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No. I don’t believe it. If Misha was dead, I would feel it.
“The man may be dead,” Petyr retorts, “but his legacy still remains. His wealth, his property, his people. If I hope to gain back everything I’ve lost, I’ll needherto bargain with the bastard cousin.”
A bubble of laughter escapes my lips. I should probably stay silent, but I can’t help myself. Both Petyr and The Tiger turn to me.
“Is something funny?” Petyr growls.
I laugh a little bit more, just to piss him off. “Konstantin will never give you the Bratva. You can kiss that dream goodbye.”
He shakes his head. “You forget, princess: I know this family. I know Konstantin Orlov better than he knows himself.Vse dlya sem’i. ‘Everything for the family.’ Konstantin will give me whatever I ask if it means he can save you and those little whelps in your stomach. Your husband may have burned down my home; he may have killed half my men; he may have stolen all my wealth. But I’ll replace it all with his.” He looks at The Tiger. “Only after I get what I want do you get your money. All of that hinges on her. So drop the chivalry and help the man who is trying to help you.”
Petyr has no idea that his plan actually hinges on Misha being dead.
And I know in the marrow of my bones that he is very much alive.
“The two of you make quite the pathetic pair,” I remark.
“Shut your fucking mouth, you little c—”
“Enough!” The Tiger roars.
The two of them stare at each other with open contempt. I lean forward, interrupting their standoff. “It’s a great plan, Petyr. But there’s only one little problem. Well, not so little, actually. In fact, rather big.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” he spits.
“Misha isn’t dead.”
Petyr and The Tiger exchange a glance. “Bullshit,” Petyr pronounces flatly. “You’re lying.”
I stand my ground. “Look me in the eyes and tell me it’s not the truth.”
He stares at me for a long time, unblinking. But he sees it. I recognize the moment he does. His jaw twitches and his teeth grind as his little plan goes up in smoke.
Snarling, Petyr grabs his phone and turns to The Tiger. “Go see if the bitch is right. If you don’t deliver what you promised me, I’ll have your head on a spike—right next to hers.”
The Tiger barely looks at me as he storms out of the decrepit house.
“Listen to me,” Petyr says, pacing the floor as he talks on the phone. “Things didn’t go according to plan. I need reinforcements.” He glances at me for a moment and grins wickedly. “Yes, yes… Bring him, too.”
80
MISHA
The bodies of my staff are laid out in front of me. I want to mourn them, but there will be time for sadness later.
Now, there is only rage.
Konstantin steps through the patio doors, talking softly. Then I see why. A small, trembling woman is with him.
“Rada!” I call out, relieved that at least one person made it out alive. “Are you okay?”
She tries to nod, but she doesn’t have the energy for the lie. It’s obvious she’s not. “I-I-I’m sorry, s-sir. I was in the nursery when the l-lights went out. I was going to find Mrs. Paige, but I looked out the window and… and I s-saw a man.” Her eyes are glazed with the memory. “Big man. I saw him kill… He killed Mario.”
She breaks down into sobs before she can say anything else. I gesture at Konstantin, and he ushers her away with whispered words of comfort.
I can’t be in this room littered with innocent bodies for another second. I walk into the back gardens—just as two men appear from the shadows.
I see them before my men do—the twin Babai, marching shoulder to shoulder towards me. Someone yells and my soldiers turn their weapons on the intruders.
