do with us, so taking him back has nothing to do with neutrality. You two, however, are complications. While the muscle and resources you bring to the table are valuable, we cannot be seen working together.

We will find a neutral location and bring all our information to the table to figure a plan out. Usually, die Dame would be our primary strategist for something like this, but we've got others that can work together to do a decent job in her place. I'll work on finding a neutral location and getting my team together, while you get the tracking data and your team together. I'll provide you my burner number tonight, and we'll keep in touch that way going forward. Expect to meet within two or three days.

This will be the last time you visit my home, and you are going to make a donation from your company to the hospital to justify your visit should anyone ask. I look forward to seeing the improvements to my surgical center courtesy of your philanthropic efforts."

I nod, accepting that outcome without question. If a donation to a hospital is the only thing she asks in exchange for Leo's life - it's one I'm more than willing to make.

"A bright side is that Aire has no idea who Leo is," she mutters, taking a long swig of wine before meeting my eyes. "I don't think he expects a rescue attempt at all, let alone one led by organizations like ours. I'm hoping his ignorance will be a major advantage when we decide to act."

"We want Leo after this is over," Aleksandr blurts and my head snaps to him so fast I nearly hear it crack.

She stares at him, mouth open and I mirror her.

"What did you just say to me?" she growls, tightening her grasp on her wine glass to the point I'm worried she'll shatter it.

"If he wants out, you let him go. Let him walk away, and he comes to us," he doesn't back down and meets her glare head on.

I consider what he's saying, and realize that if we take out Aire... the protection that WKTA held over him for himself and his kid no longer binds them. As long as we kill the fucker... the fear Leo has carried of Aire finding him or his daughter would evaporate.

Aleksandr got there faster than me, but he wants Leo to be able to walk away if they can no longer hold that protection over his head.

I wish I could stay. I wish I could tell you everything. I wish I had a heart left so I could give it to you. I want you to know that if I had a choice, that's what I would have done.

The words in Leo's letter echo in my mind. If he had a choice... Aleksandr wants to ensure he has that choice.

And fucking hell, so do I.

"No retaliation," I add quickly before Mel can react, "No deals, no counter offers. I don't know his arrangement with you, but it doesn't matter. We save him and Leo gets a choice to leave WKTA without retaliation."

"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" she screams, standing up and knocking her glass of wine over.

The cream table cloth is immediately stained red, but she doesn't notice.

"The people who are going to kill Aire," Aleksandr says, his voice low and icy - slicing through Mel's hot anger like a knife.

His eyes and voice send a chill through even my spine. I've never seen him like this for anyone but me. But if Mel is intimidated, she doesn't give any indication of it.

"Leo's contract with WKTA isn't part of this mission or this discussion. What he wants and why he wants it are none of your business. If he-"

"No," I cut her off mid-rant, standing slowly and leaning forward with every ounce of menace I can pull forward, "His arrangement with you is absolutely part of this discussion. He gets a choice to leave when you no longer have protection from Aire, the person you failed to protect him from in the end, to hold over his head. You failed your end of the deal. He was taken right from under your nose, in your own hospital with the security you assigned him. You failed.

I watched him beaten for over 40 minutes before he was raped less than 24 hours after he was taken. Because you failed him. So, we are going to fix your mistake. We're going to save him. We're going to kill that motherfucker - I don't give a shit how important everyone else thinks he is. Then Leo gets to choose what he wants when he's back and recovered enough to make that choice. And you're going to honor whatever the fuck he chooses because you owe him that."

I'll give this to Mel... she's a tough bitch. She doesn't falter, her anger never leaves her eyes, and she never so much as flinches during my little monologue. She lets me speak without interruption, glaring and holding her ground without the slightest flicker of fear.

I know I'm a scary bastard. I rely on that for a lot of what I do. So, I can't help but be impressed by her once again. There's a reason she's the head of a mercenary group of assassins that no one would dare go after directly.

"You don't know anything about him," she seethes, holding my gaze, "You have no idea what he wants or who he is. He's more than a hot piece of ass - he's the motherfucking Dame. I made him who he is, and he stays with me at WKTA because he wants to."

"Then let him choose," Aleksandr says calmly, his voice like razors as he stands to match us, "If he stays because he wants to, he stays. But he gets to choose, and if he wants to leave - you let him go without question and without a fight. We didn't say we're stealing him or purchasing him like he's a fucking object. We said when we save him from the situation he's only in because you failed to protect him - he gets to walk away free and clear if he chooses to. We're telling you, right now, that he gets that choice whether you agree to it or not. It's just a matter of what you're willing to risk if you try to refuse him if he wants to walk away."

"And if you're so sure he is with you because he wants to be," I add slowly, "you should have no problem with that arrangement."

If I pictured the way a panther looks when it's cornered and is ready to attack... the way Mel looks right now with her teeth bared, her pupils dilated, her breathing heavy, and her muscles tight as if ready to pounce is exactly what I'd picture.

She looks ready to attack and slice us to ribbons, and there's a part of me that wants her to fucking do it. After everything that's happened, and after that god damned video earlier today - I need a good fight and I have a feeling Mel would give me one.

"He won't choose you," she spits, standing up straight and glaring at me.

"If he doesn't choose us," Aleksandr says calmly, "we will be the ones that walk away."

I don't react to that, holding Mel's glare as if I didn't just feel a shiver of fear travel through my entire body like I was electrocuted.

'If he doesn't choose us.'

I have to work very hard to keep a fear I'm extremely unfamiliar with from showing on my face. I hold my features firm and ensure I give nothing away... but the idea that after this we'd have to walk away is... no. That's unacceptable. I refuse. I won't walk away. Leo is ours, and I'll be damned if Mel thinks she can keep us apart.

... Leo is ours...

When did I start thinking this way? I don't know, but I do know it's true... from the moment our eyes met in that alley, I knew. Whatever we have, whatever this is - I've known every single time we've shared air that we belonged together.

I know Aleksandr feels similar... I wonder which moment it was for him when he realized that Dame had him by the balls. Just like me.

I refuse to let him go, and if that means going to war with WKTA then that's what I'll fucking do.

--

By the time we left, all three of us were furious and on the edge of very real violence. We got what we came for, though, and despite the way things ended we've agreed to meet up once Mel finds a neutral location. We may currently despise one another, but saving Leo is what matters right now and we can put our drama aside until he's home safe.

When Mel refused to watch the video of Leo I was beyond enraged. How dare she refuse to even watch what he's suffering through? He's the one enduring it, and she's the reason it's happening. The least she could fucking do is witness the horror that is his current reality.

I was ready to put a bullet through her after that, but I need her to find and get Leo. I barely reigned it in, knowing we have to get along until he's home.

After he's home, then I might kill her.

For now, though, I need to call Connor.

Standing in my office, I notice someone has cleaned up the mess I left behind, but the broken bookshelf is a reminder that I lost my shit earlier today. I ignore it all when I sit at my desk and pull out the black burner - punching the speed dial for Connor's number.

It only rang once.

I'm greeted with silence and for a long moment I'm not even sure if the call even connected.

"Is this Connor?" I finally asked, realizing he was waiting.

Silence greeted me, but he didn't hang up.

"Killer has been taken."

"What do you mean, taken?"

I'll be a son of a bitch. There's no denying it now that I've heard his voice. His accent is thick, but not so thick I can't understand him - exactly like the last time I heard it.

Connor fucking Walsh... head of the Irish Mob.

"Captured against her will. Abducted. Kidnapped. That kind of taken," I gruff, impatient and still on edge after dealing with Mel.

He's silent for a single heartbeat.

"I'm going to text this phone an address. Meet me there in one hour."

The fu... did he just hang up on me after giving me an order like one of his underlings?

The text of the warehouse arrives with a ding only a second later, and if I didn't need this device to track Leo I swear to all that's holy I'd crush it out of pure rage.

I'm going to burn this fucking city to the ground and everyone in it at this rate.

Channeling my anger, I pull my keys out the jacket I haven't taken off and meet Aleksandr's eyes. As one we move toward the door.

We don't need to speak. The entire drive is silent, the both of us stewing. I know he's trying to get himself under control the same way I am, and by the time we've arrived at the warehouse I'm not sure we've actually succeeded.

Despite not knowing exactly what we're walking into, we step out of the SUV and walk in - I think we're both hoping for violence at this point. I might feel better if I get to kill someone.

"Welcome," Connor's voice floats across the empty space, echoing in the now vacant space.

Where once there were pallets stacked high with bags of sand, there is nothing but Connor and two bodyguards standing in the center of the room. It emphasizes how huge the space is now that it's empty.

I simply nod at his greeting, worried any words I speak now would only end in a shootout.

"Explain the situation," his voice is low and his tone is bordering on threatening, but he makes no moves towards his gun.

A start, at least.

"Killer has been taken. She left behind a letter explaining where to find the activation device, which we have, and a burner phone with your contact. We believe she's been taken out of the country."

His jaw tenses and his narrowed eyes inspect me suspiciously. We've walked to stand about 10 feet from him, and if he decided to attack right now we'd be at a disadvantage... and he knows it.

"Why do you believe that?"

It's my turn to tense my jaw, images from that video playing through my mind.

"We have... a video," Aleksandr says through clenched teeth, glaring at the man that holds the means to find exactly where Leo is being held.

"Show me."

Aleksandr and I both hesitate, looking at each other to gauge whether or not this is a good idea. I can see my opinion reflected back in his eyes... 'what choice do we have?'

Opening the briefcase that I carried into Mel's house, I pull out the laptop and open it - handing it to Connor. I ignore how the bodyguards tense up, reaching for their weapons. I hope they draw them... I'm ready to put them both down just for breathing wrong. I was disappointed when they didn't after seeing the only thing in the briefcase was a laptop.

The moment he hits play I close my eyes, breathing through my anger as I hear Aire's voice spilling out of the speakers.

I'm going to kill him slowly.

I wasn't prepared for the anger Connor showed, cursing and throwing the laptop the moment Leo begins to scream. It shatters against the concrete floor, silencing Leo's anguish instantly.

"He rapes her at the end," I grit out, my eyes now locked on his.

His red face and furious panting tells me he cares for Leo... actually cares... and I decide to put more cards on the table.

"We are going to find and rescue her. She works for WKTA, and they want to work with her allies to make it happen."

"WKTA stays neutral," he responds immediately, his anger radiating out from him as he seethes.

I find his anger calming, and some of the tension I was holding eases slightly.

"It's one of their own. This isn't about taking sides, it's about leveraging resources to get her back. We can get back to taking each other out when she's home."

His breathing is slowing, his eyes moving from the laptop back to me - suspicion replacing the fury ever so slightly.

"Why do the Russians care about a WKTA assassin?"

I hold his gaze, my own frustration increasing.

"Why do the Irish?"

Glaring at each other, it's quickly clear neither of us are interested in trusting the other or sharing information on our connection to Leo.

Is his reason the same as ours? Protectiveness? Or is it something more sinister?

I don't like not knowing.

"I won't just hand over the means to track her. If you're going to do this, I want in. Not partially - all in. I'll be kicking the fucking door down and putting a bullet in that fucker's head with whatever team you put together."

That actually gives me pause... if he has ulterior motives, there's no reason to be directly involved in the rescue. The letter made it clear that he doesn't know that Leo is Die Dame.

Does he know him personally then?

I narrow my eyes and really look at him... his concern is evident. It seems genuine.

"Who is she to you?" I finally ask, slowly.

I see him tense and pause for a moment, clearly weighing the decision on how much to tell me.

"Important," he gruffs, averting his eyes.

It isn't said, but it's immediately clear he's important to him personally... this is deeper than Leo being an assassin and Cooper running a mob.

"She's important to us, too," I confess, allowing my concern for Leo's wellbeing to show.

Aleksandr stiffens beside me, but says nothing. Admitting a person is important is like laying a weakness out in the open and hoping no one exploits it.

Yet... Leo is special... and Cooper acknowledged his care for him first. I'm willing to put it out there if it means we're on the same page to save his life.

Connor freezes and scrutinizes me in a new way before realization dawns on his face.

"You're the one she had dinner with," he murmured, almost to himself.

My breath catches, remembering the date we had in this very warehouse not long ago.

Not long ago, and yet it feels like it's been forever...

I can only nod, unable to form words properly.

"She's like a sister to me," he admits, clenching and unclenching his fists, "our relationship is... unconventional. But important. I will be a part of the team, and we will bring her home alive after we kill that son of a bitch."

I nod, the knot in my stomach loosening slightly to know we have him on our side.

Gesturing to the laptop, I indicate the drive in it.

"Everything you need to know about Aire is in that laptop on that drive. Keep it. Review it. I'll text you using her phone for a meetup soon. WKTA is putting together a team, and so are we - you'll be a part of it. We'll take the fucker out. We'll bring her home."

He pauses for a moment and motions to his security to leave, which they do without hesitation.

The moment they leave the room, he looks at me again - calmer than he was moments ago.

"She's Dame. Isn't she?" he finally asks, though it's more of a statement than anything.

I keep my face blank.

"Why do you say that?" Aleksandr asks, also keeping his composure - giving nothing away.

He considers us both for a long moment, then sighs.

"I've called her Killer, but I've known for a long time she's no ordinary assassin. She has too much intel. She's too good. I put it together a while ago, but never asked because quite frankly it didn't matter. But now..."

"Aire doesn't know she's an assassin," I interrupt, deciding to sidestep the question, "in fact, he has no idea what's coming for him. It's part of our advantage. He thinks he's kidnapped a nobody from his past. His ignorance to who she really is will be a key to getting her out alive."

There are too many emotions dancing across his face for me to interpret, although he lands on confusion - and honestly, that makes sense.

How the fuck can someone accidentally kidnap one of the best assassins in the world and have no idea? It doesn't make any sense unless you know Leo's backstory... which I will not be telling him. Not only is it not my story, but I don't know enough about his relationship with Leo to risk sharing that kind of information.

It could be used against Leo in the future if we're not careful.

"Send me the meeting details. I'll be there," he finally says, walking over to pick up the laptop.

With a final nod of acknowledgement, he walks out of the warehouse leaving Aleksandr and I standing there and looking at one another grimly.

His support is a huge boon... I just hope together we're enough.

--

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