Dirty Passions An Interracial Russian Mafia Romance (The Lion and The Mouse #5) - Kenya Wright Page 0,118

stuck. He went mad.”

Rolan stared off as if he was looking at the past play out in front of him.

I remembered that time.

Uncle Igor had shifted to madness after that. He buried Aunt Fanya inside of the castle, built a stage around her tomb, put a throne on top of where her body rested, and there he sat.

He was no longer the same. He never left Prague, never ventured away from his castle much or that odd throne as if to leave, would be to leave her forever.

Emily turned to me. “Maybe Rolan is right. The mark is new.”

I gripped the desk. “But, who would’ve had possession of this picture? And why would someone put that mark on it?”

Rolan flipped it back over to the image. “You said someone was killed because they had it?”

Emily spoke, “One of my men was murdered. He found it somehow. Someone realized it, and then killed him. But all of this is guesses. I don’t know the true story.”

“Not many know the true story about Fela. Most of the people who do are dead. And think of the ones that are alive,” Rolan said. “Timur, Fela, and me. That’s it.”

“You think Fela may have had this picture?” I asked.

“It would be strange, but yet Fela was the sort to use pain as a motivator for success. He would have had access to the picture. He sat as a dog in that office. After he killed Adrik, the whole house was burned down. I could see him taking the picture and keeping it as a constant reminder to never trust the brotherhood.”

“That makes sense.” Emily nodded. “X always said that great men and women are born due to moments of pain.”

I let go of my glass and placed my hands on the desk. “Let’s say Fela had the picture. Who would have taken it from him?”

“No one would have taken it from Fela.” Rolan sipped his vodka. “If he had it, then he was the one to put the photo back in our hands. . .or had someone do it.”

“I don’t know.” Emily tapped the desk again. “Why?”

“I don’t know. But let’s go back to your man getting killed.” Rolan pushed the photo in my direction. “Regardless of how it got to the killer, who else wouldn’t want someone to know about this picture? Who would be the most disgusted and embarrassed? Who would be the most scared?”

I gritted my teeth. “Zahkar. There’s no one else. I’ve suspected as much, but wanted to talk to you first.”

“You simply didn’t want to think of him just yet.” Rolan gave me a sad smile. “Are you tired of friends stabbing you in the back, yet?”

“I am.”

“I was there long ago when Igor tattooed those stars on your shoulders. Do you remember what he told you about this position?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “He said I should always wear armor because someone will always stab me in my back.”

Rolan put his hand on his chest. “And they’ll stab you deep within your heart. Money and power. It does things to humans. It makes us wrong when we should be right.”

Emily shook her head. “Well, I’m not going to deal with anymore backstabbers while I’m around. They can’t get to him without coming for me. This ends now.”

“Don’t shoot me. I come in peace.” Rolan raised both hands in the air. “However. . .this is why the monkeys and gorillas have appeared.”

Emily’s bottom lip quivered.

“Someone is coming for the position yet again. They see a great moment to be the head of the brotherhood.” Rolan lowered his hands. “But when the lion met the mouse, the lion became stronger. More protected. So, the mouse needs to disappear. Be gone, frightened, or even killed. If not, then Kazimir will have no weak spots anymore and his position will be solidified.”

And here I thought that Emily had been my weakness—a target for my enemies. I’d based it off of Uncle Igor’s tragedy with his wife. But with life came illusions and misspoken facts. Uncle Igor had lied to us all. He’d walked a dark path searching for spirituality within a secret, powerful cult. They killed Aunt Fanya. Too embarrassed for what he’d done, he blamed her death on his enemies.

No wonder he sat on that throne with her body under it, surrounding himself around fools. Needing to think that it had all been worth it somehow. Or was he trying to show the Knights of Babylon that he in fact, was worthy? Maybe