Chapter 3

Janus

It’s getting late. The apartment is getting darker by the minute.

Turning from my work, I admit defeat to the dark—I need to turn on a light.

Once the sun goes down, Berlin becomes far too cold for my liking, even though it’s spring.

I guess when you’re used to Egypt and the Middle East, most other countries are positively frozen by comparison. I can hardly bear traveling home to England because of it—it’s so wet and cold.

Flicking the central heating on, as well as the lights, I head through to the kitchen to grab a much-needed coffee. The apartment only has instant coffee, and I can’t help but grimace in distaste at the thought. But this isn’t my usual safe house, so I can’t exactly complain about it not being stocked the way I like it.

Still, I appreciate the scalding hot mug between my hands as I sink into the armchair I was working from, sighing heavily.

Forging documents always takes a lot out of me—all of that peering and fussing over minuscule details—but it’s part of the job. And I’m damn good at it.

But god, do I miss the heat of the sun.

I’ve been lying low for a few weeks now, keeping out of sight and out of trouble after a minor misstep in Dusseldorf alerted the German authorities to my presence.

It’s why I’m not doing any fieldwork, and why I’m stuck with forgery for a couple jobs instead.

And I really don’t do well locked up.

I sigh again, arching my neck back to stare at the bare ceiling with sightless eyes. The steam from my coffee wafts up and fills my nostrils, reminding me of warmer countries full of exotic spices and exciting women.

Well, one woman in particular.

A woman who ignored my genuine plea for her to stay safe, fucked me, and then slunk off into the night, never to be seen or heard from again.

Danielle Robinson still haunts my thoughts, even now, three years later. We had hit it off so well—at least, I thought we had. But I clearly couldn’t have meant all that much to her if she ran off after sleeping with me.

The sex had been phenomenal, so I’m reasonably certain I can rule out her leaving because I was bad in bed.

I drag a hand over my face. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been thinking about Dani so frequently as of late if it wasn’t for Griff and Kalista.

Helping Gryphon save our Phoenix from kidnappers—as well her scum-for-brains father—hits a little too close to home for me.

That kind of danger was what I was trying to keep Danielle from. Would things have been different had I agreed to stay with her through it all, risk-to-life be damned?

I shake my head grimly, trying to clear it of such thoughts. Had she stayed by my side for that reason, then it would only confirm that she merely viewed me as a useful tool at her disposal.

After all, she very easily disposed of me after I refused to do her bidding.

She had viewed our relationship as one of purely business to the end, regardless of the sex that acted as a very pleasurable full stop to the whole transaction. It’s how I should view our relationship, too.

So why, three years on, do I still find that impossible?

I take a sip of disgusting coffee before returning to my work. These documents are due in the morning, and I’m only halfway done.

So, of course, that’s when Leviathan calls me.

“You know very well I’m working on a deadline,” I mutter on the phone. “This better be good.”

I can almost see him making a face down the phone. “Aw, come on, Jackal, I just need some advice.”

I close my eyes for a moment, willing myself not to swear profusely down the phone before hanging up.

“I’m assuming this is for a woman, Leviathan.”

“Oh, you bet. I’d ask Griff, but he’s too busy getting it on with—”

“I get it, I get it,” I interrupt, not wishing to dwell upon Griff and Kali’s relationship any more than I already have. “Who’s the girl?”

“She’s some writer from New York. Dark hair, pale skin. Killer body.”

Of course, my mind immediately inputs these descriptors and outputs Danielle.

“Does she know you exist, Leviathan?” I ask, desperate for the conversation to end but knowing full well that I’ll be thinking of Dani long into the night regardless.

Leviathan gives me a noise of feigned hurt.

“You wound me, brother.” There’s a pause. “But, erm, no, she doesn’t know I exist, not yet—”

There’s another pause, but I can tell this one means something entirely different.

“Leviathan?”

“You need to get out,” he responds, the usual easygoing edge to his voice entirely gone.

I’m immediately alert, pushing the forged documents and my awful coffee away from me as I stand up.

“Who knows?”

“GSG9. Someone’s only gone and tipped them off.”

I make a face. “Find out who they are. Nobody should know about this place. How much time do I have?”

“About ten minutes, tops. They’re on their way. I’ll find who ratted you out.”

Leviathan hangs up. I throw my phone at the armchair in rage—who could possibly have known I was here? Who would have the audacity to find out?

I trust Leviathan to do his job and find the answer for me as I burn the documents I had labored over for so long, as well as the rest of the damning evidence against me.

After hastily packing up my scant belongings, I push the tall refrigerator in the kitchen over to the side, revealing a secret exit out of the large, dark apartment.

I only just get into the tunnel and move the fridge back in place to cover the exit before I hear people barging down the front door.

That’s a lot less than ten minutes Leviathan!

Granted, I would be royally screwed if not for him in the first place.

The brief tunnel connects to another apartment—also mine—where a go-bag and car keys are waiting for me.

I learned long ago to always have an escape plan ready.

I slip out of the apartment complex without being seen, locate my getaway vehicle, and drive away with no hassle whatsoever.

The panic is over so quickly, I’m almost disappointed. And here I was thinking a night of excitement would distract me from Danielle.

A buzz in my jacket pocket alerts me to Leviathan having texted me the address of my next safe house.

I groan when I see the location. It’s at least two hours away.

“I’m never gonna get those documents re-forged in time,” I grumble.

I’m astonished to realize that I seriously regret not drinking the entirety of the awful coffee I left behind; I resolve to stop by the first café still open to get my caffeine fix, no matter how bad their blend is.

To be honest, I’d rather drink something stronger, but I’m not one to drink and drive.

I end up not finding a source of caffeine until I’m just ten minutes from my new safe house, but it is—blessedly and wondrously—good coffee. The kind that wouldn’t be out of place in an artisan roast house about five times the price of the tiny place I’m sitting in right now.

The café may be small, but even at eleven at night, it’s full; it’s clearly a popular place. Given how good the coffee is, I’m not surprised. After eyeing up the specials board behind the till, I give in and order their vanilla cheesecake.

This is how I find all of my favorite coffee houses and bars—by sheer accident. I tend to play down the ‘accident’ part when bringing any of the Brotherhood to my artfully selected haunts, of course.

I have an image to uphold, after all.

But I didn’t have to uphold that image with Danielle.

I silently curse myself for thinking about her again as a waitress discreetly brings my cheesecake over and walks away without a word. It’s always good to find a place that appreciates quiet service.

I take a bite of the cheesecake. It’s divine.

Resolving to remember where this place is for all future trips to Germany, I finish my coffee and cheesecake in contented silence before leaving a generous tip for the waitress and driving to my new safe house.

Thankfully, the place is up to my sort of standard—Leviathan chose wisely.

I feel my phone buzz, so I pick up to see who’s calling.

“You’re welcome,” Griff says on the other side of the line.

I hear Kalista giggling and Griff trying to silence her. I can’t help but smile at the two of them.

“I take it I have you to thank for my apartment upgrade?”

“Yes, and it’s one of my favorites. So no getting caught by the police this time.”

I roll my eyes. “Wonderful advice, Griffin. Never thought about that before. I’ll be sure to take it on board.”

I hang up the phone to the sound of the two love-birds laughing before collapsing on the beautiful, white king-size bed in the apartment. I close my eyes briefly; even with the coffee in my system, I’m exhausted.

But then I remember those documents that I need to redo. Suppressing a groan, I move over to a nearby desk and draw out my tools, steeling myself for a long night.

I wish I had had the foresight to order some coffee to-go.