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My own mind races. What if he really is bluffing? I don’t want to let this bastard get away with nearly killing my best friend, with everything he’s done to us. Konstantin deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the Bratva code. I personally want to see him six feet under. Until then, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to find peace. My hand instinctively flies to my belly. If we let him live, what if he comes after us again? Surely, we cannot chance it. The risks are far too great.
There’s a storm behind Mikhail’s eyes. I swear I can almost hear his thoughts. If Konstantin isn’t full of shit and he’s actually telling the truth for a change…
“What do you want?” he asks slowly, carefully.
“My freedom. Let me fly out of here.”
“That’s not going to happen!” Luka snaps, saying exactly what we’re all thinking.
“Fine. Then kill me where I stand and you can spend the rest of your lives wondering where I’ve hidden Lev.”
The air is so thick and tense and still I want to punch a hole straight through it just to get rid of this icky feeling clinging to my skin.
“Konstantin is a liar,” I say to Mikhail. “You know that. He’s just trying to trick you.”
“But what if he isn’t?” Catherina asks, desperation dripping off her every word. I can sense her burning hope. It’s going to hurt when we realize Konstantin’s only trying to pull a fast one on us.
Mikhail is quiet for a very long time, his mind a mystery to me. At the end of the day, it’s his call. I trust his decisions, even if I don’t always agree with them.
“You’re not going free,” he says eventually. “But I want to know more.”
Konstantin squints at him, his upper lip curling into a sneer. “You’re a businessman, Misha. You of all people should understand that’s not how deals work.”
“You’re in no position to negotiate.” Mikhail snaps his fingers. Four of our armed guards stalk forward, surrounding Konstantin. Even if he were to try and run now, he wouldn’t get very far. “Detain him,” Mikhail commands. “Bring him to me.”
They grab him roughly by the arm. One of them has a gun pointed to the back of his head. Konstantin struggles, but quickly gives up. He finally understands the futility of his situation, but in a last-ditch effort of defiance allows his body to go limp like a child throwing a tantrum. The men have to drag him, forcing him down before Mikhail on his knees.
“Tell me where my father is.”
Konstantin says nothing.
“Just kill him and get it over with,” Pyotr grumbles.
“No!” Catherina exclaims. “No, you must keep him alive.”
“I agree,” Dimitri admits. “What if he’s telling the truth? What if our father is alive?”
“The bastard’s a snake,” Luka argues. “Kill him now and get it over with.”
They break out into a symphony of noise, debating loudly with one another. I remain silent, watching Konstantin coldly. I don’t miss the devilish smile he wears as the Antonov family divides itself into two.
I tug on Mikhail’s hand. “I have an idea.”
“What is it,moya lyubov?”
“Take him to The Pit.”
A hush falls over the rest of the family at the sound of my suggestion. They lean in, listening intently as I stare my ex-captor down.
“Take him to The Pit and lock him away,” I say.
Konstantin spits at my feet, but I don’t flinch. “You’d treat me like some common animal?”
“Why not?” I ask coldly. “That’s what you are.”
“It’s freezing down there!”
“I’m sure we can make it comfortable for you. For a price. You canearnyour privileges. You know, for good behavior.”
