Page 108 of Feral King

Because he believes he’s already won.

He hasn’t. Not yet.

“Kostin,” I say, keeping my voice calm and level.

I don’t look at the gun. I look around the room, knowing that some of these men are on my side—men who watch as a pistol gets drawn, making recalculations about where they stand.

“Before you do something you can’t undo,” I say to Dobrov, “let me ask the council a question.”

“You’re not in a position to ask questions, my friend,” Dobrov says.

“I’m asking anyway.” I shift my gaze to Baranov. “Baranov, you knew my father for decades. You sat at this very table with Dmitri Volkov when Mrs. Lee was still in secondary school. I want you to consider something.”

I know I’m taking a risk, but I also know that Dobrov won’t silence me with a shot to the head mid-sentence.

Baranov flicks his eyes to me for a moment before returning them to Dobrov and the gun. I can sense that he’s trying to determine if his best play is to side with me, or to side with the man with the gun.

“We asked Mrs. Lee a simple question tonight regarding Mr. Yang’s whereabouts, yet she refused to answer. She refused to call him or video chat, instead giving us an ultimatum that contradicts the terms I negotiated with Yang in person.”

I pause, letting it land.

“Do not listen to him,” Mrs. Lee says. “The deal is done. He is desperate, saying whatever he thinks will save his life.”

I ignore her, keeping my attention on Baranov.

“Dobrov has drawn a gun at the council table in complete violation of protocol. And that’s to say nothing of the upheaval that my brother is attempting.”

“There is no upheaval, brother,” Alexander finally says. “Leadership is shifting. Deals have been made. You being cut out isn’t a crime.”

“It is when your partner here,” I nod to Mrs. Lee, “is misrepresenting herself and the will of her boss.”

“There is no such misrepresentation,” she says, the contempt returning. “I have been empowered to make decisions as I see fit. How many times must I say that?”

“I don’t believe that’s true,” I reply. “You claim to speak for Yang. But Yang signed the deal with me, not Alexander, a man whom he has never met. If Yang wanted to change terms, he would do it himself, because Chen Yang, despite what you’re saying, would never delegate such a decision to an intermediary.

“And now a gun has been drawn at this council table, against all protocol. Tell me, who benefits from this chaos?”

There’s a shift in the room, the men around the table are thinking, reconsidering their alliances.

“None of this makes any sense. Yang completely shifted the deal yet made no effort to be present to confirm. Either he’s completely detached from a deal worth millions of dollars, or Mrs. Lee is acting on her own authority.”

“Mr. Volkov. This monologuing is a waste of everyone’s?—”

Lee attempts to respond but I’m in no mood. I slam my fist on the table, silencing her.

“Someone at this table made a deal with Lee, not with the Triads—with Lee, personally.”

I turn my attention to Dobrov. His cocky smile wavers.

“It would be a simple plan,” I continue. “Dobrov contacts Lee, telling her that they want to push both me and Yang out—a double coup. Lee stages hits with Triad resources. I’m either killed or made to look incompetent. It wouldn’t be enough to simply kill me, though—that would create anunpredictable power vacuum. You’d need someone to fill the role immediately, someone with legitimacy.”

I turn my attention to Alexander. He shifts in his seat.

“My brother.” I gaze at him full bore. He’s trying to stay calm and look neutral, like nothing is amiss. But I can see the cracks showing. “My brother came into my office and told me he was tired of fighting. He mentioned our father, feigned nostalgia. Yet here he sits, most definitely notsupporting me.”

“Julian—” Alexander tries.

I cut him off. “When did you make the deal? Before or after our little heart-to-heart?” I shake my head. “Such moving words, and all for the purpose of getting me to let my guard down.”