𝐕𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐃 ❷

𝟓𝟔. ✭ 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐘 ✭

Whatever. Good for them. Better off without me.

Because when it was me playing house with Dani it ended horribly. Just as my situationship with Brooks ended. Clearly, it wasn't my area of expertise. And being with both of them is something that, if I'm honest with myself, would've never worked out long term.

I don't share. Nor should I have to.

Violence and death. That's my life now. That's what I'm good at and the only two things I will be having a shared relationship with going forward.

It's only when I took my eyes off the fucking prize that I ended up vulnerable. I am tired of being vulnerable. So, I'm going to stop worrying about the things that make me that way, effectively shutting off all of my feelings. If I explode, so be it. My shrapnel will slaughter whoever's around; not them.

Once I finally find the file I'm looking for I can't help the sinister grin that splits across my face. Emptying out it's contents I find exactly what I'm looking for. Istanbul. That's where this fucking asshole last was.

A million thoughts cross my mind and have been since I decided this was my course of action. Because I won't have my family's resources. I won't have the resources Dedaj has at his disposal. I will be on my own with zero assets. Not to mention the fact the crime world thinks I was filleted to death.

I will be a lone assassin. Truly alone with no pretense or false identity. Because this is who I am at my core being. Whether it was instilled in me because of a job I once had or whether it's in my genetic makeup doesn't matter. This is what I belong doing.

Another sinister thought ravages my mind, one I've been deliberating the past few days. My decision is made in this moment, with those previous thoughts solidified in my mind, and it has me phishing out my phone. I click the name and wait for her to answer.

"Torey Warner-Riley? Which it can't be because that man is dead." She's quiet for a moment before continuing, "curious to know who has a death wish though?"

"A death wish? You would be curious to know that it's not me and that I am not dead." I give her a sadistic chuckle which has her inhaling a sharp gasp. "You better be by yourself."

"I take orders from no one, especially you. But to answer your question, yes, and as you know, this line is secure. Yours better be as well. I'm going to make the assumption that you are risking coming out of hiding to ask a favor of me. Also, curious to know why you didn't do it through Brooks."

"Yes, to answer your first question, this line is secure. I'm not a fucking idiot." I get a disproving click of the tongue at my attitude. "Well, Evelyn, to answer your assumption— yes." Choosing not to touch on the Brooks comment I answer, "I have a vendetta to settle and I need the help of your organization so that I can have the retribution I seek."

"The Harvey Watch doesn't settle personal vendettas. Nor do they affiliate with the mafia, gangs, syndicates and especially not the FBI." She pauses for a moment before adding, "though I don't know how accurate the rumor mill is about that since there's no trail of you having any affiliation with them."

"That's because I didn't." I grit my teeth angrily thinking about how I had been played and used. "The Albanians wanted a Warner-Riley. They got one. They went through a dirty agent to get me." No idea if that's what happened. All I know is that Taty had something to do with it. "As far as the FBI is concerned, Torey Warner-Riley doesn't exist in their organization. Isn't even on their map or radar. And ask yourself a question, are the FBI in the business of blowing people's knees out? Doing everything that I did working for Dedaj? Slaughtering people? You know the answer is no."