Page 47 of Devil's Bride

But the old man doesn’t need to know that.

“I know your secret, Volkov. I know you’re lying to the whole world, even to your daughter. You have this fucking ‘righteous’ facade put up. What’s that popular tag now? Eh, anti-mafia?” I step forward, hands in my pockets. “The rest of the world can choose to be fucking blind, but not me. I have you all figured out. If only they knew, right? If only your daughter knew that you’re such a fucking joke.”

Realization settles in his eyes and his nose flares. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

My lips curl. I have him right where I want him. “Shitty move, don’t you think? I thought only cowards did that; pretend to not know when their game is up.”

“Only cowards go around in circles and waste time hitting the fucking nail on the fucking head.”

I weave the coin between my fingers and eye him. “You’re working with the Phoenix.”

“I’m not working—”

“The least you can do is have the decency to accept who you are. I didn’t ask you if you are. I said, I know you are. And that’s why I came here to warn you. You see that army behind you? I swear, if you try anything stupid, they won’t be able to save you from me. Nothing will.”

Another step closer. “Not you or your sweet precious Irina.”

He grinds his teeth and I could have sworn the fury in his eyes would have been enough to drive him to tears. If this wasn’t such a grave situation, I might have laughed a bit. The man was such a fucking tease.

Having gotten the reaction I wanted, I turn around and flip the coin in the air.

“You really don’t want to mess with me, Matteo. You should tell that to your fucking boss, too. If you want to keep your daughter alive, you’ll steer clear from my fucking space.”

The drive back to the warehouse is short and has my head filled with unwanted thoughts about everything that went down with Irina’s father. By the time I drop down on the black swivel chair in the office, more rage burns through my veins than I can understand.

Nikolai sits on the chair opposite, legs crossed, and the tip of a knife hanging balancing on his thumb. He questions with a dark brow arched,

“How did it go?”

The truth is, it went well. It might have started off as if Matteo had the upper hand, but I had left with the meeting turned in my favor. Left him standing there like a scared little kid with quivering lips. But it isn’t over. The fucking chase isn’t over. They still have me pinned with that fucking video.

“Fuck!” My fists slam down on the desk and the silver knife falls off Niko’s thumb to the ground with a loud clatter. His laughter bounces off the walls and he bends forward, picking up the knife.

“Don’t tell me it was that bad?”

My fingers sift through my hair. “Quite the fucking opposite, Niko. Matteo’s scared out of his fucking mind and is willing to do anything that won’t have me ripping out his daughter’s throat.”

“So, he’s going to try not to anger you.”

“Yeah.”

He twirls the knife and a careless shrug rolls off his shoulders. “That should make you feel good, shouldn’t it?”

“Yeah, that should make me feel good.”

Nikolai drops the knife. “But?”

“But Matteo’s not the boss, smarty pants.” I rub my face, tilting backwards on the chair. “He’s in a fix; the old man still has someone to report to, and that certain someone is blackmailing me. Don’t you get it, Niko? This war isn’t over until I’ve crushed the fucking Phoenix under my feet.”

A lazy smile settles on his face. “That’s a good plan.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I fucking know it’s a good plan. Shit, it’s the only plan. At the end of all of this, we’re coming out on top.”

“Sure,” his nod is slow , and he rolls his ankle on his knee. “But that’s not happening right now, so it’ll be more productive if you take care of immediate business.”

If there’s one person who can laugh in the middle of a street fight, or take a lick at an ice cream cone while torturing a captive in the basement, it’s Nikolai.

A crease forms on my forehead and I shake my head, concerned. “Dealing with the Phoenix is immediate business, Niko. What other business are you talking about?”

---