Page 31 of Vitaly

Vitaly nods. “Absolutely. Whatever responsibility you’ll give me, I’ll be grateful for, Pakhan.”

“Please, we’refamily. Call me Nikita.” I can hear the smile in Nikita’s voice. “I know you learned your lesson from your last little … mess up. I trust when more opportunity opens up, you’ll be able to handle it.”

Vitaly’s relaxed composure hardens at the mention of his ‘mess up,’ but he doesn’t comment on it.

“Thank you …Nikita.” His lips form a smile, but I can tell it’s forced.

Nikita stands in an obvious signal that their conversation is over, and Vitaly stands next. “I’ll let you get back to the men.We’ll arrange a dinner tomorrow evening for you to meet the rest. I know you’re soeagerto acquaint yourself.”

Vitaly nods. “That sounds nice.”

“While you’re here, you’ll stay in the house. You can have your old room—you’ll just have to throw out Mila’s shit.”

Vitaly looks at me, his mouth opening before he goes back to Nikita. “Oh, that isn’t necessary. I’m sure there’s a free room somewhere around here for me to crash?”

Nikita huffs. “She’s a whore, Vitaly.”

He just stares at Nikita for a few moments, as if there’s more that needs to be said. Eventually, he nods, tossing me a brief glance before heading for the exit.

The moment he’s gone, Nikita falls into his chair, stretching out his legs and bringing his glass to his lips.

Whore.

I’m awhore.

Yesterday, I might’ve said something. Now I’m just grateful to be alive.

Still… It stings.

“He’s full of shit, don’t you think?” Nikita asks.

I keep my eyes on the rug. “Yes, Pakhan.”

“Fuckingsnake,” he spews, like Vitaly left a foul taste in his mouth. “Everything he did was carefully planned. He knew you’d lure me away. And those useless guards…” Nikita’s low growl is followed by glass shattering at the wall opposite us. I flinch but don’t make a sound.

Nikita pants, not from exertion but anger. “Butyou…”

I grit my teeth together and hold my breath, bracing for his wrath.

“Come here.”

My pulse jumps, but I do as I’m told and crawl between his thighs, looking up at him when he gently takes my chin andlifts. He runs his knuckles over my bruised, tender jaw, my eyes closing at the touch.

“He took you for information, didn’t he?”

“I don’t know, Pakhan,” I respond immediately. “When I woke up and saw who he was, I attacked. He fended me off, and I ran. I didn’t?—”

“Relax, ????. I believe you,” he coos, caressing my cheek. “If you had given him what he was after, he wouldn’t have needed that other bitch.”

That other bitch.

Felicity.

He continues to stroke my cheek while I lean into the touch, a small trickle of shame slipping into my full lungs. Small. Not a burst, a trickle. In this life, we do what we have to to survive, and we worry about one person and only one person. Felicity did not deserve to die, but if her mistake puts my actions into a more pleasant light… I can’t deny my relief.

Felicity was weak. Weakness is not tolerated.

“I was too hard on you, ????,” Nikita murmurs, pushing my hair back before combing it with his fingers. It feels heavenly. Like little strands of safety drifting on top of me. “Will you forgive me?”

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