Page 36 of Bratva Butcher

We’d been sparring since lights out hours before, and I was exhausted, not that I’d ever admit it. What I couldn’t believe was that Dimitri looked no worse for wear. Meanwhile, I was trying to stop myself from huffing and puffing like I’d just run a fucking marathon.

I was in good shape—trained every day—and yet, I was finding it difficult to keep up with him. The guy had incredible stamina for someone his age, which, based on the information I’d gotten about his twin brother, I knew was fifty-four.

I stretched my legs out flat. “Tell me about Talon.”

Who are you to demand things of me, peasant?

“And what gave you the impression I will tellyouanything?”

I internally scoffed.Close enough.

He said “you” with a layer of derision that spoke volumes about what he thought of me. Like I was nothing better than the dirt beneath his shoes.

“Must be that dazzling personality you have.” I blew out an irritated sigh. “Look, I’m tired, grumpy, haven’t had a shower in God knows how long—”

He grumbled, “Trust me, I know,” under his breath, which I chose to ignore.

“—and I’ve been having a very bad flare up from my endometriosis for the last hour. I’m not in the mood to play any more games. So, I’ll make you a deal. An answer for an answer. You answer my questions, and I’ll answer yours.”

“I have no interest in knowing anything about you.”

God, he was so fucking annoying.

“You owe me.”

“For what?” he barked out, aghast. “For pushing me down the stairs and almost breaking my goddamn neck when you tried to escape? For trying to strangle me to deathseveral times? For—”

“Hey! I only did those thingsafteryou attacked me for no reason.”

“I had just passed out from enduring hours of torture at the hands of my sadistic twin brother when I felt someone standing over me. Excuse me for being a little defensive.”

“That could be used to excuse the first shot.Maybeeven the second one. But that third one? No way in hell, mate.”

He was silent for a moment. “You have an accent.”

Shit.

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do. And you hide it. Why?”

My smile was wide, like a Cheshire cat’s. “Thought you had no interest in knowing anything about me?”

Chapter Fourteen

Dimitri Volkov

Fuck. She had me there.

In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t give a rat’s fucking ass, but I prided myself on being an excellent judge of character. On being a person with the skills to deduce when I’m being lied to. And yet, Autumn had been lying from the very moment I’d met her, and I had no idea.

Her American accent was damn near flawless. It wasn’t until that last sentence that I detected a slight shift in her tone. She wasn’t from the US, and yet, she was pretending to be.

Why?

I’d flat out lied to her when I said I wasn’t interested in knowing anything about her. The truth of it was that I had so many questions that I wouldn’t even know where to begin, and I didn’t like that. I didn’t like that I was somewhat interested in the devil woman I’d sworn to kill.

“I never took you for a coward, Butcher.”

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