Page 53 of Reign of Psychos

“What do you mean? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her attempt at deflection was laughable. I watched as she tried to brush away my accusation, but from the way her eyes flicked toward the door, I’d rattled her.

“Anton’s been keeping a very close eye on you. On my orders, he fitted some additional cameras around the estate, including in the pool house.” I tutted. “Did you honestly expect to get away with fucking my father’s not-so-loyal second under his nose?”

“Darling, I…I…there must be some mistake!”

I pulled out my phone and swiped to the file Anton had sent me this afternoon.

“Oh god, yes!” Ekaterina moaned as she bounced on top of Dimitri. “Fuck me with that big cock, you bastard!”I watched, feeling nothing but contempt. She really was a whore.

The clip lasted around 30 minutes, but I ended it after 30 seconds, unable to stomach any more of her porn star moans.

“It’s fake!” she hissed. “That’s not me!”

“Really? Because it looks just like you. I guess we can ask my father for his opinion.” She tried to slap me, but I caught her wrist mid-air. One twist and I could snap it like a twig. But doing that would play into her victim narrative, so I resisted the urge.

It was time to talk to my father. He needed to know I wasn’t willing to play the role of dutiful son any longer. I was tired of being his lapdog while he ignored all my suggestions for taking the bratvah into the 21st century.

Dad had always been a good, strong pakhan, but he was firmly stuck in the Dark Ages, refusing to invest in the latest technology or explore new business streams. I’d had enough of being dismissed while Ekaterina whispered bullshit in his ear.

Her screeching voice followed me down the hall as I headed to my father’s office. He knew I was here. Making me wait was a power play, like always. A reminder he was in charge, not me.

My hand wrapped around the phone in my pocket, calming me. Nothing my father said this evening would make any difference. I was done. If he took her side, then we were through.

Not that I expected him to. Not with the evidence I had, all thanks to Milo.

The unexpected video footage of Ekaterina and Dimitri was the icing on my cake. Milo had spent hours trawling through video footage from our various properties. I knew damn well that if Ekaterina had been panting after me like a bitch in heat for years, she’d almost certainly done the same thing to other boys.

It was pretty fucking obvious she had a thing for young men… teenagers. Boys that she could exploit, intimidate, manipulate, and coerce. The woman was a sexual predator through and through.

My father sat at his desk reading some documents when I strolled in.

“Glad you could finally make it, Kyril. A week after I requested your presence.”

“I’ve been busy,Otets.” I sat down without being asked and he scowled, disliking my blatant lack of respect. “Busy putting together a business plan for a new venture.”

I pulled out a sheaf of papers and placed them in front of him. His eyebrows rose but he started reading.

After a few minutes, he looked up. “A casino development? In the US?”

“Yes. Expanding the family’s base across the Atlantic makes sense. We could launder money more easily and build new income streams. As you can see from the figures, the project would be profitable within a year based on cash flowprojections.” Cassian had crunched the numbers for me, so I knew they were accurate.

I was kind of excited about my project. It had the potential to be huge. I’d already begun scoping out other properties in Atlantic City and New Jersey. Sure, there was some competition from the Italian mob on the East Coast, but the market was big enough for all of us to have a slice of the pie.

“It’s too far away to manage,” he said dismissively. “I don’t have anyone I trust out there.”

“I’d manage it,” I gritted out, trying not to sound too eager. “It would be my project. I’m ready to cut my teeth on something more than trouble-shooting your problems.”

“Hmm.” He wasn’t convinced.

“I’m not sure you’re ready for such a responsibility.”

“I wouldn’t be working alone. Cassian would be a partner in the business.”

“Cassian Forsyth?”

“Yes. Lucian’s son.” I wasn’t sure if my father was aware of the discord between Cassian and Lucian, but I was banking on the fact he probably hadn’t heard anything about it from Lucian. “Now that you and Lucian have an alliance, Cassian and I working together makes strategic sense.”

Dad nodded. It did make sense, and he knew it.

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