Page 159 of Silenced

“More than him?”

I have to smile. “Always a competition with you, isn’t it?”

Dmitri sniffs. “Not always.”

“Just most of the time.” I sigh. “Andda, more than him. You didn’t even have to ask that.”

Grinding his teeth, he mutters, “If you get your ass killed, Iwilltorture Misha and Maxim.”

“If I die, it’s likely they will too.” I didn’t want to have this conversation with him, but the situation has come to a head.

He points to the blog post on my computer screen. “You don’t even know if that’s true.”

“We both tried to call Maxim. He didn’t answer.”

“He doesn’t always. You know he’s a petulant shit.”

Takes one to know one.

The thought drifts into my mind in Cassiopeia’s sweet voice.

Barely refraining from chuckling, I sign, “He always calls back. Always. We might have a strained relationship, but he doesn’t ignore us.”

I just choose not to call him, preferring to have Misha act as a go-between.

That’s when I receive a text.

The beep is overly loud as it rings between us once, twice,threetimes. Then three more!

I reach for my cell and grunt.

Passing it to Dmitri, I rumble, “Confirmation.”

Luka: The Krestniy Otets has declared Maxim a traitor.

Luka: Seems he has footage of Maxim with a small team trying to blast his way into Petrovsky Palace.

Luka: Which, if you recall, is Kuznetsov territory.

Luka: Which, if you recall, we have strict orders to avoid.

Luka: It’s pretty much the only place in the city we don’t have a free pass to enter.

Luka: He fucked up big time.

“Jesus, what the hell has he gotten himself involved with?” Dmitri demands. “No way he’s working against the Bratva if he’s trying to break into Kuznetsov’s turf.”

“He must know something we don’t.” Something he didn’t share with me.

Suddenly exhausted, I rub my eyes. “This is why Misha hasn’t answered us either. He’s probably halfway across the Atlantic.”

The fact that neither of them trusts me enough to share something as massive asthiswith me hurts.

Fuck, it more than hurts.

I cared for them as children. I saved them, raised them. Made sure they never went hungry even if I starved first.

After yesterday’s talk with Cassiopeia, the reminder of the level I sunk to for them stings more than ever.

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