Page 60 of At Midnight

People,Raphael mentally corrected Piotr. Each of hispeoplewas a force multiplier. A small but significant number of his operators were women. Evidently, Piotr hadn’t realized that.

Piotr’s voice lowered, but it still rang in Raphael’s ears. “As of this very minute, Rogue Security is now wholly owned and operated by the Ilyin FinanceCorporation and its affiliates.”

The bratva had incorporated. How modern of them.

Raphael asked, “Will they know?”

“I think it would work better if nothing appears to have changed, don’t you?”

“Agreed.” So, he would lie to his Rogue Security operators, every day. Flicka and Alina would continue to be held hostage for his compliance. He would convey orders to Rogue Security, but the type ofmissions they would be running now would be vastly different. “I’m not sure they’ll do it.”

“I’m sure they will,” Piotr said. “I’m sure that every last one of them will remain in your employ, or you and they will find life very uncomfortable.”

Raphael sucked in a deep breath of stale air. “Right.”

“You see, Raphael, I’m willing to overlook your prior mishap when you were a teenager, as thestory is that you ran when you realized you had screwed up so badly. Making a gift of Rogue Security would not be enough to save a traitor, but if this story is correct, if you convince everyone around you with your exemplary work that you have always been a loyal member of the Ilyin family, we do not need to revisit it. You understand?”

“I understand.”Very well.

“I must admit, the gift ofa private army is very convincing. It could make me forgive almost anything in the past. After all, the police raids that night and later cleared the deadwood out of the Ilyin Bratva hierarchy and allowed me to take over. If you had been the police informant, I suppose I should thank you, but I would still have to make an example of you, you understand. Whatever the true story, though, the importantpart is what you are bringing to the table and that from this day forward, you are a true and loyal member of the Ilyin Bratva.”

Raphael said, “Yes. You have my word on it.”

As Raphael looked up, he caught an expression on his father’s face—a line between his eyes and one silver eyebrow lower than the other—that seemed like confusion mixed with disturbance.

Perhaps he hadn’t known about RogueSecurity.

Perhaps he didn’t realize what else he was offering to Piotr Ilyin when he offered him his son.

Maybe he hadn’t anticipated that there was any way Raphael might survive this evening, and he was disappointed.

Piotr beamed at Raphael, his blue eyes sparkling with good humor. “I look forward to working with you.”