Katya
“There’ssomething I need you to do for me,” Misha says the second we’re alone.
I left Antonio in the living room. It took a lot of persuasion to allow an Andriani guard into Misha’s inner sanctum, but I finally managed it. My brother balked at having Antonio sit in on our chat, so we’re alone in Misha’s office.
My reaction to his command is instant. My gut clenches, and my whole body seizes up.
“No. I’ve already done enough.”
Misha gives me a patronizing smile. “You’ve barely done anything. You’ve been free to live as you wanted for years.”
I ball my hands into fists, my nails digging into my palms. “I got married like you asked me to. I sacrificed my career. I gave up everything.”
“Don’t be melodramatic, Katya. Have you been shot? Stabbed? Hmm?” He takes out a knife from the drawer at his desk, flicking open the blade. “Have you had to do anything other than smile, look pretty, and spread your legs for your husband?”
Anger zings down my spine. “How dare you?”
“I dare whatever I want,sestrenka.” He closes the blade, then opens it again, the rhythmic metallic sound grating on my nerves. “Do you know why?”
Open, closed, open, closed.
I keep my eyes on the knife, not saying anything.
“Because I’m the fucking Pakhan, that’s why,” he finishes coldly. “Everyone does what I say, when I say to do it.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then it goes poorly for them.” He grins, pressing the button that sends the knife’s razor-sharp blade out again. “People die. It happens. Sometimes it can happen when you least expect it. Like when you’re carrying in the groceries. One shot in the back of the head is all it takes. Then, lights out.”
He’s threatening Svetlana. Again. Just like the picture he sent me. A chill sweeps through me. I should have known he wouldn’t stop at forcing me to marry Enzo.
“Leave Svetlana out of this,” I grit. “I’ve already done what you asked of me.”
“That was before, when I thought I could work with the Andriani scum through an alliance.” He sneers. “But they’ve proven untrustworthy.”
“How?”
He clenches his jaw. “A shipment came in the night of your wedding that we were supposed to split fifty-fifty. But everyone at the drop was killed, and all the product and money miraculously disappeared.”
I know instantly that Misha is talking about the same thing that led to Enzo leaving the morning after our wedding and coming back after being grazed by a bullet.
“What does that have to do with the Andrianis not being trustworthy? If everyone was killed, I assume that means Andrianis were killed as well. Why would they go after their own men?”
His lip curls. “To stage the scene. The whole drop was a fucking setup. I don’t even have proof that the Andrianis at the drop really died. They disposed of the bodies before I could see them. For all I know, that was some AI shit they sent me.”
“You would be able to tell the difference between a real picture and AI,” I point out, frustrated with him. “You’re not making sense. Why would they want to do this?”
“Because they’re angry I beat them at their own game. Because Andrianis are sore losers. I don’t fucking know, Katya, and I don’t care. All I know is that the drop was a setup, and I’ve got to make my move now before it’s too late.”
I think again about the shape Enzo came back in.
“It wasn’t a setup. They had nothing to do with what happened.” I can’t believe I’m defending my husband’s family against my brother now, but that’s where we are.
“Bullshit.”
“Enzo was wounded,” I burst out, realizing too late that I’ve called him Enzo instead of Scorpion.
“Enzo, is it?” Misha’s eyes narrow. “Whose side are you on, Katya?”
