Page 3 of Beautiful Agony

Lacey must have gone to Olga after what I did to her on the stairs. After I proved myself to be exactly like Pyotr.

My stomach churns as I recall her words: "You took all my choices away." Just like Pyotr did to my mother. Just like Pyotr did to countless others in this very mansion.

The bitter irony of Lacey seeking help from Olga—just as my mother once did—isn't lost on me. History is repeating itself in the cruelest way possible.

But the very route that once offered salvation has now been used to deliver Lacey into Sayanaa's hands.

The pieces start falling into place, each revelation hitting harder than the last. Olga's unexpected arrival in Paris. Her revealing Sayanaa to Lacey in their first conversation together. Her convenient arrival back here in Pankration.

Olga was the one who told Kirsan where to find my mother.

There's no-one else who could.

I slam my fist against the doorframe, reopening the bite mark on my palm. Blood oozes, but the pain barely registers through the fury coursing through my veins.

And Mom spoke about Olga with such reverence.

"Give Olga Romanovna my best," she said.

That traitorous bitch played us all perfectly. She waited until I was far enough away before making her move. She found all the gaps in our armors, and pried them apart at her leisure.

The rage building inside me feels different from anything I've experienced before. This isn't the cold calculation of a pakhan, or even the hot anger that drove me to kill Nathan Walker. This is something else entirely.

Olga didn't just betray the bratva. She betrayed my mother's trust. She endangered my sister.

And she's handed the woman I love over to a monster.

This is beyond unforgivable. This is beyond revenge.

This iswar.

I pull out my phone as soon as I return to my office, and dial Sayanaa's number, knowing she'll answer. And she does on the first ring.

"Well, Vadyusha?"

"How did you get them both?" My voice comes out deadly calm despite the rage burning through me. I need to hear her confirm my suspicions.

"Mmm, straight to business again?" She giggles. "But I suppose I can tell you, since you askedsonicely. Your stepmother wasveryhelpful. Always thinking about what's best for the bratva."

My grip tightens on the phone. "When I get them back—and I will get them back—I'm going to kill you, your father, and that treacherous bitch Olga."

"Oh yes," Sayanaa's breath hitches. "Tell me more about justhowyou're going to kill me. Are you going to wrap those big strong hands around my throat and squeeze until you've choked the life out of me? Are you going to make mehurtbefore you kill me? Iloveit when you talk like this."

"You're sick."

"It's sohotwhen you make these threats." She moans into the phone. "But know this, Vadyusha. Every threat you make now, I'll repay tenfold when your time runs out." Her voice drops to a whisper. "And who knows? Maybe I won't be able to wait that long. Twenty-four hours is such a long time to wait. I might get impatient..."

"Shut the fuck up and tell me where you are." My voice drops dangerously low as I plug my phone into my laptop.

The tracing program boots up, scanning for her location. But I need to keep her talking for a few more minutes.

"Mmm, so commanding." Sayanaa's breathy moan makes my skin crawl. "But that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?"

With bile rising up in my throat, I know what I have to do.

"You want to know what I'm going to do to you?" The words taste like acid in my mouth.

"Yes." She practically gasps. "Tell meeverything."

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