Page 135 of Scarlet Vows

He fucking goes in like a man with a mission to begin.

Like he’s starting a coup.

I wait until he’s inside.

Then I check my gun, slide another clip into my pocket, and make my way to his place, the video ready to play from my phone in my pocket.

Melor answers after one knock.

I don’t give him a chance to speak. I sucker punch him in the face, making him stumble back.

Before he can do a thing, I pull my gun, kick the doorshut, advance on him, grab him by the throat, and hurl him up against the wall.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you.”

The innocence in his expression doesn’t reach the cold malice in his eyes.

“What’s this about?” he manages to rasp out.

I could waste a bullet. I could fucking shoot the asshole dead here and now, but I need and want answers.

And if he’s going to fucking die, his altercation with his god will have to wait until he sets shit straight with my men.

I squeeze harder, and his face turns an ugly color as he struggles.

Disgusted, I slam him into the wall and let him go.

I hold my phone up and press play. “Care to explain?”

He watches it, his expression flickering, and then he laughs.

“You’re in deep with him, yes?” I sneer at him, my throat thick with the urge to jam the gun into his mouth and pull the trigger. “Is this new, or has it been going on since Aleksandr was alive? Because the info on the dispute with Simonov isn’t fake.”

He shakes his head. “You’re a fool. Weak and pathetic.”

“Riling a man with a gun is idiotic,” I say.

Melor smirks. “You were a fucking fool to ever trust me. What, you thought you could just waltz in?”

“There was a will,” I state.

“And you don’t deserve a single thing.”

I nod slowly. “There’s one thing I just can’t figure out. Why do all this? Greed? At first, I thought it was that, but it can’t be. I know how much you make. I’ve been making sure you get more. You’re as high up as you can be, and Simonov isn’t going to treat you as well.”

“You watched the whole video?”

“I watched a fool get played. You can’t possibly believe hewon’t turn on you. So why? Why do this?” I study him. “Control?”

“Simonov is a dead man as soon as I get what I need. And control? Nothing so fucking mundane,” he spits. “All I ever wanted was what’s mine.”

“Yours?” I ask. “The bratva?”

I tighten my grip on my gun. I don’t trust this man. At all.

“For years, Aleks dangled the bratva in front of me. He told me he was grooming me for his job. He said if I did the hard work, it would be mine. I did the hard work. Harder. I’ve been baptized in blood, killed those I cared for because he asked. I was loyal.

“You say control like I just want the keys and the driver’s seat. He promised me control of the bratva, to be pakhan. I worked my ass off for Aleks, and I was more family to him than you ever were.