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I want to break something. The urge rushes through me the instant I see the updated tracker log on Seraphina’s phone. The faint blinking icon marks a location she visited two nights ago—some rundown spot near the docks. I zoom in on the map for the hundredth time, tightening my grip around the device. She slipped out while I was away and ignored every safety measure I put in place.

“Grigor,” Dmitri calls from the doorway. “We found more data. Looks like she stayed there for about thirty minutes.”

I set the phone aside and turn to face my brothers. Dmitri stands beside Aleksei and Maksim. They’re waiting for my reaction, trying to gauge whether I’ll fly into a rage or handle this calmly. I can’t promise which one I’ll go with.

“Give me the details,” I say, pushing my anger down so I can think.

Dmitri clears his throat. “She used a rideshare to get to the docks and back. We pulled the receipt from her phone. The times match the tracker data. She talked to someone—likely her father, given the location. It’s one of his favorite meeting spots. We also found a few outgoing messages on her device, but they’ve been deleted. She tried covering her tracks.”

My jaw clenches. I glance at Aleksei, who crosses his arms. “We all suspected Seraphina was hiding something. Now we have proof.”

A flicker of betrayal flares in my gut, though I keep my face impassive. “She’s my wife,” I remind them. “Don’t jump to conclusions.”

Maksim huffs a mirthless laugh. “We’re not jumping. We’re pointing out that she’s disobeyed you and might be passing intel to Thorne.”

I glare at him. “That’s enough.” My tone leaves no room for argument. He falls silent, but I sense the doubt radiating off him.

Aleksei meets my gaze. “We’re on your side, Grigor, but you can’t ignore this. She’s meeting Thorne in secret. That alone is suspicious.”

I run a hand over my face, exhaling roughly. My mind whirls with possibilities. I just don’t understand it. He’s the man who forced her into marriage, threatened her, and struck her. Yet she still protects him. It’s maddening.

I jerk my chin at Dmitri. “Thanks for the data. Forward everything to my phone. I’ll handle it from here.”

A beat of silence hangs before Aleksei nods. “We’ll let you deal with her for now, but if she’s a threat to the family—”

I cut him off. “I’ll handle it,” I repeat, not bothering to hide the edge in my tone. “No one lays a finger on her.”

A flicker of frustration crosses Aleksei’s face, but he backs down. Dmitri and Maksim exchange looks, but they follow Aleksei out. The door closes, and I stand in the hush of my office, staring at the phone logs again.

She lied to me. I gave her this home, my protection, and she lied. My anger crashes against the memory of her blue eyes, the way she melts under my touch, the softness she shows in rare unguarded moments. Why would she risk everything for him ?

I can’t stand waiting. My flight home is already booked. I was supposed to wrap up business in two days. That’s too long. I make a call, shifting the schedule. By the time I’m finished, I have a seat on a private jet in six hours, which should land me home tonight.

Let’s see how she explains this.

***

The house is silent when I return. It’s nearly midnight by the time I push through the main entrance. Anton greets me with a nod, but I wave him off. “Where’s Seraphina?”

He clears his throat. “Upstairs, I believe. She turned in early.”

I stride past. Tension coils in my gut, mixing anger with something akin to hurt. This must be how betrayal feels. Something I never wanted to experience from the woman I chose to protect. I make my way upstairs, ignoring the staff’s wary looks.

Her bedroom door is closed, with the faint lamplight visible under the frame. I brace myself, then twist the knob. The door opens quietly. She’s seated on the bed with a book in her hands, though her gaze snaps up the second I enter. Surprise ripples across her face, followed by a hint of worry she tries to hide.

“Grigor,” she exclaims, setting the book aside. “You’re home early.”

I step into the room, not bothering to shut the door behind me. “I am.”

An uneasy pause. Her eyes dart to the clock on the nightstand. “You didn’t call.”

I shrug. “Didn’t feel like giving you a heads-up.”

Her posture stiffens. “Everything alright?”

“Not particularly.” I watch her carefully. Her hands fidget in her lap, a sure sign she’s nervous. Good. She should be. “Heard you took a little trip while I was gone.”

She blinks. “A trip? I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t lie to me, Seraphina. I have your phone logs. You went to the docks, met with someone. And I suspect that someone was your father.”

Her face pales, but she keeps her chin lifted. “I—I just needed some fresh air. My father happened to be there. It wasn’t planned.”

“Bullshit.” I close the distance between us, standing by the edge of the bed. “You planned it carefully, sneaking out, disabling location services as best you could. Except I have a tracker installed.”

She sets her jaw, and defiance sparks in her eyes. “Alright, fine. Yes, I saw him. It’s my father. I don’t need your permission to talk to him.”

My fury spikes. “He’s not a safe man. You know that. Yet you defied me anyway.”

She rises from the bed, crossing her arms. “He’s my family, Grigor. No matter what history you have with him. You have no right to stop me from seeing him.”

My hands curl into fists at my sides. “I have every right when it comes to your safety. He’s proven he’ll hurt you if it suits him, and he’s up to his neck in shady dealings. You might be too blind to see it, but I’m not.”

“Blind?” she scoffs. “I’m not blind. I’m just not ready to abandon my sister. If my father needs something, maybe it’ll save her.”

The mention of Cecily tugs at some protective urge in me, but I refuse to let that soften my stance. “You didn’t even consider telling me. Instead, you snuck around like a guilty child.”

Her shoulders slump a fraction, though she keeps her voice firm. “Because I knew you wouldn’t allow it.”

“You’re damn right I wouldn’t.” My anger simmers, but the hurt overshadowing it is worse. I run a hand through my hair, pacing a short line. “From now on, the house is on maximum security. You’re not leaving without my permission or an armed escort. Am I clear?”

She bristles. “And if I do?”

I lock eyes with her. “I’ll kill whoever you’re meeting.”

Her breath catches. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m entirely serious,” I growl. “No more secrets. No more going behind my back. If you do, I’ll assume whoever you’re meeting is an enemy, and I won’t show mercy.”

“Why are you so convinced they’re enemies? You barely trust me, let alone my father, and you—”

“I don’t trust your father an inch, especially after everything pointing to him as a potential traitor. And you—” I exhale, forcing my voice not to tremble. “You still protect him. That’s why I’m forced to do this.”

Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. “What if I can’t choose between you and my family?”

“Then I’ll choose for you,” I snap. “I won’t lose you to his manipulations.”

She shoves me away as anger breaks through her sorrow. “You’re so arrogant. It’s always your way or no way. Have you considered that he might be desperate, that Cecily’s life might be in danger?”

“Your father’s desperation usually leads him to sacrifice others for his gain, if I recall. If Cecily’s truly at risk, we can handle it together—without you sneaking around.”

She looks like she wants to argue, but the weight of my words seems to land. She remains silent, trembling with frustration. I rake my gaze over her, half expecting her to lash out again. Instead, her shoulders slump.

“Fine,” she mutters. “If that’s what you want, I’ll stay locked in this fortress of yours.”

“It’s not just what I want, it’s what needs to happen. I’m done giving you chances only to have you spit in my face.” My tone stays cold, but a pang of regret twists in my gut. I never wanted to speak to her like this, but she left me little choice.

“I never asked you to protect me in such an extreme way.”

“No, you didn’t,” I concede.

Before she can respond, my phone buzzes. An unfamiliar number glows on the screen, making me frown. I glance at her once more, then step away to answer.

“Barkov,” I say curtly.

A wheezing voice crackles through the line. “Boss, it’s Fyodor.”

I grit my teeth, recalling the insubordinate fool who challenged my authority. The last time I saw this idiot, I shot him in the leg. “What do you want?”

“I think I found something.”

“Speak.”

Fyodor’s ragged breath grates in my ear. “I’ve got a lead, Boss. The kind you’ll want to hear in person.”

“What kind of lead?” I glance toward Seraphina, who stands stiffly by the bed with her arms still crossed. She’s watching me, but she’s being careful not to show an ounce of emotion.

“I found something that connects Evan Thorne to Pavel’s murder.”

“Go on.”

“There’s a trail—sloppy in places, like someone wanted it found. I’ve got the details, but I can’t share over the phone.”

Of course not. Fyodor isn’t an idiot, despite his many other faults. “Where?”

“An abandoned café near Yurov Street. Tomorrow night, midnight. If I’m right about this, there are more eyes on us than we thought. We need to be discreet.”

His words carry a warning not to underestimate what’s happening in the shadows. “Midnight, Yurov Street,” I repeat. “If you’re wasting my time—”

“I’m not,” he interrupts. “You’ll see for yourself. Just… come prepared.”

The call cuts off before I can respond. I lower the phone slowly, with my mind racing through the implications of what Fyodor just said. This could ignite a war.

I turn back to Seraphina, who hasn’t moved an inch.

“Business?”

“Yes,” I reply, sliding the phone into my pocket. “Something that requires my immediate attention.”

She nods, but the distance between us feels heavier than before. I step closer, lowering my voice. “You’re not to leave this house without my permission. Understood?”

Her lips press into a thin line, but she doesn’t argue. “Understood.”

Good. I hold her gaze for a moment longer before turning and leaving the room. If Fyodor’s information holds up, it might finally bring me closer to the truth about Pavel’s killer.

But something tells me it isn’t going to be that simple.