Page 70 of The Mafia's Quadruplets

He swallows hard. His fingers dance nervously across the sheets, picking at a loose thread. “They wanted me to kill someone.”

A slow, cold wave rolls through me. “Who?”

His throat bobs. “Lev Mikhailov.”

The name means nothing to me, but Jay’s entire body is wired with tension now, like saying it out loud made it real. I don’t break eye contact. “Who is Lev Mikhailov?”

He exhales sharply, running a hand down his face. “He’s an accountant. A hacker.” He glances at the door, then lowers his voice. “Used to work for Petrov, doing their books. Not justbasic accounting either. This guy’s a genius with computers. Laundered millions through offshore accounts and encrypted their financial records so tight the feds couldn’t crack them after trying for years.”

He shifts on the mattress, wincing at the movement. “Thing is, they finally nabbed him. Not even on Petrov business, some sting or something, I guess, but now...” His voice drops to barely a whisper, forcing me to lean closer. “Word is, he’s willing to talk. Give up everything he knows about Petrov’s operation if the feds cut him a sweet enough deal.”

My teeth grind together. “So, the feds have leverage on him?”

“Yeah.” Jay’s head bobs in a weak nod, his complexion pale under the harsh fluorescent lights. “And Petrov? They’re scared shitless he’s going to spill their secrets. This guy knows where every dirty dollar is hidden, every bribe, every payoff. He could bring down their whole empire.”

It makes sense. If Lev Mikhailov was just some small-time accountant, Petrov wouldn’t risk killing him inside a federal system. That means this guy isn’t just holding secrets. He’s holding something critical.

“Why you?” I ask.

Jay lets out a bitter laugh that turns into a painful cough. “We both work kitchen duty. We’re both minimum security. The regular Petrov guys? They’re allbratva, all medium-security with extra scrutiny. Too much attention, but me?” His lip curls. “I was invisible. I could get close.”

I nod slowly, absorbing this. “And you refused.”

Jay’s expression cracks. “I’m not a killer, Valerian.” His voice is hoarse. “I couldn’t do it, and I couldn’t risk it. If I got caught, I’d never get out.” His fingers tighten on the sheet. “So they beat the shit out of me. Said next time, I’d better do it right.”

Rage and relief mingle as I exhale sharply. This wasn’t a random beating. It wasn’t about Jay’s gambling. It wasn’t about hurting Claire to hurt me.

This was about keeping Lev Mikhailov quiet, and Petrov was willing to use Jay as a disposable pawn to do it.

Jay looks up at me, desperation in his eyes. “Valerian, please protect Claire. I’ve already failed her as a brother. Don’t let my mistakes get her killed.”

Through the fluorescent hospital lights, I study his battered face. If he lifted his gown, I could see the surgical wound in his chest, where the surgeon removed shards of his broken rib from his lungs. The desperation in his gaze burns through, pleading with me.

“I’ll keep her safe. You have my word.” He sinks back against the stark white pillows, relief softening his grimace. He frowns when I add, “For her, not you.”

“Are you…?”

I don’t give him a chance to ask the question I know he’s about to utter, wanting to know my relationship status with Claire. Instead, I turn and slip out just as rubber-soled shoes squeak against linoleum. The corrections officer is returning from his coffee break.

When I exit the hospital room, Dmitri straightens from where he’s been leaning against the wall, his dark suit a contrast to theinstitutional white paint. He raises an eyebrow in silent question as I approach.

“We need to talk,” I murmur, already striding past him toward the exit. “Not here.”

As I walk out of the hospital, I pull out my phone, dialing Sheila. “I need you to arrange something with the warden. Ensure Jay Bennett’s safety when he returns.”

Sheila’s voice crackles through the speaker. “I’ll make it happen. Anything else?”

“What about transferring him to a different facility?”

There’s a pause on the line. “The Petrovs have reach in all the nearby prisons. Best I could do is out of state.”

I consider this for a moment. “No. He’ll want to stay close to his family.” I’ll have our guys shadow him instead. “Make sure the warden and our guards know there’s a bonus in it for them if Jay is kept safe, and a reckoning if he isn’t.”

She hesitates for only a second. “Understood. I’ll make the arrangements.”

I end the call and turn to Dmitri next. “I need everything you can find on Lev Mikhailov. Former Petrov accountant and hacker. He’s the missing piece.”

He nods. “On it, boss.”

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