Page 56 of Vitaly

What would my father think of that?

Instead of answering, I shrug his arm off and walk away, thinking of the meeting Maksim set. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, I wrote them off. If I ignore him, he’ll get the hint. I want nothing to do with their plans. I’m not interested in playing hero for the Bratva that was so quick to deem me a villain.

But it’s only a meeting. I’m only hearing what he has to say.

What’s the worst that could happen?

15

VITALY

The Catholic church looks familiar.

I let my Jeep idle in the lot for a minute while I stare at the building, trying to place where I know it from. All I can think of is Abram and how much he’d appreciate the impressive glass windows. He’s never actually been inside a church. He wasn’t religious until a few years into the life sentence he was delivered at thirty-one years old. Prison has a funny way of making a man want to believe in something.

I shut off the Jeep and climb out before walking around the back of the church to the park Maksim told me about. In the dark, it reminds me of the eerie calm of a cemetery, with no lights to illuminate the grounds and palm trees planted to block out the neighboring buildings. It’s a little safe haven in an otherwise busy city.

I head for the one building that must be a bathroom and spot a person sitting on a bench as I approach. The closer I get, the less the person resembles Maksim.

My steps slow as hairs rise on the back of my neck.

Is this a set up?

“Vitaly?” a feminine voice calls in the dark. I vaguely recognize the smooth cadence but can’t put a name to its owneruntil I creep forward, my eyes squinted, trying to make out the woman.

“Alex?”

The long-haired blonde I went to school with years ago hops off a picnic table and strides my way.Quickly.Excitedly. I back up a step and search her hands like she’s coming to attack me, and in a way, she does.

She crashes into me, smashing her hardened lips to mine in what can only be dubbed a passionless, awkward kiss. My whole body tenses. I want to throw her off, but I have no idea what this is.

She wraps her arms around my neck and puts her mouth to my ear. “You’ve been followed.”

She takes my hand and leads me to the bathroom with the urgency of distant lovers being reunited at last. For anyone watching, maybe it looks believable. For anyone who knows Alexa Volcov, not so much. The girl is a nun.

Orwas, at least. Maybe things have changed.

When Alex flips on the light, she reveals an older version of the girl I knew. A richer version.

I eye the giant diamonds in her ears before taking in her designer pantsuit. Her lips are shiny, and her makeup looks professionally applied, which is strange on her. I can’t remember seeing her like this.

“Did you get all dressed up forme, Volcov?”

Her eyes narrow like she’s offended, but then they relax. A grin plays on her lips. “Good to see you too, Petrov.”

I look around the dirty bathroom. “So… You wanna tell me what we’re doing here? I thought I was meeting Maksim.”

“It was too dangerous for him to come. He knew you’d be followed, and it was too risky to send a man from my organization, so…” She raises her hands. “I volunteered.”

“Fromyourorganization?” I raise a brow. “Did you start yourself a gang?”

Her mouth stays open for a moment. “Oh, you don’t know.” Her eyes dip as she clears her throat. “I, uh… I married Settimo Gruco.”

Settimo Gruco.

“The don’s son?”

She lets out a nervous chuckle. “Actually, he, uh, isn’t thesonanymore. His father died a while ago.”

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