My stomach cramped, and my face fell into my hands. I choked back desperate cries.
A storm was brewing. It spoke cruelly to my soul, cutting me viciously. Chaos had been unleased. At this point, nothing could be silenced for the calm had escaped through the little cracked holes.
Come back to me, Viktor.
Please.
Chapter 25
Viktor
A few hours earlier
“Would you look at that? The sun has risen from the west. It is a new fucking era,” Valentin said coldly.
His cigar was between his lips and he chuckled under his breath, staring at the computer screen. “Alessio Ivanshov just walked through the doors of my estate,” he stated the obvious, sparing me a quick glance before his attention went back to the screen. He looked almost crazed, his eyes bloodshot, his hair oily and messy, and the look in his eyes…something akin to sinister. He was high as fuck, but he also looked completely deranged in the moment.
He was so fucking delirious at the thought that Alessio had just fallen into our trap.
Alessio—the King—had just walked into the Devil’s lair. He was about to stare directly into the eyes of Death.
“I didn’t think you had it in you, son. I almost doubted you. Almost. But you kept your words. And now…now you have only one tiny job to finish.”
Giddy at the thought, he clapped his hand together and gave me a Cheshire smile.
Beat. Thump. Beat. Thump.
I clenched my jaw, while staying seated, crossing my left ankle over my right knee. My elbows rested on the armrest, and I waited.
I glared at the empty space in front of me.
I waited…counting the fucking seconds in my head. My heart raced and my chest tightened with an unbearable pain.
The door to Valentin’s office opened. My head swiveled to the right. My brother walked through. Before the door closed behind him, I saw the bodyguards I had sent for him. From when he landed at the airport till here.
But now, their job was done. They had delivered Alessio safely where I needed him.
The door closed. It was only Alessio, Valentin, and me in the room.
Beat. Thump. Beat. Thump.
“Sit, sit,” Valentin said, a little too joyful, a little too high.
“Valentin,” Alessio acknowledged. His face remained impassive.
Alessio stood there, his eyes locked with mine. He was trying to read my mind, to look into my soul and see my truth.
His furrowed eyebrows told me that he was seeing nothing.
Nothing but a fucking blank stare, looking back at him.
Alessio Ivanshov could read me like a book. Not today, though.
His eyes darkened viciously before he looked at Valentin. I saw the understanding flashing in his blue eyes. I saw the way his body tightened at the realization.
When I called Alessio and told him to make a trip to Russia, all I said was—it’s business. I quickly elaborated that there was a way I could make both our exportation and importation profitable. To get our cocaine over the border without having to pay a middle man. He didn’t question me. He had stayed silent over the phone. I heard his breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. I heard the wheels turning in his head. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
I told him we’d have to meet up with Valentin. He knew things we didn’t and he could help settle this before we took him down as planned.
Then, he had sighed and said, Okay. See you then.
Four words and he had hung up the phone.
I thought he’d question me. I thought he’d refuse.
I thought many things, and right now, in this moment, with Valentin on one side of me and Alessio on the other, I almost wished he had questioned me and demanded an explanation. I almost wished he had refused.
Then I wouldn’t have had to make such a difficult choice.
You’d think Alessio Ivanshov was smarter than this…you’d think he wouldn’t willingly walk into the arms of death, but he surprised me. Stupid. Fucking stupid and now…
Tick…Tock…
Alessio took a seat. His head was high, his chin raised, and his shoulders were squared. He looked ready for a battle. Yet…he was completely vulnerable. And he knew that.
He fucking knew it, and he still took that seat.
Get up. Get the fuck up and get out of here.
I wanted to scream at his stupidity, but my chest only rumbled in frustration instead.
Fuck.
FUCK!
Make a choice, Viktor…he said. They both said.
“Viktor told you the details?” Valentin started, like this was an everyday business meeting.
Alessio rubbed his clenched, bearded jaw with his thumb. “No. But I am guessing it’s something life changing if I was brought here to discuss any business issues. I don’t have time to waste. So, I figured we’d get this shit started already. If you need my signature on something, give me the papers.”
“Are you always so…” Valentin raised his hand in the air, making some senseless motion. He was thinking of a word to describe the Pakhan.