“It’s a shitload of evidence that will have the FBI wanting to know why one of their own is using bureau resources to stalk somebody.”
I heard her take in a breath. “You are at his place, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “And it’s a treasure trove of his psycho asshole nature. I just need a little push to get them off my fucking back and on his.” If he had already started the case against me, this was going to be enough to send them looking in his direction as well.
And questioning his judgment.
“Oh, I would be delighted to make that happen,” she said a moment later. “But I want something from you in return.”
“Ilsa,” I heard Marchetti warn.
“What?” she replied. “It’s worth asking, and it doesn’t involve your precious Mafia or his, all right?”
“What is your favor?” I asked, my head starting to hurt. My heart did as well, hoping that one day Naomi and I could be like them. As much as I hated to admit it, Marchetti had it good when it came to his wife, and I knew he would go to the ends of the fucking earth for her.
Maybe we did have something in common after all.
“I want a weekend with my best friend,” she answered. “After the babies are born, I want a suite where we can veg out and watch whatever the hell we want, all on your dime, of course.”
I grinned, unable to help it. “As long as Marchetti and I don’t have to entertain each other, you have a deal.”
“Piece of shit,” I heard him mutter.
“Good,” Ilsa decided. “I will make it happen, Gavril. Take care of my girl.”
I ended the call on that note and turned back to the patchwork of pictures and locations. I wasn’t going to leave them all up there, as there were photos of me as well. Carefully, I removed those pictures, making a small stack on the card table until I was satisfied that all traces of me were gone. While it wasn’t going to stay under the radar forever, I didn’t want to flash it to the LAPD that Naomi was tied to me.
No, fuck that. I wanted to shout from the fucking rooftops that she was mine, but there would come a time and place for it.
I just had to wait for the right timing.
Besides, I wanted this to look like Hampton was nothing more than an obsessive stalker who was honing in on one woman. It was enough to give me the creeps.
After sending the address to Marchetti’s phone, I picked up the photos and tucked them into the pocket of my cargo pants. While I would love to watch this fucking place burn to the ground, I had already done enough damage to make Hampton think twice about his next step. I had successfully eliminated his plan to trap me, and in turn, had made him look like the stalker that he was.
Turning to go, I felt my cell phone buzz in my pocket and pulled it out, seeing a flashing unknown number on the screen. I paused, my blood running cold as my thumb hovered over the answer button. I didn’t want to think too much about who could be calling, but deep down I already knew who it was.
“Well, well,” Hampton said into the phone when I pressed the button. “We meet again, don’t we, Kirilenko?”
“Hampton,” I growled. “What the fuck do you want?”
“I want you to know that I’m very close to what I want,” he answered, confirming my suspicions. I was already moving toward the door before he could get the words out, every fiber of my being wishing I could reach into the phone. “I just thought I would tell you before I crossed your threshold.”
“Careful,” I warned as I jogged down the stairs, already calculating the quickest route to the mansion. “You don’t have anyone to hide behind any longer.”
He chuckled, and I heard the telltale sound of a car door being shut. “I don’t have any reason to hide. I’m about to have it all.”
The line went dead and I shoved the phone into my pocket, running to the motorcycle and starting the engine. The bike couldn’t peel away fast enough for me and I shot down the street, pointing it toward the mansion.
Hampton was in my fucking house. He was about to be closer than I ever wanted him to be to Naomi, and I didn’t know what I would find once I got there.
There was no one to call, no one to send to rescue her. I had underestimated the lengths that Hampton would go to get to her, and now she was by herself, forced to face the nightmare that had been in her life far too long.
Another fucking failure on my part that might get Naomi killed tonight.
The thought terrified me. Hampton was unhinged, and he knew the walls were closing in. His fantasies of taking Naomi with him were likely gone now, and he was going to want to get even, to make me hurt.
My jaw tightened as I weaved in and out of traffic, the wind tearing at my body. Fuck him. He was already a dead man.