Page 108 of Mr. Match

What? “Why are you telling me this? Where is she?”

“We will get to that shortly. I am going to tell you this first so that you do not make more mistakes.”

“I didn’t make mistakes,” I say, my voice rising because I’m suddenly defensive. “I was thrown into this life. It’s not my fault—”

“No,” he says. “It’s not. But you have choices, Katya. And you have made some bad ones. So I’m telling you to give up on this sister.”

“No,” I say, so fucking angry. “I don’t even know you. And I sure as hell don’t trust you, even if you did just lie to the fucking police to get me out of there. I’m not taking your word for anything. Where is she?”

The strange Russian sighs. “OK,” he says. “We do it your way.” He picks up a tablet from the seat next to him and opens the lock cover. “This is your Lily four days ago. Who is that?” he says, like he’s talking to a small child and asking them to name the farm animal in a picture book. “Oh, that is Lucio. Do you know how much money she is taking from him?”

I lean in to look closer. She is taking money. “Why is she taking money from him?” I say it to myself, but the Russian answers anyway.

“She works for him. Has for a very long time.”

“In what way?” I ask, hoping he won’t say she’s his girlfriend or something. Because I just can’t deal with any more….

“His spy, Katya. She spies on you. Back when I first sent you here, she was spying—”

“You sent me?” I laugh. “You didn’t send me anywhere. I don’t even know who you are!”

“—on you. That’s why I had Lucio call you back to Brooklyn. Why let her spy,” he says, “when I can spy too, hmm?”

“What the hell are you talking about? I don’t know who you are, but if you’re Russian, then you’re scum. Just like Lucio Gori and his stupid, pathetic monster of a son.”

“You think that because you know only what they told you. You know nothing of the truth, Katya Kalashova. But I’m going to set you straight now.”

“I think you probably had my parents killed.” I have lost all the energy I had left. I sink back into the soft leather seat of the car and let the heat waft over me like a blanket. “I’m tired,” I say. “I just want to go wherever we’re going now. You can keep your story.”

He’s silent after that. And when I open my eyes he’s frowning again. “We didn’t sell you to the Italians. I think you need to at least understand that. Yes.” He nods. “I did kill your parents. Because your father was Bratva and he let them make their mark on your throat. He sold you, Katya. Not me. I killed him to let everyone know, from that day forward, our children would not be sold.”

I have so many things I could say to that, but I decide to shut my mouth. I don’t care how nice this guy is, I know what he is. And I will not fall for it.

“Do you believe me?” he says.

I shrug. “Sure. Why not.”

“But you do not think I am good guy.”

“Not even close.”

“Well.” He chuckles a little. “You have very good instincts, then, Katya. I am not good guy. Not on most days. But today I be good guy for one last time. For you, Katya. To make it even between us. I give you choice right now.”

He holds out the tablet so I can see it.

“Who is this?” he asks, thumbing to another picture.

It’s Mrs. Conrad talking to Lily. Lily is wearing the white dress, the last thing I saw her in. They are chatting and smiling and drinking.

“That was last night,” the Russian says. “They were celebrating Lily’s initiation. They are not celebrating now.”

I look up at him. “What have you done with her?”

“Me?” He laughs. “She’s not with me. She’s with them.”

There is no mistaking who ‘them’ is once he really starts showing me the pictures. Lily is with Mrs. Conrad in places I had no idea she was visiting. Places like Greece, and Paris, and London, and Stockholm.

“How did she afford that?” I ask, genuinely bewildered.