Til Death Do Us Part (Kornilov Bratva Duet #2) - Nicole Fox Page 0,76

consequences of my actions? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“See? This is what I’m talking about,” Fedor says with a sigh. “You betrayed your own brother, and you don’t seem to understand it. You don’t realize the depth of the betrayal you’ve wrought, and I’m not sure how else to show you.”

“I’d never betray Molly. That was your mistake.”

“Just your own brother, then? Nice, Vik. Real nice.” His voice is thick with sarcasm. “Truly, I did underestimate your love for Molly. You’re devoted to her, and it is admirable. Though, unfortunately, it won’t help you much now.”

“Where is she?” I snap. “Tell me what you want. I’m sure you have demands.”

“My first demand is that you not rush me,” Fedor yells. He sounds unhinged, and I squeeze my eyes closed, trying to imagine where Molly is. Is she nearby? Can she hear this conversation? Is she still alive?

I push that question to the back of my mind. I’m not ready to consider the alternative.

“I’ve lost too much to you to make my victory quick,” Fedor continues. “I’ll take my sweet time, and if you try to rush me again, I’ll cut off Molly’s fingers one by one.”

The threat turns my stomach. “How do I know you haven’t already?”

“Is there no trust left between us? Do you think I would hurt your wife and not be honest about it?”

“You kidnapped her, so no, I don’t exactly trust you. I want to hear her voice. How do I know you even have her?”

“I’m calling you from her phone and she isn’t home with you. What more proof do you need?”

I believe Fedor has Molly, but I want to know about her physical well-being. If she is okay enough to talk on the phone, that will reassure me marginally.

“Let me talk to her.”

“No.” His answer is immediate and sharp. There will be no budging him. “You will talk to her if and only if I allow it.”

“Fedor.” My voice shakes with emotion. “If you hurt her, so help me—”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Fedor says with a laugh. “And don’t act like you are above hurting people for your own gain. I’m not the only person you’ve betrayed.”

He is changing the subject, but I’m not sure how to get him back to the topic of Molly without rushing him. And right now, I’m confident he would really cut her fingers off.

“What are you talking about?”

“Did you think the diner was a safe place to meet up with George?” The question hangs between us, a question and a statement wrapped up in one.

Fedor knows I met with George and where I met him. I try to think about what that means. About how much he may have heard. How much he knows.

“Did you have a spy there, too?”

“A bug,” he says. “You’ve always liked your routines. You sit at the same stool each time you go in, did you know that? It was a simple job and very rewarding. It’s how I knew you were investigating Petr.”

“Was he working for you?” The question is out of my mouth before I can stop it. I just want to know how many people have betrayed us.

“No, but I did little to correct you. It kept you busy and occupied.”

It certainly did. I’ve been such a fool. I fell into all of his traps. Fedor wanted me to be paranoid. He wanted me to isolate myself and trust no one, and I very nearly gave him exactly what he wanted.

Now, though, it doesn’t matter. He has what he wants: revenge.

“He has been your second-in-command for years, and you turned on him so quickly. It was sad to watch. But do you know what was worse?” Fedor pauses, waiting for me to answer, but I’m suddenly exhausted. I don’t want to play this game anymore. I just want Molly. “Fine. I’ll tell you anyway. It was worse to watch you betray Molly.”

I stand tall at that, eyebrows knit together. “What are you talking about? I never betrayed Molly.”

“Maybe not technically,” Fedor says. “Though, you tried. You asked George to hire some men to scare her.”

“But I didn’t,” I say quickly.

“Only because I beat you to it! I took the idea from you, you know?”

My stomach drops. Molly was so terrified that night I came over. Seeing a strange man in her house, holding her son—she was shaken enough to agree to marry me. When I saw how scared she was, I realized how sick with guilt I would have