Page 14

“You were… busy, Nikolai.”

I grit my teeth, the phone in my hand. He’s right, of course. I was busy wasting away in my hangovers, seething about what I did, who I proved I was and wasn’t, then it was the nighttime… to drink, to dance, to forget.

I search through my contacts and dial his number. It rings a few times before Dmitry Sokolov answers. His voice is deep and flat, with no emotion. “Mr. Volkov,” he says.

“Mr. Sokolov,” I reply. “How’s the climate in the glades?”

“Good for relaxing,” he says.

“You’re lounging around having the time of your life when the Bratva needs you in the city.” My tone sharpens. Anton flashes me a warning look. “We need you at the club. For security. We need men we can trust. The Sokolov brothers shouldn’t be sitting around playing Tic-Tac-Toe.”

A long pause. “Are you having trouble, Nikolai?”

“Perhaps the prelude to trouble, Dmitry,” I reply. “Rafael Cordero. You might have met him.”

“I’m familiar,” he says tightly. There’s almost a flicker of… something in his voice.

“Did he chase you out?” I taunt, my tone filled with disgust. Anton gives me another warning look, but I don’t have it in me to pay attention to him.

“Careful,” Dmitry says coldly.

“Careful?” I snarl. “I am Nikolai Volko⁠—”

“You are a prince alone on an island,” he cuts in. “We know what happened in DC. You betrayed your brother.”

“I saved two innocent lives,” I growl, slamming my fist on the table. “Two people who didn’t deserve any of what they got.”

“And killed one more, I hear. A young man who stole for you and was caught by your enemy’s friends later. You didn’t murder him. But he would be breathing if it were not for you.”

I swallow, hot and itchy with rage. I want to break the table in half. But I can’t deny what he said. God help me.

“We may need you,” I say, trying to breathe slowly. “There will be money in it.”

“I can’t help you,” Dmitry says. “And you don’t have the metal to make us.”

He hangs up without another word. I massage the bridge of my nose. Anton is still looking at me. I can feel his gaze. I don’t look at him for a time, breathing slowly, regaining my composure.

Finally, I look up.

“If something’s too hot, we won’t use it,” I say. That will have to do for now. “Send Serena up please. And get the list of Rafael’s hosts from Celeste.”

“Are you going to tell them who he is?” Anton asks, shocked.

“No, but I need to make them understand enough.”

I stand at the glass, watching as Anton goes searching for Serena. As I wait, I take out the burner and text Iris.

X: I’m sending this to all our contacts. I want you to make sure to always be careful when doing your work. Always put your own safety first, okay?

She replies.

Iris: Thank you. Has something prompted this?

X: I’m taking a leaf out of your book, Iris. Trying to protect.

Iris: But this is risky work. We’ve signed up to that. We get it.

X: Just be safe.