Jozef frowned, anger and disappointment rising within him. His uncle was supposed to be his greatest ally, the man who always had his back. And he was trying to set up Jozef’s woman? Unacceptable.
You were testing her?
“Testing you,” Krystoff admitted. “You told me you would control the woman, but the first thing she did when given the opportunity was make a call out.”
You have the recording? Jozef demanded. Give it to me.
Krystoff pulled his phone from his pocket, tapped for a few seconds then held it up as Shaun’s voice filled the space around them. Jozef and Krystoff listened to the entire conversation in silence. Some of Jozef’s tension eased as he heard Shaun repeatedly deny her mother’s inquiries. Whether to keep her mother safe, or because she didn’t want to cause problems for the Kobas, Shaun had refused to give up her location. The parts where she and her mother cried together tore at Jozef’s heart. He was the cause of such misery.
When the recording finished, Krystoff put his phone away.
“I must admit,” Krystoff said thoughtfully, “I thought she would have given us up as her kidnappers. Her refusal is a point in her favour.”
Jozef was seething. What would you have done if she’d given her mother the information?
Krystoff looked at him steadily, his expression telling Jozef everything he needed to know. Krystoff would’ve had Shaun removed, any evidence of her contact with the Koba family erased and he likely would’ve done it without Jozef’s permission or knowledge. It would have been as though she never existed to them.
She needs more time, Jozef insisted.
Shaun’s compassionate personality was already softening her toward him, and he could tell she was bonding with Saskia. Given more time, Jozef was positive Shaun wouldn’t want to do anything that could harm Jozef or his family. She may never fully reconcile herself to Jozef’s lifestyle, but she wouldn’t wish to hurt him either.
“We don’t have the luxury of time,” Krystoff said, his voice hardening. “Do what you must, but if you wish to keep this woman, you need to crush her spirit and ensure her loyalty.”
Jozef’s gaze hardened and he leaned forward in his seat, pinning his uncle with the heat of his anger. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can have Shaun hurt or killed and expect no retaliation from me.
Krystoff looked taken aback by Jozef’s aggression. He wasn’t used to anything less than complete loyalty from his guard dog. Yet both men knew who held the real power in the Koba family. Jozef could walk away from his family and take most of their business. He was the man on the ground, the person their contacts trusted.
Are you threatening me? Krystoff asked, using Jozef’s preferred method of communication.
Jozef recognized what his uncle was doing by speaking in sign language. The older man was trying to draw Jozef’s sympathy, remind him of their shared history. Krystoff had learned sign language so he could communicate with his nephew at any time, though he tended to use verbal communication. Jozef hadn’t thought about it before, but he wondered if Krystoff did it as a power move. He had something Jozef didn’t: a voice.
If that was Krystoff’s tactic, then it was pointless. Jozef had never felt powerless from his lack of voice, because he didn’t lack for anything. He could make himself heard. Sometimes his bullets, knives or fists did the talking, but in the end, people knew what he was trying to say.
I am no threat unless something happens to my fiancé.
And if something happens to her? Krystoff pushed.
Jozef pinned his uncle with a cold look. Then I will not rest until I’ve found and removed the persons who caused her harm.
Krystoff nodded thoughtfully. “You have my word that no harm will come to Shaun while she is under my roof.”
Though it sounded like Krystoff was capitulating to Jozef, he’d worded his concession carefully. As long as Jozef resided under Krystoff’s roof, remaining under his control, then Shaun would not be harmed. If Jozef moved with Shaun, then she would become fair game. Jozef needed time to think and decide his next move. Things were changing in the Koba household.
Jozef stood. I will hold you to your word. Shaun is to be treated like family while I’m in Poland.
“You have my word,” Krystoff assured him.
Jozef dug the burner phone from his pocket, crushed it in his hand and handed it to his uncle. No more tests.
Krystoff’s face stiffened but he nodded his acquiescence.
As Jozef turned to leave the office, Krystoff’s voice reached out to him. “Don’t forget where you belong, son. You are a Koba. Loyalty, pride, family.”
Jozef looked down at his hand resting on the doorhandle. The words vernost, hrdost and rodina were tattooed on his first three fingers. Loyalty, pride, family.
He jerked his head in a nod, opened the door and left.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
There’s no security that I can detect. No men, no cameras, no alarms.
Jozef nodded as his man filled him in. Terek had gone ahead to meet up with their Polish contact and to stake out Vasiliy’s hideout. Despite Terek’s assurance that the house wasn’t wired, Jozef wasn’t taking chances with the safety of his team. With the tight timeline they were on, they’d only had a few hours of surveillance, rather than the minimum of two days Jozef would normally insist on.
Is he inside the house? Jozef asked.
Terek lifted his shoulders in a shrug, his look of frustration mirroring Jozef’s, who was silently cursing his uncle for setting up such a disorganized hit. Twelve years earlier, when Krystoff had wanted to up the Koba game in the global market, Jozef had suggested putting together an elite team of mercenaries for hire. His team consisted of the best people he could find in the areas of security, explosives, surveillance, investigation and tech. He'd worked with them until they became a well-oiled machine. He always had a five-man team who travelled with him, a two-person tech team at home, and a secondary B-team in training. After years of taking jobs, Jozef had come to understand exactly what he and his crew needed for each job: time to plan, time to train, time to surveil, and the correct equipment. They’d had the opportunity to do none of that for this job, meaning they were forced to go in blind.
Jozef hated the idea of doubting his uncle, the man who had adopted and raised him, but it seemed strange that he was being sent on such a rushed mission when he could have easily done the job after the engagement party. That would have given his team a few extra days, enough time to plan, and enough time for Jozef to make sure Shaun was well settled.
He’d hated leaving her behind. She’d simply nodded when he told her and remained silent, a frown creasing her forehead. He could see the questions lining themselves up in her mind: where is he going, what is he doing, is he planning on killing someone? But none had passed her beautiful lips. Before he left, she’d told him to stay safe. He’d held those two words next to his heart, determined that he would do as she asked. He would stay safe for her.
Halil and Havel will go through the front gate while Nikolay provides backup, Jozef signed to Terek, adjusting night vision goggles over his eyes. It was 2:00 AM, and the entire team would be equipped with goggles to help ease their entry into the house. They would also have the element of surprise if Vasiliy was sleeping. There was no light shining through any of the windows, though they could be covered with blackout curtains. I will go through the back gate while you follow.