Page 3 of Brutal Unionn

Sho watches it for half a second before dragging his gaze back to mine. He tilts his head, his confident smile returning. "You enjoyed that."

I roll my eyes, but before I can respond, my phone buzzes against the floor.

The phone's vibration against the cold concrete cuts through the thick tension in the room. I sigh, stepping back and glancing at the caller ID. Nik.

Of course.

Sho watches me carefully as I answer, his smile widening. "Saved by the bell?" he taunts.

I smile back, twirling the key before tucking it back into my waistband. "Not for you, baby. You're still exactly where I want you."

I don't wait for a response before turning on my heel and striding out of the dimly lit basement, slamming the heavy metal door shut behind me. As I ascend the stairs, I bring the phone to my ear.

"This better be important, Nik," I snap.

"I'm outside. Emergency meeting," he says, skipping pleasantries like usual. "The heads of the Bratva want to discuss your claim to the throne."

I grind my teeth, my grip tightening around the phone. "They can discuss whatever the fuck they want. I am the rightful heir."

Nik scoffs. "If it were that simple, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

I push open the warehouse door, stepping into the cool night air and clicking the phone off. The wind whips against my heated skin, but I barely feel it as I stand toe to toe with Nik, who's leaning against his car with his arms crossed. His eyes narrow on me as I cross my arms over my chest. Normally Nik would tower over me but in my six inch thigh high stilettos, I am his height as long as he doesn't stand up straight.

"This wouldn't even be a conversation if you had been honest about Boris from the beginning," I say, stepping closer, pushing into his space. "But no, you had to lie to me. And now, I have to clean up your mess, as fucking always."

Nik doesn't flinch, doesn't waver, just tilts his head, lookingdown at me with that familiar mix of annoyance and reluctant respect. "I didn't lie."

"You omitted the truth," I hiss. "And now I have to stand in a fucking room with those old bastards and prove I belong there without calling you out for treason. Do you know what would happen to you if I told the truth?"

"Nadia-"

"What do you think would happen if I decided to tell everyone the great Nikolai Petrov lied and his little psycho sister is the heir to the throne?"

"They would kill us all," Nik snarls, and I chuckle at the way his nostrils flare.

"That's right, buddy!" I smack his chest as I chuckle. "Now, I know I can't trust you, but trust me when I say I love Gwen, Mia and Gio too much to allow anyone to kill you."

"Is that why you are playing with Sho instead of doing what you're supposed to be doing and finding Boris?" he reminds me, voice flat.

"I am finding Boris," I snap, shoving my fingers through my hair. "Sho knows something."

Nik gives me a pointed look but doesn't argue further. He knows better. "Sho knows nothing."

"No, he knows," I take a breath, forcing down the frustration. "I can feel it in my gut."

Nik nods knowing that my gut is the most reliable thing in the world, if I think Sho knows something then he does. "I'll be at the meeting once I secure Sho in one of the cells," I say, stepping back. "But if I have to kill one of those assholes to prove a point, you're cleaning up the body."

Nik smirks. "Wouldn't be the first time."

I roll my eyes, turning on my heel and heading back inside, my mind already shifting back to the unfinished business waiting in the basement.

As soon as I step through the heavy metal door, something feels off. The air is thicker, charged with something that sends a shiver down my spine. My heels click against the floor as I descend the stairs, my eyes locking onto the empty chair that once held Sho and two of my guards unconscious on the floor, small cuts on their arms but breathing steadily.

I step forward and look at the art he placed in the middle of the two bodies. A heart, drawn in blood with an arrow through it, and below it, his name. Sho.

Right next to it, my hairpin—I quickly touch the flyaway hair next to the ear he caressed with his tongue. The phantom of his hot breath is making me shiver even now. My stomach twists, something dark curling at the edges of my mind. I clench my jaw, inhaling sharply before my lips curl into a slow, wicked smile.

I stalk forward, standing over the message, my pulse thrumming in my ears. Then, throwing my head back, I let out a sharp, frustrated scream.