Page 184 of Dance of Madness

I click on the lone file, and the grainy video fills the screen.

“Are you ready for tonight?”

“Yes Papa, I’m ready.”

“You’ll make sure he’s at the spot we agreed on?”

“What the fuck is this,” Papa growls next to me.

“I’m as confused as you are,” I mutter back.

“Excellent. If that changes, let me know immediately.”

“Yes, Papa.”

“That’s us…” Papa hisses. “That’s my voice. But I didn’t…” He frowns at the screen

“I’m proud of you, malyshka. Doing what the family needs you to do.”

“Wait. When have I ever called youmalyshka?”

A grim smile spreads over my lips.

“Of course, Papa. This is what we Kalishniks do. Besides, he means nothing to me. It’s all a means to an end.”

The video ends. Papa looks incredulous and a little unnerved.

“We never had that conversation,” he growls. “I’msureof it.”

“Me too,” I nod. “ThatmisunderstandingI told you about?” I gesture to the screen. “See where that might’ve come from?”

“Nerohad this?”

I nod.

Papa swears in Russian under his breath before he hits the play button again.

“This is our own security footage,” he growls, his eyes darkening. “That's our back garden.” He turns to me. “Where did Nero get this?”

I shrug helplessly. “It was sent to him anonymously—obviously to divide us. It’s you and me talking, but the audio…” I frown. “It’s been faked.”

Papa’s scowl deepens.

“No one has access to our home security footage but myself and Rurik.” He looks up at me. “And Rurik’s loyalty to the family is unquestionable?—”

“Boss!”

Speak of the devil…

Rurik barges into the room, his face grim. I take in his disheveled appearance—hair a mess, brow sweaty, shirt unbuttoned halfway with the sleeves rolled up.

Flecks of blood across both the shirt and his fists.

He looks at me, and I can’t help but smile at the way his whole body seems to exhale a held breath.

“Thank God,” he chokes as he walks right over to me and hugs me tightly.

There are precious few men in the world who could do that in front of my father and not be summarily shot. That's how close we are.

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