Page 72 of The Games of Madmen

“No, he followed Vika though, so he knows whosheis. It’s only a matter of time. I got the plate number,” Z says, hurrying back inside and grabbing his phone.

Following him, I bark out orders, “Pack a bag Alyona. You can’t stay here.”

“Who was it?” Alyona asks with a tremble in her voice. She’s standing guard at Roza’s door sweeping her gaze between us and the unconscious man at her feet. “It’s them, isn’t it?”

“Who isthem?” Vika asks, poking her head between the blinds to look out of the window.

“Vika, you’re going to need to lay low for a few days.” I tell her, grabbing the feet of Adam’s lackey, dragging him toward the garage.

Her head whips around, mouth twisted into a sneer. “That’s not my name.”

“I don’t give a fuck,” I growl. “Just do as you’re told.”

“You may not care, but I do. I’m getting married in a month, Rodion. I can’t have anyone making a mistake in front of the wrong person. I won’t let anyone ruin this for me.”

Sighing out in frustration, I kick the guy to make sure he’s still out and step over him. “Do what the fuck you want. You’re lucky I’m not throttling the life from you after coming here knowing someone was following you. You put Alyona and Roza at risk like that.”

“What aboutmysafety?” she demands with a gasp, acting offended. “And, I was already coming over here when I noticed I was being followed.”

She’s a selfish little fucking brat who, despite the southern local accent she’s acquired and prude attire, hasn’t changed. Gripping her upper arm, I drag her away from the window.

“Who is it?” Her eyes bore into me, imploring immediate answers.

“It’s a spy sent by your daddy,” I spit out, enjoying tormenting her a bit. It works too because her body tenses in my grip. Her attention flits to Zahkar, who is talking to Viktor, reeling off the plate number.

“Why is he calling my brother?”

“Why were you coming over here anyway?” Alyona asks, moving around the room and filling a diaper bag with Roza’s stuff.

“I was coming,” Vika bites out, yanking her arms from my grip and straightening the sleeve of her blouse, “because everyone is talking about what’s going on with Adam and Jeremiah. For some reason, people associate you with me, and I’m getting a million questions from my soon-to-be in-laws. They’re worried how this will look with you being my maid-of-honor at the wedding.”

Pausing her packing, Alyona looks bewildered by this conversation, and I’m bored to death of Vika’s bullshit. I’d rather put hot pokers in my ears than have to listen to her voice any longer. I don’t think Vas would care now if we just killed her.

“Whyam I your maid-of-honor andwhenwere you going to tell me?”

Vika pulls a mirror from her purse and begins applying fucking lipstick. “Who else would I choose, silly?”

God, I need a drink or three.

“Anyone else. Literally anyone else,” Alyona says, stunned. “Maddox has sisters.”

Z ends his call and slips his phone into his pocket. “Viktor’s getting his contacts to look into the plate number.” He then gestures between Alyona and Vika. “What’s going on?”

“Vika has lost her mind and thinks she needs more lipstick right now instead of going into hiding,” I growl, rolling my neck over my shoulders to release the tension, “until we sort out the problem her fucking father is causing us all.”

Vika’s face turns red and she hurls her lipstick at me. “My damn name is Amelia.” It strikes my chest and clatters to the floor, the cap popping off and rolling away.

“You little bitch,” I snap, reaching out for her and wrapping her hair around my fist. I move her like a puppet down toward the lipstick. “Pick it up.”

Thrashing like a fish out of water, she stomps her feet and wails, “Get off me! I swear to God!”

Shoving her away, she stumbles toward Alyona, who stops her from falling.

Wide, fiery eyes ignite from Vika, her mouth gaping. “How dare you.”

It’s a threat and I can’t help but laugh.

“What are you going to do, Vika? Get someone to kill me like you did our baby cousin?” I may have done Vas a favor getting Vika out of Russia, but that doesn’t mean I forgive and forget her scheming little witchy ways getting Niko killed. She is toxic, and I don’t want her anywhere near Alyona or us.