Page 31

KIRILL

S omething is wrong.

I know it, feel it, and can smell it in the fucking air.

Things haven’t been the same since we returned from the cabin three weeks ago.

Sasha has been subtly keeping her distance. It’s not as blatant as when she came back and chose to spend her time with anyone but me. This time, it’s more in the little details.

Like how she stopped the morning training, no longer waits up for me, doesn’t have drinks with me, and she prefers to go visit her brother in Viktor’s company instead of mine.

I can’t really do anything about the last one since I’m overwhelmed by all the shit in the Bratva, namely, keeping Damien’s killing spree in check.

While the above changes are noticeable, they could be viewed as fleeting compared to everything else.

For one, she’s not talking about leaving me in a few weeks anymore.

She’s not using every chance she gets to remind me that she’s my wife only temporarily.

And, most importantly, she holds the same level of fucked-up desire for me as I do for her. I’ve been trying to wake her up with my mouth on her cunt, but lately, she’s been reversing the roles, so I’m the one who wakes up in heaven with her lips around my cock.

The biggest red flag, though, is that she’s been spending more time with the ex-robot Kristina, much to my and my brother’s dismay.

I snatch a champagne glass from a passing waiter and stand beside said brother. We’re holding a gathering at the house to celebrate the brotherhood’s alliance with the Yakuza. The brotherhood leaders and the heads of other factions have shown up, too.

The reason for the strengthening of this relationship—Damien—has fucked off to God knows where. I haven’t seen his fiancée, either, since her father introduced her earlier.

The downside of being Pakhan is the obligation to conduct private meetings and indulge in stupid small talk, but that’s the last thing on my mind.

I haven’t been able to find an explanation for the feeling that’s been plaguing my insides these last couple of days.

The simple definition would be unease and dread of the unknown where Sasha’s concerned. The first reaction my brain came up with was to suffocate her further, lock her the fuck up if need be, so there won’t be a way out no matter how much she tries.

But that would mean completely eradicating whatever semblance of peace we’ve been having.

She’d hate it and me.

Besides, it’s not that she’s trying to leave.

Or maybe that’s what she’s doing, but discreetly so I won’t be able to thwart her plans.

“They’re surprisingly close,” my brother says from beside me, his attention on the two women.

They’re standing with the annoying Rai and Adrian’s wife, Lia, as if this is some sort of a sorority.

Sasha is wearing a loose black dress that stops right above her knees. Her shiny blonde hair is loose, now reaching the middle of her back. She hasn’t cut it once since she went back to being a woman.

Although her heels aren’t as high as the others’, she’s still the tallest of the bunch. The most beautiful, too. Just saying.

“More like, your wife is surprisingly clingy.” I direct my malicious glare at my brother. “Keep her away from my wife.”

He raises a brow. “Not sure that’s how it works.”

“Find a solution that works, then.”

He smiles, and it’s surprisingly mischievous. “Is it so bad that she’s making women friends? At least they’re not the guards you strongly oppose of.”

“I don’t like anyone who’s prone to steal her time from me.”

“You need help.”

“Yes. Yours. In the form of stopping Kristina from taking away my wife to fuck knows where.”

Even Karina has been getting annoyed at not being able to spend as much time as possible with Sasha. My sister is hiding in her room as we speak. She may have started to leave the house at times, but crowds still freak her out.

“Ever thought she might actually need a social circle outside of yourself?” Konstantin asks like an idiot.

“No.”

“I would say I’m surprised, but that would be a lie…” he trails off when our mother—correction, his mother—appears at the bottom of the stairs with her brother, Yakov.

He’s on the board of the family bank and has always disregarded me, unlike the rest of her siblings, who have supported me since day one. Including my eldest uncle, who’s the head of the family and the bank.

Yulia has always gotten along with Yakov. He’s the only sibling she’s visited over the years, but he rarely came here in the past because he and Roman hated each other with passion.

He only started showing his face in our family home after his death.

My attention slides back to Konstantin, who’s gripping his flute so tight, I’m surprised it doesn’t break into pieces.

It’s no secret that he and Yulia have a strained relationship since he indirectly picked Kristina over her and married a woman his mother doesn’t approve of.

But it’d take a miracle for Yulia to hate her golden child. I thought Konstantin was using this chance to put some form of distance between him and his toxic mother, but maybe that’s not the whole story.

I narrow my eyes on Yulia and Yakov, then direct my gaze at my brother. “Is there something I need to know?”

He purses his lips but says nothing.

“Konstantin.” I adopt my most diplomatic tone as I face him.

“I know we haven’t been model siblings, but you’re still my brother.

If Yakov is giving you shit of any sort, I’ll hang him by his balls before he can blink.

You don’t need to worry about the repercussions. I have enough power to squash him—”

“It’s Yulia.”

“You want me to hang Yulia by her imaginary balls?”

He snickers, but it’s fleeting. “Be serious.”

“What’s the problem?”

“Something happened this morning, and I…I want to believe I’m wrong.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“She…I’ve heard her whisper something to her maid a couple of times before.

Something about giving Kris herbs that improve immunity and fuck knows what.

I didn’t think much of it in the beginning, but out of precaution, I offered to give Kristina whatever herbs my mother had prepared, then I dumped them down the drain.

I asked Kris to never drink or eat in her company and to only consume what Anna gives her.

” His Adam’s apple bobs with a swallow. “Tell me I’m being paranoid. ”

“Have you tested said herbs?”

“I got the results today.”

“Let me guess. They’re toxic.”

The clenching of his jaw is all the answer I need. “Maybe she didn’t know…”

“Wake the fuck up. That woman never does anything without a purpose. She wants your baby dead.”

“But it’s her grandchild.”

“And Kara and I are her fucking children. Do you think she took that into consideration when she tried to kill us? You’ve seen her throw herself down the fucking stairs when she was pregnant with our sister.

You were old enough to remember.” I pause and soften my tone.

“She’s always been obsessed with your safety and well-being, but she can’t stand Kristina.

She’s the woman because of whom you went against her.

Your mother isn’t the type who takes no for an answer.

She probably thinks if she gets rid of Kristina’s child, you’ll have no reason to stay with her and will divorce her. ”

“That won’t happen.”

“Then she won’t stop until it does.”

His chest rises and falls in an intense rhythm. “What am I supposed to do now? I don’t think Kris is safe around her anymore.”

“I can kick Yulia out.”

He pauses, touches his neck, then sighs, “She’d ask me to come along.”

“Then say no, motherfucker. Unless you’re in the mood to witness a tragedy?”

“Of course not.”

“Then I will make it happen first thing in the morning.” I clink my glass against his.

He drinks, though he still seems hesitant.

Konstantin’s problem is that he always tries to see some of Yulia’s good side.

It makes sense, considering all the love she poured out on him.

At some point, she ended up asphyxiating him, and he always hated her attitude toward us, even if he pretended he didn’t.

“You might want to look further into Yakov,” Konstantin says.

“What for?”

“He’s her right hand in everything I refuse to take part in.”

Hmm.

Interesting.

This could be the clue I’ve been missing at the basis of my theory. I shoot Viktor a text.

Check Yakov’s whereabouts around the time of the cottage’s bombing and any possible communications with Makar.

Soon after, we’re joined by Adrian, who’s also not a fan of being separated from his wife. We don’t have to enjoy each other’s company, though, because thankfully, our evening is all set.

I have a few meetings with the Yakuza and the Luciano leaders, but my mind is occupied with other, more pressing issues.

When I go back to the main hall, I catch a glimpse of Kristina with Konstantin, and Rai is talking to Kyle. Lia is with her husband’s guards, but there’s no trace of Sasha.

A potent sense of paralyzing terror grabs hold of me, and I have to force myself to breathe properly as I call her. Her phone is turned off.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

I ask Kristina about my wife’s whereabouts, and she says Sasha left a while earlier.

Does that mean she left for good? Have I been blindsided?

I head to our room two steps at a time while twisting my wedding ring until I nearly break my finger the fuck off.

When I open the door and go inside, my breathing slowly returns to normal. Sasha is lying on the sofa, eyes closed and arms wrapped around her middle.

Fuck.

Fucking fuck.

If I keep going like this, I might have a heart attack the moment she disappears on me again.

I need that tracker on her. Now.

Yes, I still have her at the moment, but who knows what will happen in a few days or even a few hours.

My alarm has reached levels I can’t control anymore. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve become apprehensive about leaving the house and, therefore, her.