Page 49 of Merciless Queen

Ursin or not, I still have three more Volkovs to go through. And two years of planning, plotting, and stalking Vanessa is about to pay off.

I twirl the gun until the barrel is beneath Vanessa’s chin, using it to angle her face upwards. Hatred pours off her in thick, enthralling waves. Her body tenses, her teeth jamming together. She’s nearly vibrating with emotion, and I do feel sorry for her. She’s dragged into a war she didn’t entice, but that’s essentially what her father did to me.

“Capo, huh?”

It was the perfect set up, if I do say so myself. Even if some in the Cosa Nostra thought it was too risky. ButIvowed retribution to Ursin’s line so sending a soldier or hiring someone to do the job didn’t feel right. Going undercover as the supposed hired gun saved my ass when I was caught.

I scan the room and count the dead bodies, separating her side from mine, pleased there’s more death on hers. Attacking like this wasn’t the original plan but when I failed to kill her in her room, and ended up in her forest, the call I made put all this into motion. It was only a matter of time before I’d be found, and then walked straight back into the hornet’s nest where we launch an attack. It worked better than I imagined, this, dropping the fact of my real position on her and watching it all come crashing down.

“Zeno Mancini,” I formally introduce myself, dipping into a partial mock bow. “It’s been a pleasure, Miss Volkov.”

I can only imagine the thoughts flowing through her lovely head. The regrets. I’d have them if I were her. To find out shehad a capo in her mix and couldn’t capitalize on leveraging him is a hard blow for any ego.

I tap the gun’s barrel, reminding her of her place. “Wasn’t so long ago I was in your position.”

Despite everything, her cheeks flushing a light red has me biting on my tongue to prevent from visibly reacting. There’s something strangely erotic, to not only have the power dynamic shift so quickly but to witness her reaction to it. There’s something innocent in her blush; something different from the woman Vanessa portrays herself to be. Something much different than I’d been watching for these recent years.

“A mistake I’ll regret for the rest of my life,” she promises, her expression flattening once more and breaking the spell. “And yours, when you’re six feet under after I finish with you.”

My soldier behind her nudges her head with his rifle, but I wave him down. She’s no longer a threat, positioned how she is. Without a weapon and her people under threat, she won’t attack.

“You seem to misunderstand the definition of captive. You’re not exactly in fighting order.”

She jerks her face away, rearing back until free from my gun. “You’re an asshole. A liar.Chertovski glupyy ital'yanskiy podonok.” Her tone implies those are words I wouldn’t want to learn Russian to translate. “This is some revenge ploy against my father,” she adds, genuinely surprising me.

I scan the row of Bratva captives, noting one person specifically missing from the line-up. The only person who’d know why I’ve come, and the only one who could warn her. He’s playing both sides, which is fine for now, because it’s only a matter of time before that game also ends. He thinks he has a leg up on me, but I’ve been allowing that for my own benefit.

“Sì,”I agree, looking back down at her.

“My father is dead, so whatever you want with me is pointless. I had no part in whatever he did.”

I agree, which is more and more reason to consider plan B.Or is it C at this point?

“Whatever he did,” I repeat in a low contemplative murmur.He took everything from me. Mia madre. Mio padre.“It saddens me you truly have no idea.”

Her eyes flash in the streak of sunlight from the blown-out door behind me. “If your attack came three minutes later then we’d be having a different conversation.”

I scan the room again, seeking the man who’d be behind this, looking now at the deceased bodies on the ground but not finding him. That’s too bad. If only a stray bullet happened to accidentally bury inside him, then this nightmare would be even nearer its end.

“I suppose it’s partly from your father locking you in a tower your entire life, right? You wereuna principessa, only let out when it was convenient for him, so of course you wouldn’t know about your family’s dark past.”

Her anger falters a fraction. So subtle, it’s almost easy to miss entirely, but she falls back slightly, sitting more on her heels than being upright on her knees.

“So tell me and I can fix it.”

“Maybe,” I reply simply. “Or maybe, I won’t.”

She glances at Elio, the man by my shoulder, who for all Vanessa needs to know, is my Captain. But really, he’s much more. Being Padre’s second-in-command, he was a large part of my childhood and later, training. After Padre’s murder, the Commission promoted him interim until I was supposed to take over at eighteen. Eighteen, but he did so until I was twenty-one, by neither of our choices. During those seven years, he became like another father to me, and one of the few who was on the inside of my family situation. He was also one of the few who supported me on my quest, though the Commission tied both our hands, even preventing me from taking over at eighteen,stating they didn’t have faith in my abilities. The extra three years were spent proving myself to them, and once I finally did, Elio self-demoted himself to being my Captain. But he’s more than a mere soldier. He owns my undying respect.

I suppose, I relate to Vanessa in one way. Having to prove yourself to an entire organization all for the crown of leadership is no small feat.

I hate we have that in common.

To Elio, she says, “Your leader is very communicative. However do you manage under his command?” Then she shifts her attention back my way. “You’ve won, Zeno. Is that what you want to hear? You tricked me two nights ago. You managed to get your army across my border and into my land without raising the alarm. I’m sorry for whatever my father did to you, but you’ve clearly already made up your mind about my fate, so there’s no point in me saying more. If you’re hoping for me to beg for my life, give up now because it’ll never happen.”

That’s not a plea for her life or for the others in the room, but she’s also not conceding. More like accepting. Except, I don’t believe for one second that if faced with actual death, she won’t put up one last fight. Hell, I’dwanther to. To see the woman I met the other night come alive.

“Your fight is with my father. And me, for his crimes. For carrying on his name. Not them.” She indicates to her soldiers with a tip of her head. “I’m sure, once I’m dead, you’ll wipe everyone out and leave here a victor, knowing you’ve destroyed a part of the Bratva’s leadership, but focus on that statement, Zeno.” Her eyes narrow. “Apartof the Bratva. Once I’m gone, another will rise. And another after that…and another after that. We will not fall. We will not die. So if you wish to save yourself a larger battle than necessary, you will leave them be after I’m gone.”

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