Elena ( POV):
I'd been in Oregon for three months when I got word Dante was looking for Kozlov.
"He's going to get himself killed," Morrison told me. "Or sent back to prison. He needs to stop."
"Then let me talk to him. One phone call."
She agreed reluctantly.
---
"Dante."
"Elena." His voice cracked on my name. "God, I've missed your voice."
"I heard what you're doing. You have to stop."
"I'm not letting that monster threaten you anymore."
"And I'm not letting you throw away your freedom for me. You just got out. Please, Dante. Don't do this."
"What am I supposed to do? Sit back and wait while you hide forever? That's not a life, Elena."
"It's better than you in prison. Or dead."
Silence. Then: "I can't lose you again. I won't."
"You won't. We just need to be patient—"
"I've been patient for five years! I'm done being patient!"
I'd never heard him this desperate. This close to breaking.
"Dante, listen to me. I love you. But if you go after Kozlov, you're playing his game. He wants you to retaliate. He's probably waiting for it."
"So what do we do?"
"We let Morrison handle it. We trust the system—"
"The system put me in prison for eight years and let him out in five. Forgive me for not having much faith."
He had a point.
"Then what?" I asked. "What's your plan?"
"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking. I still have leverage, Elena. Money he owes me, information he doesn't want public. I'm going to negotiate."
It was dangerous. Possibly insane.
But it might actually work.
"Promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise. And Elena? When this is over, I'm coming to find you. Wherever you are. And we're never being apart again."
"I'll be waiting."