Free KILLER INSTINCT (A Mafia Bad Boy Romance Novel) by Julia Gardener

action lawsuit.”
     
     
    I rolled my eyes. “It’s good to know that a corporation cares about its legal troubles more than the death of one of its employees.”
     
     
    “And you’re perspective,” Kelly added without skipping a beat. “Where is Seymon Gregori?”
     
     
    There was a lengthy pause.
     
     
    “I don’t know.”
     
     
    I slammed a fist against the wall to the side of Cobbs’ head. “That wasn’t part of the deal! Damn it, I’m going to Mr. Lee and have him waive your protection. He takes backsliding out of a contract as seriously as I do.”
     
     
    “Look, I don’t know where Gregori is but I know Colman’s whereabouts,” he said in desperation. The man knew losing Mr. Lee’s protection would be a death sentence. Hell, Mr. Lee could even give him to the Black Fang for a better payday. “He’ll lead you to Gregori!”
     
     
    “How can we trust you after you pulled a fast one on us?” Kelly probed, mistrust in her tone. The girl was learning that you could never be too paranoid in this business. “And even if we find Colman, what makes you so sure that he’ll lead us to Gregori?”
     
     
    “Colman was embezzling from the company for years,” he answered. “I used to work in accounting so I was able to trace the money and its whereabouts. Much of it has been used to pay for a luxury penthouse suite in uptown. That’s where he’s holed up.”
     
     
    I leaned in with interest. “You know his location?”
     
     
    “He used his company email account when talking to Gregori’s people or making big purchases,” Cobbs explained. “Colman doesn’t know it yet but I’ve been able to hack into his emails with my clearance level. I know his location, the times he meets with Gregori’s people, and even when he visits a whorehouse. I have it all!”
     
     
    Kelly looked like she would almost laugh. “That’s so careless.”
     
     
    “I can send you the copies,” he continued. “You can go to him and find out where Gregori is from him.”
     
     
    I shook my head. “That’s still not a guarantee he’ll lead us to Gregori. He might not know if he’ll come quietly or choose death over betraying Gregori. What a waste of time, Kelly. Let’s get out of here-”
     
     
    “Wait, there’s more,” he said, calling after me. “Sergei Petrov works for Gregori. He’s the one who worked as the middleman between Colman and Gregori.”
     
     
    I growled the name. “Petrov…”
     
     
    Kelly looked confused. “Who is that guy?”
     
     
    “He’s served in the Russian army before entering the mafia,” I continued. Cobbs had been playing me all along. “He’s been bouncing from one Russian criminal organization to the next.”
     
     
    Cobbs added. “Now, he’s the head of the Black Fang’s American charter in everything but name.”
     
     
    Kelly tried to follow along. “What’s so special about Petrov?”
     
     
    That’s when Cobbs dropped the bombshell. “He ordered the death of Jackie’s mother.”
     
     
    The young woman gave me a look of shock. I could see her piece together everything. Kelly realized the true motive I had for helping her. Thankfully, she held her tongue for now.
     
     
    “That’s why you came to me,” I accused. “You had this up your sleeve the whole time. You knew my name before you even accepted the contract.”
     
     
    “Well, it’s working, right?” he answered with a small grin. I wanted to cave his head in but held my rage in check. “I can send you all the information I have if you consider this a finished hit. I need Mr. Lee’s protection until I can leave this country. The Black Fang will kill me without it!”
     
     
    “If this doesn’t check out, then the Black Fang is going to the least of your worries,” I threatened. I meant every word. “I need stronger evidence before I let you go.”
     
     
    Cobbs opened up the laptop next to him. He browsed through a couple of folders before finding a video file.