Page 61 of Betrayal and Vows

"I think it's someone close enough to know our business,” Vadim says. He sips the vodka like it’s water.

“You,” Mikhail says, pointing at me. “You’re the leak.”

I don’t blink. “No, I’m not.”

He steps close, the stink of alcohol sharp between us.

He’s been enjoying the party just a little too much. I’ve been watching him as well.

Lena doesn’t know the danger she’s in with a drunk Mikhail, which is why I’ve been trying to keep her ass sober.

“The shipment was hit. Only five people knew the route.”

“Then I suggest you question the other four,” I reply. I give them nothing. I know it wasn’t me.

Mikhail doesn’t like that he can’t get a rise out of me.

His fist hits my jaw before I can duck—not because I couldn’t, but because Iwanthim to hit me.

I stagger a half step, wipe the blood from my lip with the back of my hand and raise one eyebrow. It’s a trick I’ve learned.

That one eyebrow can mean so much.

I don’t swing back.

Not yet.

He snarls at me, his glassy eyes revealing just how deep into the drink he really is. “What, no fight?”

“If you want a real fight, we can. When you’re sober. When I kick your ass, I don’t want there to be any excuses.”

Mikhail lunges, but Vadim’s voice cuts through the room like a sword.

“Enough.”

Mikhail freezes.

Vadim steps forward, hands behind his back, eyes unreadable as he looks at each of us. For a second, I feel recognition.

But it can’t be.

There’s no way he knows who I am.

“It wasn’t him,” Vadim says.

Mikhail turns, stunned. “You don’t know that?—”

“Ido.We already found the leak. He’s in the dungeon waiting for Anton to finish this conversation.”

My blood goes cold as the pieces click into place.

A test.

This whole thing was a fucking test.

Vadim orchestrated this entire confrontation to see how I'd react. To see if I'd throw away years of careful positioning for one moment of violence against his son.

To see if I'd break character and show my hand.