Page 24 of Owned By Shadows

I take the folder, my heart thudding inside my chest. This, along with all the other evidence I’ve got against him, should be more than enough to sever his ties with the only people who might offer him protection outside of his men—who I’ve turned to my side. Half anyways. I want to handle this myself, but with this, I believe I can reach an agreement with the relevant parties to switch over their support to me and not intervene when I make my move.

“I believe a combined strategy would work best. That way, neither one of them can seek the help of the other, or take control of the other’s assets,” I suggest, shifting in my seat. Everything in me says that Alexei differs from our sires, more like me, but he’s a wild card, unstable according to all the rumours of his time in jail.

“Agreed,” he answers, and the tightness inside my chest loosens a little. “Winter is coming.” He giggles, and I swear babies die at the sound. I’ve no fucking idea why he’s laughing. It’s a fact, winter is approaching. “Which is when business usually slows down, so it’ll be the perfect time for a coup.” He’s placed the folder on his lap, and now rubs his hands in glee, thatfucking smile which promises death on his lips. “The FSS will let me dispose of Viktor, how I choose, and what masterpiece I shall make of him.”

A shiver threatens to overtake me, but I hold it in. “As they should with Sergi once I give them everything I have.”

We all freeze as the door opens, a waiter in a white shirt and a long, black apron tied around his waist enters with a tray that has a selection of nibbles on it. My hand moves over to my gun holster at my hip, and I spot, out of the corner of my eye, Dima doing the same, as does Alexei and the others.

“I thought I said that we were not to be disturbed?” Alexei says, his tone dark and menacing. The waiter pauses, the plates on the tray clinking as his body shakes.

“A–apologies, I w–was told to bring these up for y–you,” he stammers out. He doesn’t look like someone who our fathers may have sent. He’s young and frankly fucking terrified. Although, if he’s been trained his whole life, it’s not a stretch to think that this could be an act.

“By who?” I question, and his head snaps to me, his throat bobbing as he swallows.

“M–my b–boss, s–sir,” he stutters, his face drained of all colour.

“Well, we don’t want anything, so take it away,” Alexei says, his body coiled like a snake watching its prey as he stares at the young man.

The guy says nothing else, just spins on his heel and rushes out of the door.

“Azazel,” Lucifer growls out, his voice like the rumble of thunder.

Azazel follows the man out of the door, presumably to make sure he doesn’t actually know anything, or isn’t a spy.

“Where were we?” Alexei says, lounging back in his chair, all tension gone. I take a breath to calm my racing heart, theadrenaline draining out of me slowly but still leaving me on high alert. “Ah yes, patricide.” He giggles again, and I know at least some of the rumours of his madness are true. “I suggest we put in place a dead man’s switch, just in case anything happens to either of us before our plan comes into effect. I’ll give a copy of the evidence, sealed of course, about Sergi to a trusted associate with instructions to release to the federal authorities if anything happens to me. And you do the same.”

It’s a clever suggestion. As well as ensuring everything goes ahead regardless of what happens to either of us, this way, neither of us can betray the other without consequences.

“Agreed, and to just be clear, we are taking over what our fathers have, the territories that they already hold. No more, no less.” My tone is firm. I want to put a stop to this ridiculous rivalry between our families. It’s partly why we haven’t moved forward, because our sires are so focused on taking from each other they’re not looking at improving what we already have.

“Agreed. I don’t need nor do I want any more responsibility. My hands are rather full as you can imagine,” Alexei states, picking up a chess piece, the queen I believe, and idly playing with it in his inked fingers. “I suggest a three-month timeframe just to get all our ducks in a row.” Again, that giggle, which sends shivers down my spine. “Azazel will establish some secure channels of communication so we can stay in touch. He’s a whizz with technology.”

The man himself walks back through the door, a hint of red on his knuckles that I don’t care to know the answer to how it got there. He gives Lucifer a small nod, then resumes his position behind Alexei. The situation with the waiter has clearly been dealt with.

Three months should give me time before the baby is born. It’ll be close, as Iris is six months now, but I still have pieces toput into place, resources to gather, and loyalty to win before I dispose of Sergi.

“Agreed.”

“Oh!” Alexei exclaims, his eyes gleaming as he sits up. “Let’s do it on New Year’s Eve! I love to celebrate the new year with some bloodshed, and it’s a new era after all, new beginnings and all that.”

He’s practically bouncing with excitement, and honestly, it’s just another terrifying thing about the man. Don’t get me wrong, I will take great joy in watching my father’s face as his world comes tumbling down before I end him—or help Iris end him as she deserves a piece of him too for what he took from her—but there’s a difference between the satisfaction I’ll get and the look of sheer excitement in Alexei’s pale eyes.

“Okay, New Year’s Eve it is,” I agree, my mind already racing with what I’ll have to get done before then.

“Excellent!” he crows, my blink the only sign of my surprise at the sudden noise. There is definitely something wrong with Alexei Volkov. “A toast then, to celebrate our new friendship.” He pulls out three more small glasses from fuck knows where, sets them on the table, and fills each of them to the brim with vodka, including ours. “Za nashu pobedu,” he says with a dangerous smile, raising his glass as the men behind him reach for theirs and copy the move.

I pick up my glass, the weight of it feeling heavier than the shot that it contains. Our agreement hangs between us, the deal we’re making is abhorrent in the normal scheme of things, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and Sergi’s reign of terror needs to end. It’s the only way Iris will be safe. That our unborn child will be safe. Our family. “Za nashu pobedu,” I echo, clinking my glass against Alexei’s.

To our victory.

We all bring our glasses to our lips, then drink in the traditional Russian way—the entire glass in one swift motion, followed by a moment of silence. My pulse races around my body, my mind still unbelieving that this is finally happening after all these years.

Alexei sets his glass upside down on the wooden table to show it’s empty. There’s a finality to the gesture. I do the same; the others following until all five glasses are there, glinting in the firelight.

The deal is agreed, our fates now intertwined.

And Sergi’s and Viktor’s are now sealed.

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