Free The Lost Labyrinth by Will Adams

grandfather say if this got out?’
    ‘I didn’t do anything to her that she didn’t agree to. Ask her if you like.’
    Edouard knocked on the bathroom door. ‘I’ve got your clothes.’ The door opened a fraction, her hand shot out and grabbed them. He stood there, all too aware of Mikhail watching him, until the door opened again and she emerged, her face washed but pale, her hair brushed, holding the rip in her blouse.
    Edouard put an arm around her shoulder and led her towards the bedroom door, but Mikhail stepped in front of her. He had his white jeans in his hand, and now he pulled his leather thong belt free from its loops. The girl’s face crumpled at the sight. ‘No,’ she begged. ‘Please no.’
    Mikhail smiled reassuringly. ‘Don’t be alarmed. I just wanted to make a point to our friend Edouard here. He thinks you’re going to tell people what happened tonight. But you’re not, are you?’
    ‘No. No. I swear I’m not.’
    ‘Not even if they try to force you?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Because you know where I live,’ she said, as if repeating lines. ‘Because of what you’ll do to me and my parents and my brother if I do.’
    ‘Exactly,’ said Mikhail. And he stepped out of her way.
    Edouard steered her out the door, to the stairs and down. ‘Where do you live?’ he asked.
    ‘Piraeus,’ she said, her whole body shuddering wildly, as though she’d just come in from a blizzard.
    ‘I’ll get one of the guys to drive you.’
    She grabbed his arm. ‘Can’t you take me? Please .’
    Mikhail emerged onto the landing, now dressed in the white jeans, a maroon silk shirt and a blackleather trench-coat. Boris rose to his feet. ‘Great to see you again, boss,’ he said. ‘It’s been too long.’
    ‘Who are those two with you?’
    ‘Davit and Zaal,’ said Boris, indicating them in turn. ‘They’re good men. I chose them myself.’
    ‘You brought the money?’
    Boris nodded and cleared space on the coffee table, then laid a large steel case flat upon it. He entered combinations into the two locks, then opened it up and turned it around for Mikhail to see. There were fat bundles of euros within, every denomination from 50s to 500s, more cash than Edouard had ever seen. Even the girl gave a little gasp.
    ‘How much?’ grunted Mikhail.
    ‘Four million,’ said Boris.
    ‘I asked for ten.’
    ‘This is all we could arrange at such short notice. Besides, you know how negotiations are. If you show up with ten million, then ten million is what they’ll—’
    ‘Is that what my grandfather told you to tell me?’
    ‘Yes.’
    There was a moment of silence as Mikhail absorbed this response. It was like watching a land-mine that had just made an unexpected noise. ‘Fine,’ said Mikhail, finally. ‘It will do.’ He walked downstairs and over to the case, took out a bundle of 50-euro notes, rolled it up into a cylinder. Thenhe went to the girl, hooked a finger into her bra, tucked the bank-notes inside. ‘Buy yourself something pretty,’ he told her. ‘A dress or a necklace or something. You can wear it for me when you come back tomorrow.’
    ‘Come back?’ she asked, appalled.
    ‘You will, you know.’ He turned to Edouard. ‘Women always fall for their first man. It’s in their genes or something.’
    ‘I’m not coming back,’ she protested. ‘I’m never coming back.’
    ‘That’s what they all say,’ he grinned. ‘But then they come back after all. They just can’t help themselves.’ He turned to the others. ‘Davit. I want you to drive her into town. Find her a taxi. Make sure she’s well taken care of. Then come back here. We’ve got work to do.’
    ‘Yes, boss.’ He came across and took the girl by her elbow.
    ‘What about my books?’ she wailed. ‘Can’t I at least have my books back?’
    ‘You can pick them up tomorrow.’
    ‘But you promised. They’re not even mine. They’re Demetria’s.’
    ‘I said tomorrow,’ said Mikhail. ‘Get here