Page 67 of Obsession of the Bratva

I stepped back, and the movement visibly relieved him.

“Is that all?”

His eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Your little speech. Are you done?”

He blinked. “You’re not denying it?”

“No.”

Confusion flashed across his face, and I smiled. He had been bluffing indeed, but even that needed some basis to stand on.

“If you think Vera is here, then go call the police.”

The confidence vanished instantly. “Excuse me?”

“Go call them. Bring them here so they can help you get her back. Attacking Romanov warehouses won’t get you Vera.”

He stared, and I continued.

“Tell them Nico Romanov kidnapped your fiancée. Tell them where you think she is. Tell them everything.”

His face tightened because we both knew he couldn’t. Not without inviting scrutiny into his own life and into Manny’s life. Into everything they had built. The realization hit him slowly, and he watched it happen, the sight beautiful.

“Now if you’re finished,” I said, “leave.”

For several seconds, he remained motionless.

“You will suffer because of this, Nico Romanov. Just wait.”

“Do your worst.”

Then he turned and walked away, right out of my office. He had not been victorious, but I could see he hadn’t accepted defeat either. I had managed to unsettle him, but that only meant he was planning his next step already. Which somehow bothered me more. Because the confidence he arrived with had come from somewhere. And I intended to find out where.

The office door closed behind him, and silence lingered. Viktor was the first to speak.

“I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I.”

“How did he and Manny find out?”

“It could just be a guess.”

I looked toward the city beyond the windows and a familiar feeling settled in my chest. The feeling that came right before everything went wrong.

“Let’s see what he does next.”

I left my office, needing to return home at once. The drive back was quiet, and by the time I reached the house, my mood had darkened considerably. Questions kept circling in my mind that made me want to find out how they found out. Something wasn’t adding up. As if Vera hadn’t told me the complete truth. The moment I walked inside, I felt Vera’s presence.

I always did.

I found her in the living room, curled into her favorite position on one corner of the sofa. She was reading or pretending to read. The second she looked up, she knew something was wrong. Her expression changed immediately.

“What happened? Why was he there?”

I loosened my tie. “No particular reason.”