Til Death Do Us Part (Kornilov Bratva Duet #2) - Nicole Fox Page 0,66
of us never had children. It just wasn’t in the cards for us, but she has always been a mother at heart. She cares for people, and I can see that she cares about Molly. She wants to protect her.”
“I want that, too.” More than anyone could possibly know. Molly has been through so much, and she deserves a happy life. I’m just not sure if I’m the kind of person who can give her that.
“I know. Which is why I know you’ll do whatever you can to end this war, and that works to my benefit, too.”
“How so?”
“Your brother is growing powerful and reckless. He struck one of my laundromats early this morning.”
I frown. “I hadn’t heard about that.”
“You’ve been busy,” he says, tipping his head back towards the building. “But this war is growing larger than just the two of you. Fedor and his men are wild … savage. They are fanatics following a loose cannon. They’ll do whatever he asks of them regardless of the body count. So, I want Fedor taken care of, too, and aligning with you is the best way to ensure that happens.”
“Great. Then we are on the same page.”
“Are we?” Seamus asks, turning to me.
I frown. “Of course, we are.”
“I hope so,” he admits. “Because once your brother is gone, his men will be neutralized. Once the figurehead is gone, there will be a power vacuum and his followers will fall into in-fighting. They aren’t organized enough to have a Plan B set in place. At that point, they’ll be easy to pick off, but we have to get to that point first.”
I nod. “I agree.”
“Are you prepared to kill your own brother?”
My brother. The man who raped my wife. The man who broke into my properties multiple times to try and kidnap the boy I view as my own son. Of course I want him dead.
But killing him myself?
I’ve been talking about taking care of Fedor for weeks, but I’ve avoided the thought of actually killing my brother. Mostly because when I picture it, I see Fedor at five years old. Or eight. I see him with gangly limbs and acne. I see him young and excited and innocent. Or, as innocent as Fedor ever was. I see the sadness in his eyes when he confessed to me that he was the reason our parents died in a fire.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t picture myself killing him now.
“Of course I am,” I say sharply.
Seamus nods and pats my shoulder. “I sure hope so. Because it has to be you, Viktor. It can’t be anyone else.”
I know he is right, but I wish he wasn’t.
19
Molly
Viktor still isn’t home when there is a knock at the front door. It has been a long time since I’ve opened my own front door, but I still stand up and am halfway across the living room when I hear the guard open it.
Old habits die hard.
“I’m here for Molly.” I recognize Niamh’s voice, and even if I didn’t, I would recognize the authority in it. She is a woman comfortable with wielding power over others, even large, muscled men whose job it is to keep her from coming inside.
“Niamh.” I step into the hallway, and the guard moves out of sight once he realizes I recognize the woman. “Where’s Seamus?”
I wasn’t expecting to host them on my own, but I feel more comfortable around Niamh and Seamus than most people. With them, I don’t feel like I’m pretending.
“Did Viktor not tell you?” she says with a frown. Then, she waves it away as though it isn’t important. “The two of them are off on business. Seamus told me it would be a little bit still, so I figured there was no reason the two of us couldn’t talk before they arrive. I’d like some alone time with my designer, anyway.”
“Of course.” I usher her inside and lead her to the sitting room. I want to ask what the two men are doing, but I don’t want to sound like I don’t trust Viktor. Or worse, like he doesn’t trust me. He promised me he would tell me things that had to do with my safety, so if he didn’t tell me, it must mean that it has nothing to do with me.
Though, that doesn’t feel right, either.
Anything that has Viktor away from home is my business. Anything that could put him in harm’s way concerns me.