Page 62 of Sinful Embers

I squeeze my eyes shut. “Galina helped us leave,” I whisper, memories surfacing. “She took us to Uncle Mark. We weren’t allowed to take anything. I couldn’t even say goodbye to Yaya Alexi.”

“It had to be done,” Dmitri says simply. “Galina and Mark didn’t want you to your grandmother after she’d had a stroke.”

I don’t know whether to believe him.

Then he drops the next bomb.

“Carlos eventually told me that Vivienne was the one who killed Thea—that was eleven years ago.”

Everything stills.

A sharp, ringing silence fills my head.

“She was jealous,” Dmitri continues, his voice almost… gentle. “She knew I cared for Thea. And she hated that.”

A harsh, broken laugh escapes me. “I can’t believe Vivienne would do that.”

“Believe it.” His expression is unreadable. “I wanted to kill her with my bear hands. But if I’d approached Vivienne, she would have known I’d been keeping tabs on her and you the entire time. Making sure no harm came to you.”

A deep chill seeps into my bones.

“Eleven years ago after Dmitri told me what Vivienne had done to Thea, I was ready to disband the Golden Hydra. It was time to make a change,” Dmitri says. “I was going to turn Dmitri over to the agency the real Nikolas worked for. I knew they were looking for him.”. He pinches the bridge of his nose. “But Carlos had other plans.” His face hardens. “He was tired of waiting. He wanted to take down my father. He knew Galina was the executor of Dant’s will and was convinced my father knew where you and Vivienne were hiding.”

I swallow.

“He planned to force the information from him—by holding Dragunov Village hostage.” Dmitri shakes his head. “I warned my father. He didn’t listen. He refused to give me men. I had no choice but to gather what few villagers I could, plus some loyal Mirochins and ensure Carlos wasn’t successful. I had to slaughter my own men and for the first time in my life, I could no longer stomach the life I was born into.”

My fingers tighten against my knees.

“What a fuckup that was,” Dmitri mutters. “So many villagers died. But I killed every last Golden Hydra that attacked them.” His voice drops. “My father was furious.”

“Why?”

“He was furious that I took over the mission.” Dmitri’s voice is grim. “Because one of the men that were killed was the village elders’ son-in-law, I had to atone. I was to marry his daughter grieving daughter Zoya and look after he family while recruited men to protect and work in the village.”

I listen as he continues, and I sense he needs to talk it out.

“Carlos showed up a week later,” he continues, his tone clipped. “Pissed that I wasn’t marrying Wanda Manning instead as we needed her money and her company. She was willing to help us as long as we got rid of her father for her.”

I shake my head, disgust curling in my gut. “You say that like it’s nothing.”

Dmitri shrugs. “I grew up in a world where it happens all the time.”

“That doesn’t make it okay.”

“No, it doesn’t.” His voice is quiet. “But in our world, it’s kill or be killed.”

My heart pounds.

Dmitri exhales slowly, his gaze drifting over the Black Sea. The wind shifts, carrying the briny scent of the ocean, but it does nothing to clear the suffocating weight pressing down on my chest.

“I know,” he murmurs, voice quieter now. “I tried so hard to keep you apart from it.”

I let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. “Yeah, right,” I bite out. “Then why the fuck am I here? Married to your nephew?”

Dmitri turns to me, eyes dark with something unreadable. “Leigh—”

“No,” I snap. “I don’t want to hear whatever bullshit excuses. I was set up and I’ve never been in control of my own life. All I wanted to do was write music not be some fucking g…” My eyes open wide. My head snaps around to look at him. “What did Vivienne tell you about the golden key?

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