Page 35 of Arranged Mafia Marriage

He presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “Yes.”

A few days later,I wrap my arms around myself as I enter the penthouse’s conference room. Unlike the last meeting, which started with curiosity at my presence before everyone settled down to business, the tension in the air is thick tonight, probably because no one knows why Kiril called this meeting. Not even me.

He stands at the head of the table, his expression grim. The other captains file in silently, taking their seats without a word.

Anya catches my eye as she enters, giving me a small nod. It doesn’t seem to be condescending or fake to please Kiril. I nod in return as I take my seat next to Kiril, noting the empty chair across from me, where Alexei usually sits.

Kiril clears his throat. “We have a serious matter to discuss. There’s a traitor among us.”

The room erupts in murmurs. I glance around, noting the shock and disbelief on most faces. Only Misha, sitting at the far end with his laptop open, seems unsurprised.

“How can you be sure?” asks one of the captains.

Kiril’s eyes narrow. “We have evidence. Misha?”

Misha nods, tapping at his keyboard. “I’ve been monitoring our communications for the past few weeks. There’s been an unauthorized data transfer from within our network.”

As if on cue, the door opens, and Alexei strolls in. “Sorry I’m late. Traffic was a nightmare.” He takes his seat and nods at me respectfully. Viktor is beside him and gives his brother anenigmatic look, but Alexei doesn’t seem bothered by it. “No one told me the topic of the meeting, so what’s going on?”

“A traitor,” Viktor says solemnly.

Alexei shakes his head. “Surely not.”

Kiril continues as if Alexei hadn’t interrupted. “The leak has been traced to a specific device. We’re about to find out who the traitor is.”

Misha’s fingers move over his keyboard. A tense silence falls over the room as we wait. Suddenly, a phone chirps. All eyes turn to Alexei as he pulls out his device.

“Interesting timing,” says Kiril, his voice cold. “Mind sharing what that message says, Alexei?”

Alexei pales. “It’s nothing. Just a personal matter.”

“I don’t think so.” Kiril nods to Misha, who taps a final key.

A projection appears on the wall, showing a stream of data. I gasp when I recognize some of the information. Details of our recent operations, shipment schedules, notes about our plan to call the DEA on Damiano’s new drug deal, and even personal information about Kiril and me.

“Care to explain this, Alexei?” Kiril asks.

Alexei jumps to his feet, his chair clattering to the floor. “This is a mistake. I’ve been loyal to you for years, Kiril. I’m being set up.”

“You’ve been with us for years at Viktor’s recommendation.”

“To my eternal regret,” says the other man, which makes Alexei flinch.

“For the last two years, at least, your loyalty has faltered,” Kiril corrects. “That’s how long you’ve been selling us out to Damiano.”

The room erupts in chaos. Captains shout accusations, some even reaching for their weapons. I sit frozen, unable to look away from Alexei’s face as it twists from fear to anger.

“You don’t understand,” he says, sweating profusely. “Damiano offered me real power. Not just scraps from your table.”

Kiril remains eerily calm. “And now you’ll have nothing.”

He turns to Viktor, Alexei’s brother, who stands silently by the door. “Viktor, would you like to do the honors?”

Viktor’s face is a mask of stone as he draws his weapon. “It would be my privilege.”

I can’t breathe. This is really happening. They’re going to kill him, right here, right now. His own brother is going to pull the trigger.

Alexei lunges for the door, but Viktor is faster. He tackles his brother to the ground, pressing the gun to his temple.

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