Derek shook his head. "You really think you're in a position to negotiate? Look around, Nikolai."
At his words, at least a dozen gun barrels emerged from behind containers, from catwalks, from the shadows—all aimed at me. Marchetti men, and a few familiar faces. Volkov family members who should have been loyal to me.
Traitors.
All traitors.
"Nikolai!" Vivienne saw me, tears streaming down her face. "You shouldn't have come! It's a trap—they'll kill you—"
"Shut up." Derek struck her shoulder with the gun butt. Vivienne cried out in pain.
My finger tightened on the trigger, almost pulling it.
That photo flashed through my mind—the bruises on her face, the blood at her mouth, the despair in her eyes.
And now, the person who hurt her stood right in front of me.
"Don't be rash, Pakhan." Carmine slowly stood up, brushing imaginary dust from his suit. "You shoot, she dies. Your men shoot, she dies. So—"
He walked over to Derek and clapped his shoulder.
"Why not hear our proposal?"
"What proposal?" My voice was cold as ice.
"Simple." Derek tilted his head, eyes filled with sick excitement. "The Volkov inheritance. You publicly abdicate, hand the Pakhan position to me, and I let her go. Fair trade, right?"
"Dream on."
"Then she dies." Derek used the gun barrel to lift Vivienne's chin. "Along with your child. Oh, congratulations on becoming a father, brother. That idiot Natasha gave us such useful information before she died. Too bad—"
His smile twisted further.
"You might never get to meet him."
"Nikolai, don't agree!" Vivienne shook her head violently. "You can't—"
"Shut up!" Derek slapped her face.
I watched the fresh red mark appear on her face, layering over the old bruises. My vision went red.
"Wait."
I lowered my gun.
Everyone froze, including Derek and Carmine.
"What did you say?" Derek looked at me in disbelief.
"I said, wait." I slowly raised both hands, placed the gun on the ground, then straightened, looking him in the eye. "I agree."
"Nikolai!" Vivienne screamed. "No! Have you lost your mind?"
I didn't look at her. Just stared at Derek.
"But I have one condition."
"You're not in a position to negotiate—"
