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If this works, her problems are solved. No one attacking me any more. I run the entire city. We have our family.
If only she would give up believing in this love bullshit. It doesn’t exist. It can’t. If it did, we’d both be in a lot of trouble.
I know what she really wants. To be free of me. She knows the truth about who I am.
I’m a monster. Not capable of warmth. I would hurt her if she remained with me. Hurt our child too like I was hurt growing up. That’s what life is. Pain and suffering. Don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise. Pain, and power.
The door opens. Diego is walking in with her, leaving the others outside. I brace myself, hoping my arm won’t go to sleep at the crucial moment.
“Thank you for speaking with me alone,” Mila says. I breathe slow and shallow as I listen, making as little noise as possible. “I wanted to ask you about your plans.”
“You mean will I uphold my end of our bargain?”
“Well, will you?”
“Alexsei is dead. You did your part. I am a man of my word. I will give you your money. You are a free woman.”
“And what will you do?”
“Move in here, put my feet up. Perhaps keep the coffin, have him stuffed as a warning to my enemies. Use his skull as a goblet. I’m not sure yet.”
“I’m not getting out of here, am I?”
He laughs but there’s a coldness to it I don’t like. “What makes you say that? I just told you I was upholding our deal.”
“I’ve been in a mafia family all my life. I know when someone’s lying to me.”
The laugh continues. “Clever girl. What gave it away?”
“If you were going to give me the money, you’d have done it already, not wanted to meet me here, out of the public eye. All Alexsei’s men gone from the house at your request. Setting up the funeral, leaving me alone to greet you. I knew, Diego.”
“You’re not as smart as you think you are.”
“No?”
“You think I’m going to kill you but I’m not.”
“You aren’t? What are you going to do?”
“Give you back to your father.”
“What?”
I hold my breath. I was about to burst out but I manage to wait as Diego continues to sign his own death warrant. “Your father was behind this whole thing. You think I’m the big man in the operation? No, no, no. Your father runs the cartel.”
“Bullshit.”
“It’s true. I work for him. He’s the one who wants Alexsei dead. Left all the details to me. I must say, it’s poetic that a man’s wife should take his life. A rhyme that works so well, so don’t think?”
“You’re saying my father wanted Alexsei dead?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“But why?”
“Because Alexsei bought you. Tricked your father into handing you over. Your father gets you back. The debts are gone. He splits the Volkov money with me and we run the rest of the Russian bastards out of the country.
“Drugs, guns, women, all of it goes through us for the rest of time. Oh, and he made me a deal as well. A wonderful deal. I’m sure you’re going to love it.”
