Page 56 of Sweet Deception

She tilted her head. “Can you be useful?”

I blinked. “In what sense, ma’am?”

Her lips curled. “You look too innocent to pay for your parents’ crimes,” Grandma said, tapping a finger against her chin. “But that doesn’t mean you won’t.”

She continued, “But you can help us get them. You will find a way to lure either your father or mother to Russia.”

My stomach dropped. “That’s impossible. They know setting foot here means death.”

“Right.” She said smoothly. “But you would make them come willingly, trusting you. Believing Moscow is too vast for us to notice. You will be our spy.”

“You want me to bring my father to Russia and hand him over to be slaughtered?”

The thought should have made me sick. Should have made me furious.

But instead, an ugly voice in the back of my mind whispered—why not?

I shoved it down. “I can’t,” I said, my voice stronger than I expected. “I won’t betray my family.”

“You misunderstand me, Annushka.” Grandma’s voice remained even, but the shift in her expression was ice-cold. “When I make a request, it is not a choice.”

Her gaze slid to one of the servants standing quietly by the wall. She made a single motion with her hand. Within seconds, the girl hurried forward, head bowed.

“This is Sofia.” She said with a smirk.

“She sat where you sat, once.” Grandma sighed dramatically. “A beautiful girl. Kind. Stubborn. She thought she could refuse me, too.”

She snapped her fingers. The servant girl turned her head slightly, just enough for me to see a thick scar trailing from the corner of her lips down her jaw.

Grandma smiled. “Such a shame what happened to her.” Then with a wave of her hand, she dismissed Sofia.

“Think carefully about the consequences of refusing my offer,” she said, voice soft but sharp. “You have twenty four hours.”

I stiffened.

She hummed, studying me, then turned to Gleb. “You claim you hate her, yes?”

He nodded stiffly. “I do, Grandma.”

“Maybe one of your cousins should have her instead,” Grandma mused. “See if she’s truly as useless as you claim.”

I sucked in a sharp breath.

Gleb’s face darkened. “That would be disrespectful to me. She’s still my wife.”

Grandma smiled faintly. “I don’t think you hate her as much as you claim.” She leaned in slightly. “You know you can’t bullshit me, Gleb. If I wanted you dead right now, all I’d have to do is lift a finger.”

His expression didn’t waver. “You don’t need to threaten me. You know I’m loyal.”

Her gaze sharpened. “Then tell me the truth.” She paused. “You killed Antonio because he beat your wife, didn’t you?”

Silence.

She exhaled sharply. “You already lied to me once. Are you going to lie again?”

Gleb sighed. “He disrespected me.” No one lays a hand on her but me,” Gleb said, his voice sharp as steel.

Grandma bared her teeth. “How could you? You should have told me. I would have handled it.”