Page 32 of The Bratva Queens' Kings

He looks at me, "I... I don't know," Grigori, the man who's always one step ahead, who's seen things coming before they even form on the horizon, is in the dark. And that scares me more than I'd like to admit.

"If this is true, I'll kill him myself," I declare, my voice a low growl of barely contained rage and hurt. The idea of Roman, of all people, betraying me like this is a betrayal of everything we've been through, everything we've fought for. It's a knife to the back, a poison in my veins.

"Lana, let's not jump to conclusions. We'll investigate this, thoroughly. And if it turns out to be true..." He doesn't finish, but he doesn't need to.

I'm not known for my mercy.

Chapter 16

Grigori

The drive back is a silent hell. Lana's in the backseat, curled up like she's holding the world's weight. She's a shadow, a whisper of herself. Never seen her break down, not even when her mom passed. And now, here she is, drowning in tears she doesn't want me to see. I respect that, keep my eyes on the road, but damn, it's hard not to look back.

Our car, a black Audi A8, cuts through the night. The engine's hum is the only thing filling the silence. Lana's soft sobs, they're there if you listen close. But I don't. Can't. It's like watching a storm tear through a city you love.

I fish my phone out, hit Luca's number on speed dial. The line crackles to life.

"Luca, talk to me. Anything off with the accounts?"

There is a pause. Then Luca's voice, wary. "Yeah, Grigori. There's a transaction. A big one. Didn't look right, so I flagged it. Went out to Perez."

My grip on the steering wheel tightens. "Perez, huh?" My stomach twists. The bastard's making his move, and Roman's right in the thick of it.

"Yeah. Sorry, man. Looks like..."

I cut him off. "No, it's good you caught it. Keep an eye out. I need to know everything that moves."

I end the call, a lump in my throat. How do I tell Lana? She's barely holding together as it is. But she's got to know. Lana's the head, the queen on this chessboard, pregnant and caught in a web of lies and betrayal.

I take a deep breath, turn slightly to address her without making eye contact. "Lana, there's something about the accounts. A transaction to Perez. It's... It's not good."

Silence. Then I hear her sit up, the sound of someone bracing for impact. "What are you saying, Grigori?"

"It's Roman. He might be... He might actually be involved with Perez. Luca found a transaction."

The moment I break the news to Lana, the atmosphere in the car shifts. It's palpable, the change. She straightens up, the queen preparing for war. "If Roman betrayed me, he will suffer. No matter what." Her voice is steel, her resolve concrete. She wipes away her tears, erasing the vulnerability she showed moments before. It's like watching someone armor up, piece by piece.

I try to ease the tension, to inject a bit of reason into the mix. "Lana, we don't know everything yet. Let's not jump to—"

She cuts me off with silence. A silence that says more than a thousand words ever could. It's clear she's not open to discussion. Her mind's made up. If Roman's against us, he's against her. And Lana doesn't take kindly to betrayal.

We reach the house, the night eerily quiet around us. No words are exchanged as we all get out of the car. Lana, a figure of determined silence, rushes ahead. I follow, my thoughts a tangled mess.

Roman, looking like he's just stepped into a minefield, follows us with a confusion that's almost convincing. Almost. His eyes dart between us, searching for answers in our stony faces. But we offer nothing. Not yet.

I've known Roman all my life. Grew up together, fought side by side, shared secrets in the dark. This man, accused of betrayal, doesn't match up with the Roman I know. Would he really sell us out? For money? The thought tastes bitter in my mind, a betrayal in itself.

As I watch him, trying to piece together the puzzle that's become of our lives, I'm torn. Doubt creeps in, shadowing my thoughts. Roman, with his confused glances and silent questions, doesn't look like the traitor Lana's painted him to be. But then, what do I know? What does anyone ever really know about another person?

We enter the house, a silent procession. The tension hangs heavy, a cloak that smothers any attempt at normalcy. Lana leads, her resolve as hard as diamond. Roman follows, confusion etched deep into his features, a man walking into his own judgment without a clue as to why.

And me? I'm caught in the middle, doubting, wondering, fearing. Roman, the brother from another mother, now potentially our biggest enemy. It's a thought that churns my stomach, a scenario I never envisioned in our wildest escapades.

This isn't the Roman I know. But then again, people change. Or perhaps, they simply reveal who they've always been.

As soon as the front door closes behind us, Lana whirls on Roman, the storm in her eyes about to make landfall. "How could you, Roman? After everything, how could you betray us?"

Roman's face is a mix of anger and disbelief. "Betray you? Lana, I haven't done anything!"

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