Page 116 of Kings of Cruelty

“Well, that’s one way to get rid of him,” he comments. He runs a hand through his rain-slick hair. “Come on. We haven’t found Kotya’s dad yet. And why the fuck did you take out your earpiece?”

“Kotya didn’t need to hear what Roman was saying,” I mumble. I take a few steps forward but stop next to my bike. “He tried to steal my bike.”

Nikolai lets out a huff that might be a laugh. “Good thing you gutted him before he had the chance.” He looks down at the tire, though, and his smile fades. “We can get it fixed,” he tells me. “Like we can replace all my shit. Let’s go.”

Nikolai hands me an earpiece, and I place it back in.

“Don’t you ever fucking do that again,” Sierra immediately orders. “The whole point of an earpiece is that I am there to help you!”

“Sorry,” I answer, but I don’t regret it. “Where do we need to go now?”

“Konstantin’s father is still at large, but—Kotya? Hey! Where are you going?” Sierra’s voice gets muffled, and I don’t hear anything for a while.

I grimace and lean against Nikolai. “He went after Igor, didn’t he?”

Nikolai heaves a breath. “We’d better figure out where the fuck he is. Goddamn it. I’m going to strangle Kotya when we find him.”

No resting yet.

I sigh and stand up straight. “Did you shoot that guy?”

“Guy? What guy?” Nikolai asks. I point in the direction of Roman’s dead guard, and Nikolai shakes his head. “Must have been one of Cresci’s or Corvi’s men.”

Good to know that our allies are doing their parts. Still, it was a good shot, especially given the rain.

I’ll have to thank whoever it was later.

After we’ve found Kotya.

THIRTY

Konstantin

“Kotya didn’t needto hear what Roman was saying.”

I feel immense relief when Yura’s voice pops up over the speakers. He’s alive. Roman didn’t kill him.

But nobody has found my father yet. I look at the screens, trying to make out what’s going on in the manor. Unfortunately, between the storm, the flickering lights, and all the gunshots, it’s utter chaos. I can’t see my father anywhere, and nobody has mentioned finding him.

As I check all the cameras, I realize where the blind spot is. There’s only one place my father could be hiding out in.

I get up, squeezing Sierra’s shoulder, and shuffle to the van doors.

“Kotya? Hey! Where are you going?” Sierra shouts.

“Stay here,” I order, pulling out my earpiece and tossing it aside. “Keep watch over Nikolai and Yura.”

She shakes her head. “No. You can’t go like this. Kotya, they’ve got it handled. Everyone out there? They have it handled. Okay?” she pleads.

“I’m going,” I tell her. I lean in to kiss her. “This is my father. I have to see it through.”

“No,” she says, grabbing for my arm, but I move out of the way. “Kotya, I’m fucked if someone finds me here. I’m too close to the house. You can’t bail on me.”

The words that had worked the first time don’t have an effect on me this time, not when the adrenaline is pulsing through my system.

“You aren’t alone,” I tell her. I point to the driver’s seat, where Stepan is being conspicuously quiet.

Sierra follows my gaze, letting out a frustrated sound. “No offense to Stepan, but he’s not you.”

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