Page 112 of Fractured Ties

The FOR SALE sign he remembered being in the window was gone, though.

Konstantin rolled down the passenger window and called out to his brother from the driver’s seat, “What are we here for?”

Yeah.

He’d forgotten to explain.

“Maya called,” Kolya said. “She was here.”

Except ... she clearly wasn’t.

He pulled out his phone to call Maya’s burner again, but before he could, another call was ringing through. This time, it was the same number that had interrupted tribute.

Kolya didn’t even think about answering it.

“Where the fuck is she?” he demanded.

A man chuckled on the other end. “Did you like my little trick, Kolya? Cute, no? See, my sister called me once … stupid teenage shit; stayed out too late and got scared. I wouldn’t pick up the phone for her, so she left a message. I saved that damn thing just because. It worked well for me, yeah?”

Kolya’s jaw ached from how fiercely he clenched it. “Alexei, is it?”

“It is. Fucking shame we haven’t met.”

“I wouldn’t call it a shame,” Kolya returned.

Konstantin had gotten out of the car, and he came around to Kolya’s side without a word. No, like a smart man, he simply listened. Kolya put the phone on speaker and waved a finger at Konstantin as if to say, Fuck.

“Why did you trick the Albanians into thinking they had killed you?” Kolya asked. “What purpose did that serve?”

“Clearly, they didn’t. I’m alive.”

“Yes, but why.”

“You ask stupid questions,” Alexei returned. “And now I’m bored. You see, we just need to get you and your kin out of the way, and smooth shit over with the Albanians. It won’t be long now.”

Kolya scowled. “Shit you caused.”

“Mmm, no. You took the bitch, didn’t you?”

He stiffened all over, a threat already forming on his tongue.

Alexei beat him to it, saying, “I think we’ll start by getting rid of you, Kolya. Have a good evening. I’m sure it’ll be a blast.”

The second those words left Alexie’s lips, the bakery behind them blew up. The bang was incredible—a deafening noise and sharp pressure that sent both Boykov brothers slamming into the ground. Kolya felt his skull crack against the pavement, and swore he heard Konstantin hit the car.

The car …

It was the only thing that might have saved them. The glass and debris peppered the vehicle, but mostly left them untouched.

Kolya’s head rang.

His ears ached.

Was he bleeding?

It didn’t matter.

That phone call hadn’t clicked off.