Page 78 of Til Death Do Us Part (Kornilov Bratva Duet 2)

Is Fedor in the house now? Are the guards behind Molly’s disappearance?

“Hannah.” The single word is an answer to every question in my mind, and I feel like the dumbest man on the planet the moment he says it.

Hannah. Of course.

Of fucking course.

“Who better to lure Molly into complacency than one of her oldest friends?” Fedor says. “It didn’t hurt that she wasn’t terrible to look at. I thought she might be a distraction for both of you.”

The night in the kitchen suddenly comes back to me. “You’re the reason Hannah tried to seduce me?”

Fedor laughs. “My hope was to distract you long enough to sneak in and take Molly out of the house. That would have been a sweet victory.”

“To what end? Why do you want her?”

“I want Molly for my own reasons,” he says. “She and I have unfinished business. Taking her from your house while you fucked her best friend would have simply been fun. Not to mention, I hoped it would finally make you see the consequences of your actions.”

“The consequences of my actions? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“See? This is what I’m talking about,” Fedor says with a sigh. “You betrayed your own brother, and you don’t seem to understand it. You don’t realize the depth of the betrayal you’ve wrought, and I’m not sure how else to show you.”

“I’d never betray Molly. That was your mistake.”

“Just your own brother, then? Nice, Vik. Real nice.” His voice is thick with sarcasm. “Truly, I did underestimate your love for Molly. You’re devoted to her, and it is admirable. Though, unfortunately, it won’t help you much now.”

“Where is she?” I snap. “Tell me what you want. I’m sure you have demands.”

“My first demand is that you not rush me,” Fedor yells. He sounds unhinged, and I squeeze my eyes closed, trying to imagine where Molly is. Is she nearby? Can she hear this conversation? Is she still alive?

I push that question to the back of my mind. I’m not ready to consider the alternative.

“I’ve lost too much to you to make my victory quick,” Fedor continues. “I’ll take my sweet time, and if you try to rush me again, I’ll cut off Molly’s fingers one by one.”

The threat turns my stomach. “How do I know you haven’t already?”

“Is there no trust left between us? Do you think I would hurt your wife and not be honest about it?”

“You kidnapped her, so no, I don’t exactly trust you. I want to hear her voice. How do I know you even have her?”

“I’m calling you from her phone and she isn’t home with you. What more proof do you need?”

I believe Fedor has Molly, but I want to know about her physical well-being. If she is okay enough to talk on the phone, that will reassure me marginally.

“Let me talk to her.”

“No.” His answer is immediate and sharp. There will be no budging him. “You will talk to her if and only if I allow it.”

“Fedor.” My voice shakes with emotion. “If you hurt her, so help me—”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Fedor says with a laugh. “And don’t act like you are above hurting people for your own gain. I’m not the only person you’ve betrayed.”

He is changing the subject, but I’m not sure how to get him back to the topic of Molly without rushing him. And right now, I’m confident he would really cut her fingers off.

“What are you talking about?”

“Did you think the diner was a safe place to meet up with George?” The question hangs between us, a question and a statement wrapped up in one.

Fedor knows I met with George and where I met him. I try to think about what that means. About how much he may have heard. How much he knows.

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