Page 6 of Arseni

I follow his gaze up the tall office building, at least twenty stories high.

“My nephew came here the other day to meet with an engineer for one of his good citizen projects.He was practically shoved out the door.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I wait for him to elaborate.Whatever he’s wanting isn’t for Vitaly’s benefit.He hates his nephew even more than I do.

“A year ago, no one in this city would have dared say no to a Petrov.They think he’sweak.And they’re right.But Vitaly looking weak makes the Bratva look weak, and I will not stand for everything I’ve ever worked for to be chopped down by cowards who won’t do what is necessary.”

When his head turns toward me, I meet his fiery eyes.It’s a cliché to say the eyes are the windows into the soul, but I’ve never felt it truer than with Nikita.He’s quiet but enraged.

“What should we do?”I ask, hesitant to even open my mouth.

When he turns back to the building, his jaw is clenched.“The engineer’s name is Henry Duncan.His office is on the eighteenth floor.I want you to go in there and make sure no one in that building ever says no to the Bratva again.”

“Now?Are we sure he’s in his office?”

Nikita angles his head at me and says nothing, just stares at me with those blazing eyes.I take the hint.

I pull up my hood and put my gloves back on.“I shouldn’t be long.”

“Take the bus home,” Nikita calls to my back as I start across the street.

I don’t respond, instead jogging the rest of the way to the building.There’s a security guard behind a desk in the lobby who’s enraptured by a newspaper when I enter, but he lowers it to lock eyes with me.Hands in my hoodie pocket to conceal my gloves, I give him a subtle nod and carry on past the elevator to the camera-free stairs.

By the time I make it to the eighteenth floor, I’m breathing heavily and sufficiently irritated.Irritated by who, I’m not certain.Nikita maybe for not telling me about this when we left the mansion.I’m not so sure that first kill was even necessary.Nikita pointed him out from the car, claiming he was the man we were after, but fuck, maybe that was a lie.Sometimes I wonder if he gets off on this shit.

But I don’t think it’s really Nikita who has my blood pumping with hot anger.

I consider this as I push through the stairwell door and begin scanning the name plates on the offices lining either side of me.Within seconds, I find the source of my contempt.It’s the guy whoshouldbe doing this job.

Luka.The brother-in-law of the new Pakhan.Once Nikita’s power was ripped away, Vitaly claiming it as his birthright, Luka was quick to settle in next to the snake.

He’sVitaly’s lackey.He’sthe one who should be here.Instead, I’m cleaning up his mess while he kisses my replacement’s ass.

At one time, Luka and I were brothers.Now I don’t even recognize?—

My feet stop when I pass a door on my right that catches my eye.I’ve been scanning the plates for solely Henry’s name, but now the job shifts to the back of my mind.I backpedal a few feet and slowly turn my head, reading the name on the plate carefully, as if I’m hallucinating.As if all my thoughts of betrayal are making me see shit.

But no, it’s her.

Margot Stevens.

My memory of her comes flooding back.Her silky, brown hair.The tattoo on her right shoulder blade.The way she sleeps with her limbs tucked together like she’s freezing in the middle of summer.

Other memories come as well, charging my anger.

I lower my gaze to the bottom of her door, finding only darkness.My teeth grind with disappointment, but it’s for the best that she isn’t here.I’m not here for her.

Shaking my head, I face forward but can’t get my feet to budge.I haven’t thought about this woman in years, but now that her existence has crossed my path, it’s too difficult to walk away.

There are many ways to get this job done, the most direct being threatening the engineer, maybe smacking him around a bit.And maybe if I hadn’t run into those tweakers outside, if I hadn’t had such a shameful reminder of my past, I could move on to Henry’s office and leave this one behind.

But I don’t think I will.

My head turns once again toward Margot’s name on the door.Despite the anger heating my blood, I find my lips curving into a smile.

I have a better idea.

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