Page 129 of Scarlet Promise

“Please let me go. My friends will be looking for me by now.”

It’s a lie, but I hope they will soon. How long is it going to take until they work out that I’m not where I should be?

“Hello?”

No answer.

“Help!” I scream. “Help!”

“No one can hear you,” says a familiar voice as a man comes into the room. “Hello, Alina. Lovely to see you again.”

Melor.

Chapter Thirty

ILYA

“Oh. You brought a friend,”Santo says deadpan. “Are we having a party? Because I do have a code. No assholes.”

He stares Demyan in the eye.

His great room’s big, but then again, so is the musclebound blond giant.

He motions with a flick of his wrist at the wet bar for us to get our own drinks.

I don’t want one, but Demyan pours himself a vodka.

This is something we like to do on occasion. One will drink, and the other will observe. Like all kinds of old habits, we fall right back into it.

Demyan takes a sip and stares at Santo right back. “Cut the shit.”

“My house. I can do what I want, including kicking bullies out.”

Demyan nods slowly and smiles. “We can have this out if you like, any time you choose, as long as it’s not business time. And this, as far as I’m aware, is business. You called Ilya and demanded his presence?”

“I called and asked him to come over.” Santo turns to me. “I agreed to not taking Yegorov down, but I didn’t agree to him being here.”

“School ended a long time ago. Those grudges should be put away.”

“Can you put them away?” Santo asks Demyan.

“Enough,” I say. “You called. I’m here. I still work with Demyan, and his reputation got dragged into this. So…”

Santo lets out an annoyed sigh. “What is it you want, Demyan?”

“Ilya’s debt’s no longer valid, which gives you no hold over Ilya’s bratva at all.”

Santo considers him and smiles.

“Really?” Santo asks. “What makes you think I’m going to agree to that?”

Demyan walks right up to Santo until his face hovers close to the other man’s, so close it makes Santo recoil a little.

“I promise you this, Santo. If you don’t agree, I’ll make it my lifelong mission to destroy everything you’ve worked hard for. And you and I both know you don’t want to make an enemy out of me. You could, however, work hard, earn my trust, and become someone I might consider one day calling an ally.”

“So kind,” Santo snaps. “And this charming deal of yours… It hardly seems far.”

Demyan nods. “You’re absolutely right. It should be fair. Which is why you’re going to take care of Simonov for us. I hear you have issues with him too. I know you’re creative. You can make it work in your favor.”