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“How many people did he torture and kill down there?” My voice is grating, furious, as I loosen my grip slightly. “How many people did you let him hurt?”
“I didn’tlethim hurt anyone! I had nothing to do with it. I rarely knew anything about what he was doing. I knew he was a bad man, but what could I have done? Who would I have reported him to? Yes, I only took action when he hurt someone close to me. But you are no better than I am,” she flings out, her tone acidic. “You’re no vigilante either. And I’d wager you’ve killed plenty of people who had someone else who cared about them, without thinking twice about it. Whoever he hurt that was close to you, they’re what set you off. So don’t pretend to be some righteous hero, Mikhail. And if you’re trying to get revenge through me, you’re too late.”
She tosses her hair back, squirming out of my loosened grasp and moving backwards on the bed, her gaze defiant, even though I can tell she’s still frightened for her friend. “I never hurt anyone, or helped him hurt anyone, or even knew enough to stop or change anything. So you can punish me all you like for my father’s sins if it makes you feel better, but just know it means nothing. As for hurting him–he’s dead, and even if he weren’t, he wouldn’t want me back because my pain or my death would hurt him. He’d want me back because I had value for what he could get out of me.”
I realize, as I look at her sitting there, defiant to the end, that I believe her. That makes me angry in its own way, because she’s fucking right.
If she didn’t hurt anyone, if she didn’t know, then the revenge doesn’t mean as much as it was supposed to. It doesn’t help anything, doesn’t hurt the person responsible for it. It almost makes me feel guilty for taking it all out on her, and that angers me too, because guilt isn’t something I ever want to feel. I’ve worked very hard to kill such feelings throughout my life.
I wouldn’t have believed her, not entirely, if not for Ruby. But Natalia has never begged me like that, never given in so thoroughly, not even when it could have saved her pain. I know the threat to Ruby has made her be honest with me at last.
Even if it’s not the answers I want.
I reach out, my fingers encircling her throat again, and I feel her sharp intake of breath beneath my fingertips, though I don’t squeeze. It sends a jolt of arousal through me, the sensation of power prickling over my skin, and I smile down at her, slow and wicked.
“You’ll still be good for something,” I tell her silkily, “even if you’re not the one responsible for the reasons I want revenge.”
I slide my hand up, cupping her face, my fingers tangling in her hair. “You see,” I murmur, “there’s a man in New York that I used to work for. Viktor Andreyev. Your father wanted me to turn on him, to help destroy his Bratva. When I refused, because I was loyal to Viktor, your father hurt me. He fuckingdestroyedme, do you understand?”
My hand flexes in her hair, and Natalia nods, swallowing hard. “I don’t know anything about that,” she whispers, and I nod.
“That’s why I’m telling you.” I press my palm against her cheek, almost gently, and I can see the fear in her eyes. “Viktor believed I played a part in it–his wife’s kidnapping and rape, almost losing his child, the damage done to his business, his empire. He wants me dead, because he doesn’t know the truth. But you’re going to come back with me to New York, and you’re going to be my proof. You’re going to tell Viktor that your father was the one who orchestrated all of that, and that I had nothing to do with it. You’re going to tell him who you are, and then he can do with you as he pleases.”
“You’re insane,” Natalia whispers, and I laugh.
“Maybe. But I want my fucking life back, do you understand? I’ve paid too high a fucking price for something I had nothing to do with. Now it will be your turn to pay for the sins of your father, and that will be revenge enough.”
“And if we get to New York and I tell him I don’t know anything about it? If I tell him that for all I know, you were working hand in hand with my father?” Natalia’s eyes glint dangerously, but I smirk down at her.
“Now I have something over you. If you lie, or you try to get out of this, I’ll come back to Moscow and kill Ruby. I’ll hunt her down and make her pay for your mistake. So you’re going to be my good girl, Natalia, and behave perfectly during that dinner night after tomorrow, and you’re going to tell Viktor what I need him to hear. If not, Ruby will be the one who suffers for it. Just like your father made someone else suffer for what I refused to do.”
She nods slowly, her pulse beating against my hand as I slide it down her jaw, against the side of her neck. She licks her lips slowly, clearly trying to regain her composure, and I gently stroke her soft skin, as if trying to calm a nervous animal.
“Are you going to be my good girl, Natalia?” I purr, and I see her eyes widen a fraction. I know what she’s feeling, what those words do to her, and I love every second of it. I love the power I have over her.
I’ll fucking miss it, when all this is over.
She nods, slowly.
“Is there anything you want to ask me? Anything you want to know? I don’t promise answers–but you can ask now, if you like.”
Natalia presses her lips together, a slight shudder going through her. “You went to my apartment,” she says softly. “You cleared all my things out. Did you keep anything–other than my passport and the money?”
The question surprises me. I’d expected her to ask something more personal, to try to dig into my past. I consider, for a moment, whether I should tell her the truth. But I can’t see any harm in it.
“A few things,” I tell her. “A couple pieces of jewelry that didn’t look like they were worth much, a picture of a blonde girl who looked a bit like you.”
Natalia’s eyes widen. “Can I see the picture?” she asks, her voice catching, and I laugh. I hadn’t been sure which items she’d want back the most, but I see that I picked at least one correctly.
“You’ll have to earn it,” I tell her, as I slide my hand into her hair, wrapping the silky strands around my fist. It presses against the back of her neck, pushing her forward as I lean in for a kiss, reaching down to grip her thigh and hold her in place with my other hand.
Her lips are soft and cool, and I run my tongue over her full lower lip, tasting the sweetness of her as my cock hardens instantly, craving her with more desire than I’ve ever felt for anyone.
“Give me what I want,” I murmur as I nip her lower lip lightly, feeling her start to soften despite herself, her mouth parting for me. “Show me how much you want me, Natalia.”
I squeeze her thigh, and I feel the shudder go through her as I murmur against her mouth.
“You’re not done telling me the truth yet,kotenok.”
