Page 36 of Corrupted Guilt

“The Kolesova Bratva was his birthright,” I continued. “I’m sure it was difficult for him to confront its decline.”

Her face softened. “You’re confronting it, though, aren’t you? You’ve changed your entire life for it.”

I shrugged casually. “It’s not as though I had something better to do.”

“It’s not easy for you, though.” A faintly apologetic smile whisked across her lips. “I don’t always remember that.” She looks down, then back up at me, smoothing out her suit and hair. Back to ready for war, this time with me.

“I talked to Viktor today, told him about my test – didn’t tell him anything about your plans. He wished me luck. It might be the best thing for him to retire. Retire.” She repeated slowly, making sure I got her meaning. “Retire somewhere nice, with no worries or stress. That’s what I want to buy with my continued silence and … whatever else you want from me.”

“You’re in no position to negotiate, but I’ll consider it.”

With a wan smile she jumps off my desk and leaves, with hardly a glance behind her at me. She got what she wanted, now onto business, onto her test.

Considering everything I’ve put her through, she’s amazingly well put together. How the hell isn’t she crying in the corner somewhere, hugging her knees to her chest? She’s so much more than I ever suspected.

A few minutes after Katya and Tasha leave the apartment, Anton and Maxim walk into my office while I’m tucking my shirt in and buckling my belt back up.

They eye me, both with shit-eating grins on their faces. Anton says nothing, he helps me on with my suit jacket and smooths my shoulders and gives me an attaboy pat on the back. That’s all I’ll get from Anton; he knows better than to talk. Maxim, on the other hand, does not know when to shut up. Ever.

“Nice job boss,” he says, casually looking at his watch. “A little quick, though.”

“She had a test to get to and I’m a busy man,” I tell him, hoping that’s the end of it.

Anton speaks before maxim can try to ruffle me again, “So that’s why you’re against using her as bait for Petya? Her formidable skills in the office here?”

“No, like I said before. Petya is nobody. He’s not the problem. In any case, Tasha has gone through the financials, they’ll hopefully shed some light on Viktor’s doings these last few years. Enough rope to hang himself, we just send him off with a retirement package. I haven’t decided yet, a lot depends on what Tasha uncovered and whether we can crack this hard drive. Petya is not a concern.”

“Whose hard drive?” Anton asks.

“Petya’s, so Tasha tells me.”

“Impressive.”

“More impressive than anything you two have brought me in a long time.”

No smug answers to that. My phone rings before I can tell them to go, an unlisted number. I pick it up, warily. Nobody has my number.

I don’t recognize the untraceable number.

“Is this Yuri?”

“Who’s this?”

“Petya. I told you I’d be back.”

“You’re here?” If that was true, this guy was dumber than he looked. “Let me put you on speaker,” I motioned to Max and Anton and put my fists together and made the sign for ‘break’, meaning if he’s close, we kill him. If he gives himself to us like that, why not. We're not wasting resources finding him, but if he gifts wraps himself and delivers himself to us then we will take him out.

Anton looks happy.

“In the neighborhood. But I won’t be staying, just going to grab that Kolesova cunt. I guess you could find me if you want her back, but I won’t leave much for you. See you soon, Yuri.”

The line goes dead as soon as he finishes.

“You two with me, right now. Get your teams together, he’s going after Katya, and we need to get there first and finish this for good.”

14. Katya

“Katya?”

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