Page 15

15

ERIK

“ A re you trying to make everything go up in smoke?” I can’t contain my anger as I storm into Viktor’s office.

He leans near the fireplace with a brandy in hand and a look of thunder on his face.

When our eyes meet, there’s a coldness in them that I’ve never seen before.

“Where do you get off thinking you can speak to me like that?”

“How else am I supposed to speak to you,” I hiss, “when you cause such a fucking scene that Anastasia ends up in hospital and you put all eyes on yourself!”

“Then why aren’t you at the hospital if you care so much?” Viktor mutters bitterly.

“She sent me away. Do you see what you’ve done? You can’t keep your big mouth shut!” I throw my hands up in frustration, trying to expel some of the anger that bubbles through my veins.

“Every time— every time I get close to opening her up, you pull some shit and she clams back up.”

“Then push her.” Viktor knocks back his drink.

“I’m done. I’m tired of waiting. We’ve put this off for too long and I’m sick of it. You get back to that hospital and you question her.”

“I’m working on it.”

“Are you?” Viktor glares at me.

“Because your sneaky method only works if you’re coming back with information or evidence and you’ve done neither. So tell me, what is the point of relying on you?”

“I’ve gotten closer to her than you ever have, and one thing she’s good at is locking herself up. Do you really think if we start forcing this, she’ll suddenly tell you everything you want to hear? What if you can’t handle the truth, huh?”

“I know the truth.”

“Do you?” Boldly stepping forward, I poke Viktor in the chest.

“You’re so convinced that she had a hand in her father's death. What are you going to do if that turns out to be false? You’re already burning the bridge with her. Do you value your position here so little that you’re going to jeopardize everything just because you can’t accept that maybe she had nothing to do with his death?”

“You weren’t there!” Viktor yells suddenly, shoving past me with his drink in hand. “You didn’t come home and find Sergey slumped in that chair with his throat wide open. You have no idea how horrific it was to see the blood all over the desk and up the walls, to see his face twisted like that. I never should have left him alone that night. I never should have—” His voice breaks suddenly, and just like that, my anger depletes a fraction.

“Viktor…”

“He was my Pakhan and my friend. And I left him alone. I went out drinking and he was alone, and then you expect me to believe that someone broke in and slit his throat? And then ran?”

I press my lips together in a momentary pause. “Viktor… the window was broken, remember? The guards reported that the hounds had been alerted. It all points to an intruder.”

“And Anastasia heard nothing?” Viktor spins to face me. “Someone broke in here, fought with and murdered her father, and she heard nothing?”

“Her room is on the other side of the estate from his office,” I reply as softly as I dare. “You blame her because she was here and you weren’t. But I don’t think you actually believe she had a hand in this.”

“I know she did,” Viktor mutters, acid flooding his tone.

Just like that, we’re back to square one. “I’ve spoken to her. Spent time with her. I honestly think?—”

“Think what?” Viktor spins to face me, interrupting me with a growl. “Are you telling me that you’ve remained impartial? That her pretty face hasn’t swayed you?”

I hold his gaze as the lie burns through me. He’s right. I don’t know if he can tell just by looking at me, but my heart beats for her and my skin burns for her touch. Seeing her collapse in the parking lot felt like someone was ripping my heart out with talons and being sent away from her is torture. I want to be by her side, helping and protecting her.

Instead, I’m here fearing that, once again, she’ll close herself off from me.

“I am impartial,” I lie smoothly. “I know how important this is. I know what the other families say about it because we haven’t presented anyone as the killer. I know his death hurt you, but do you not see how blinded you are? Your guilt for not being here is making you blame the one person who was here, and in the meantime, the real killer is out there running around. And they’re likely the one behind all the attempts on Anastasia’s life.”

“Attempts that have been meaningless,” Viktor mutters. “I wouldn’t put it past her to have orchestrated those herself.”

“Viktor—”

“Son, you don’t see her like I do. She’s a snake. I know she is.” He drains the rest of his glass and smacks his lips together. “You don’t understand. You don’t see things like I do. I’m watching the family I spent decades building crumble right underneath me because of a little girl, and now we have the Cartel ready to kill and skin us alive just for the fun of it. And our Godmother?” He scoffs sharply. “She refuses to go where the easy money is. Mark my words, my boy. When the bodies start piling up, she’s the only one to blame.”

I want to tell him he’s wrong, that he’s misguided. After all, Anastasia is working hard to set us on the right path, but the more Viktor talks, the more I fear she’s not acting fast enough. I need to get him on her side as soon as I can, which means I need to find Sergey’s killer and end his suspicions once and for all.

“You have to trust me,” I say. “Otherwise, all of this is for nothing, and she’ll have your head for being a traitor.”

“We don’t have time.” Viktor’s hand lands heavily on my shoulder. “I’ll give you one last chance to finish up your investigation, Son. But I’ll be forced to step in if you don’t do it quickly. I’ll get answers out of her one way or the other.”

His grip tightens briefly and my heart falters.

That’s what I’m afraid of.