Page 124 of Merciless Queen

“Besides, wasn’t it you who wanted to continue battling with them? What happened to that Dimitri?”

Dimitri follows me as I retake my seat behind my desk, needing to return to work if only to distract myself. It’s easier to compartmentalize my emotions and tasks until needing to face them again. The Zeno issue is an ongoing concern that, until my lawyers find me a way out, is a matter for another day.

“Until I saw how useful they could be, and how impossible this is for you.” He turns, dropping into one of the chairs across from me. “And how you’ve been different since returning from Rome.”

God, he sounds like Anastasia.

“I’m not.”

I flip open my laptop and click on the first email, one I tried to read before my lawyers called. It’s from a distributor who invented a new psychedelic drug and is offering us to be the first to sell it on the streets.

“And how,” Dimitri continues, ignoring my point, “every time someone mentions him, you shut down.”

“I don’t.”

I clickreplyto the email.

“You do. How you continue to hide from your emotions.”

I don’t.“What’s the update on your father?”

He sighs. “You’re making my point. You’ve barely said anything in the past two days.”

Two days since I erased Boris from this planet. Two days since returning home, dressed in blood like I was the main actress in the movieCarrie. No one asked how it went, or anything stupid like that. They knew. They understood. They let it go.

I’ll never forget what he did to me, but like Zeno said, I should now focus on the future. And my future is ending this pointless union.

“Been busy,” I bite out while typing my response to the distributor.

“Don’t hide from your feelings.”

“I’m not. I felt that day more than any other time. Emptiness. Victory. Viciousness. Pick one. I blanked out for most of it, to be honest. Thezasranetsis gone and that’s all there is to it. Besides, I did talk about it. To Zeno.”

“To Zeno.” Dimitri leans closer. “You called the man you don’t wish to stay married to for emotional support after murdering your rapist. Vanessa, make me understand.”

With a huff, I drag my attention away from the computer. “There’s nothing to understand. He did me a solid by finding Agapov, so talking to him was the least I could do. He gave me some advice, that’s all. I moved on. So will he. You should too. Start by telling me about your search.”

He’s silent for a moment, which gives me time to finish typing my email. When he talks, it’s with resignation. “He’s disappeared. None of your father’s old associates have heard from him. None of our connections could find him. I have the Moscow borders watched, but until he attempts to escape, that’s useless.”

I look up again, catching the fierce determination etched into his expression. He’s been so driven to find his papa, not onlyfor his own revenge, but so he can return to Katya. In the past month since Zeno’s attack, he’s only slipped away once, and only for a day, minus the travel.

“Hm.” I rock back in my chair, staring at my cousin while considering the issue with his father when a possible answer hits. One I hate I never thought about before. “What if he’s not in Russia?”

Dimitri blinks. “What?”

“Think about it. Papa made deals with the Vitales to get a leg up on the Mancinis. The same capo was hiding Boris. Ivan would obviously know about him too, so what if he reached out? Seems Vitale has this weird interest in working with Bratva members. He might have escaped before you stationed people at the border.”

“Shit.” Dimitri leans back, his eyes flicking to the corner of the room. “It makes sense. We’ll need to get through to Vitale. I’m getting the sense he won’t play nice.”

“Or he will. He seems like someone who’ll always take the higher price, which means whatever Ivan offered him, we offer more.”

“Would Zeno help facilitate this?”

Fuck that.“He’s done enough. I can take it from here.” I jot a quick note on the pad permanently affixed to my desk’s surface. “I’ll see if I can find a way to him.”

Dimitri stands, lifting his palms in a conceding action. “Fair enough. I’ll leave you be.” He makes it to the door before stopping and glancing over his shoulder. “You’re lucky you’ll never love your husband.”

“Why’s that?”

---