AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I had received the message thirty minutes before she showed up on my doorstep and every second prior to that had been excruciating waiting for the next update.
I looked her over, rage rolling through me at the cuts and bruises. This woman didn’t deserve the hell that was coming her way. She had given her life to the Bratva and now they were throwing it back in her face.
Not that she knew I felt that way.
She stirred, her eyes fluttering open and I sat forward, grabbing the bottle of water on the side table.
“Here. You should hydrate yourself.” I said, a little harsher than I intended.
“Thank you.” She rasped as she winced, sitting up in the bed. I knew better than to tell her to stay lying down, she understood better than anyone else what was happening in her body right now and her skills with the needle were some of the best.
“It’s ironic that I am thanking you of all people.” She said with a smirk and I shrugged.
“Just because we are on opposite sides, I am not the kind of man to kill you when you are already down. I prefer an even fight.” I said with a grin and she chuckled.
“I know. That’s why I came here.” She looked away but not before I saw the wariness in her eyes.
“Who did this, Katerina?” I said softly and she raised her eyebrows.
“I thought it was you until they said they don’t know who you are.” She said with a sigh and I clenched my jaw.
Did she honestly think I would kidnap her? Worse, that I would send someone else to do my dirty work for me?
“So, who was it?” I asked and she shrugged then winced as it pulled on the stitches in her arm.
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. I can’t trust anyone.” She whispered before glancing down at herself.
“Am I in one of your shirts?” she asked, changing the subject but I wouldn’t let this go so easily.
“Yes. Yours were soaked in blood and I burnt them. Now. Tell me what you remember about these people?” I asked and she narrowed her eyes.
“Look. I know you have a half-decent moral code when you want, but why do you even care? If I am taken off the board, you win.” She took a long sip of the water and I had to stop myself from telling her everything. It would cost me years of work.
“You don’t know what I want or care about, Katerina. I have my reasons.” I replied before drinking the last of my scotch.
“I get it. You were friends with Yuri and you have some kind of sense of honor for him, but Yuri is gone and you owe me nothing, Alexsei. I don’t expect you to go easy just because of my relationship with him.” She said and I snapped.
I slammed the glass down on the small table next to me, wincing when it cracked. Katerina jumped, her eyes clouding with fear as I stood and walked over to her.
Her eyes darted around the room, looking for something she could use as a weapon no doubt before I climbed onto the bed, watching her shrink back into the headboard.
“Do not push me,Pchelka, I am in no mood for games tonight. I asked because despite what it seems like on the surface, I care.” I said softly.
She swallowed nervously, looking at me with interest.
“Why do you care and why would you call me that?” she whispered, making note of the nickname I hadn’t used in a long time.
I looked into her eyes, the same eyes that captured me all those years ago and tore my heart out of my chest.
“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,” I said and she frowned, the perfectly arched brows knitting together.
“Try me, Alexsei.” She said and I sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed but not moving away.
“Six years ago, Yuri and I stumbled onto something that didn’t make sense. It was a contract that should have been destroyed but somehow, it had been missed. I knew Yuri was already looking into things for the government so he was searching in places we ordinarily wouldn’t look.” I paused, knowing that this was going to change things for her once she knew.
“What was the contract?” She asked and I winced.
“It was the contract for your father's death,” I said softly and she sucked in a breath.
