Til Death Do Us Part (Kornilov Bratva Duet #2) - Nicole Fox Page 0,64
thing if he is lying to me.
Petr curls in on himself and a sob bursts out of him. “Vik, man. Come on. Listen to me.”
“I have been listening to you,” I growl. “For years. You’ve been my number two, and now you are lying to me.”
He tries to hold up his hands in surrender, but the chains catch, and his hands end up down by his knees. Still, he shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head. “I am lying. I was, but I’ll tell you everything. Right now. You don’t have to do this.”
I nod for a few of Seamus’ men to pick up the chair, and they do. Petr sighs when he is upright, relaxing slightly, and I don’t like him thinking he is off the hook.
“You just need to listen—”
My fist smashes against his jaw, and Petr’s head snaps to the side.
I shake out my hand and pace away from the chair. “I don’t need to just do anything.”
Petr spits and blood splatters across the cement floor. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Will you, though? Will you let me explain?”
“My family could have died,” I roar. My voice echoes around the room, and I remember what Seamus said about the room being soundproofed. Still, I should be cautious. “My wife and son could have been killed at the photo shoot. And Seamus could have died at the dinner, but we still don’t know the assassin’s entire plan. Would he have gone after me and Molly after Seamus?”
I’m getting angry just thinking about the possibilities. Just thinking about what could have happened to Theo if Molly and I had died or if he had been in the crossfire at the photo shoot. I tighten my fists until my fingernails bite into my palm.
“How did you even know about the photo shoot? I didn’t tell you, but we had guards there keeping watch over things. Maybe one of them told you? How many of my men are betraying me? Or maybe it’s a phone tap?”
Petr shakes his head. “Please, Vik?”
“Don’t call me that!”
“Viktor,” he corrects. “Please, Viktor? Let me explain?”
I look over at Seamus, and he nods, letting me know he’ll respect whatever decision I make. I don’t need his permission, but when I have no one else on my side, it’s good to know Seamus is a true ally.
“Fine,” I say, spinning around and crossing my arms over my chest. “Say what you need to say. Tell your tale, and I may or may not kill you when it is over.”
Petr’s eyes go wide, and then he blinks and takes a shuddering breath. Blood is dripping from his mouth, and I can already see a bruise spreading under the skin of his cheek from my fists, but he should feel lucky he is in such good shape. I would never admit it out loud, but if he had been anyone else, I would have had him beaten before questioning.
“You know I’ve been going into Italian territory, so I’m sure you had me followed to the Italian lieutenant’s apartment?” Petr asks.
I press my lips together. He doesn’t need to know what I know or how I know it.
When he realizes I’m not going to answer, he continues. “I’m an idiot. We both know that. My entire life, I’ve made shitty decisions because I’m selfish. But we also both know I’ve only ever been loyal to you.”
“That remains to be seen.”
“I’ve been loyal to you,” Petr says again, almost as if trying to convince himself. “I know it looks bad, but the Italian lieutenant was never at the house when I was there. In fact, that was the entire point.”
“You broke in?” I ask, eyebrow raised. “Bullshit.”
“I was let in,” he admits, his eyes on the floor. When he looks up, his eyebrows are pinched together, ashamed. “By his wife.”
The room is silent and tense, and I want to make some snarky comment, but I’m riveted. Petr knows it and continues.
“I only went to the house while he was out because … I’m fucking his wife.” Petr groans. “God, I’m so stupid. I know that. I should have told you, but I felt like an asshole. Not only because I was sleeping with another man’s wife, but because I was also sleeping with an Italian’s wife. It felt like disloyalty in multiple ways, and I didn’t want you to think I’d be compromised. Because I wasn’t. I never talked to Danielle about you or work at all.”