Page 228 of The Devil's Fire

“How do I know it wasn’t you who tried to destroy him?”

“I don’t fuck with Italians, and they don’t fuck with us. He poses no threat to my businesses right now, but he might be at some point, and then it’s a different story.” He replied, as if it were the most obvious answer.

“Also, I don’t play dirty. If I want him removed from the face of the earth, I will target him and him only, not someone close to him.” He pointed out, making me squint my eyes at the word ‘someone.’

“Who was it? His father, mother?” I guessed, but he smiled at me and shrugged his shoulders.

“Ask him.” He replied pointedly, and I snorted, doubting Damiano would answer.

“Enough about that. I want to know how you know she called me Lunnyy svet.” His blue eyes looked at me sternly.

I opened my clutch and handed the picture to him. I decided to take it with me in case he didn’t believe me.

Mr. Vasiliev looked at the picture for a long time, not saying anything, and his expression was blank as he stared at it.

“How did you get this?” He asked, still examining the picture. It sounded as if he already knew the answer but needed me to confirm it.

“She’s my mom.” I said softly. I looked at his men, noticing their surprise, except for one.

He looked at me as if he already knew who I was. Reaching inside my clutch again, I pulled out the note and walked up to him.

“Was this from you?” He didn’t look at the note, continuing to study me, confirming that it was from him.

“You look so much like her.”

seventy-six

Althaia

His comment made me smile, and pride filled my chest. He looked around at my face with a slightly soft and pained expression. A lump slowly formed in my throat.

He knew.

Mr. Vasiliev got up and snatched the note out of my hand, his eyes scanning over the words before he looked at the man in front of me with an angry look.

“What is this, Nestor?” He glared at Nestor, demanding an answer. I took a couple steps back, but Nestor didn’t seem bothered by Mr. Vasiliev’s angry tone and took a quick glance at me before looking at him.

“She reached out to me.” He said, and I noticed Mr. Vasiliev’s body tensed.

“Why?”

“She said she needed to see you. I sent her a message that she could meet you here.”

“And why didn’t you inform me of this?” He was angry, and I felt a twinge of worry for Nestor now.

“She didn’t want you to know, considering how you left things the last time.” He explained, giving Mr. Vasiliev a knowing look, leaving me confused as I observed their conversation.

“What happened?” I asked. Mr. Vasiliev turned around to face me. He had a stone-cold expression, but his eyes showed anger.

“That damned woman tried to kill me!”

I dropped my jaw in shock.

“Are you talking about my mom?!”

“Who else? She’s the only person crazy enough to pull that kind of shit on me.” He scoffed, and my eyes widened.

“To be fair, you tried to kill her, too. She was just faster.” Nestor pointed out, making Mr. Vasiliev whip his head to him so fast with a frown on his face.

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