Page 67 of Immaculate Corruption (Romanoff Bratva)

“He’s a father grieving his son,” I snarl in Zotov’s ear. “It’s amazing what a man will do when his son is in danger.”

Zotov’s hand starts to tremble. “Listen, Dima, I’ve just been following orders.”

I laugh. “Fuck you, you sniveling fucking coward. Your back is against the wall and suddenly, you’re innocent. What happened to how much you want power and control? Not so confident anymore?”

“I do want those things, but I don’t have them yet. I mean, really, do you think I have the sway necessary to pull off this operation on my own?”

“No. That’s why you partnered with the Albanians.”

“I did,” he admits with a shrug. “But someone else has been bank-rolling this entire thing. They are the one who set the plan in motion, who is really striving to take control. I’m a fucking pawn,sobrat.”

Part of me wants to believe Zotov is talking out of his ass. He’s just scared. He doesn’t want me to kill him.

But then again, my thought since the beginning has been that Zotov doesn’t make sense as the leader of this mutiny. How he got so many of my men to turn away from the Romanoff family line and my leadership never made sense.

“Who’s the mastermind, then?”

Zotov takes a breath. “I don’t want to say. You’ll shoot me.”

“I’ll shoot you if you don’t say, so you may as well speak up.”

“Can I at least explain first?” he asks. “Just give me a chance to fucking explain.”

“Get on with it. Clock’s ticking.”

“Think about it, Dima. Giorgio and I are here together. Why? Giorgio was a target you tried to take out. Who asked you to do that?”

I don’t answer.

“You’ve been taking out leadership from the Albanians and the Italians alike,” he continues. “You’re taking out the biggest threats to your Bratva one at a time. Why?”

Because Ilyasov asked me to.

Ilyasov.

His name is seared into my brain like a red-hot brand. But I can’t bring myself to say it. Zotov has to be the one to speak it out loud.

I press the gun harder against Zotov’s temple and close my eyes. “Keep talking.”

“It’s your brother. He did all of this.”

My teeth clench hard enough I think they’ll crack. I told Ilyasov where Ernestine and Lukas were staying when we got into town. He told me where I could find Giorgio.

Both were a trap. A trap I fucking waltzed into. Willingly. Stupidly.

Because of goddamn fucking sentimentality. Because I still thought family loyalty meant something to him. I thought he still had a shred of humanity left in his heart.

I was wrong.

And it’s about to cost me everything.

“But listen, I know his plans now,” Zotov says. “Some of them, anyway. I can help you take things back from him. I can be an asset to you.”

I pull back, though I keep my gun aimed at his stupid traitorous skull. “Spin around.” He does so obediently. “You want to be loyal now? Fine. Tell me where my son is.”

“What?” I hear Arya’s voice behind me.

I wince. She doesn’t know yet.

---