Page 91 of Sapphire Tears

I frown. “What’s the catch?”

“Twenty-five percent surcharge.”

“Jesus,” I say, rolling my eyes and writing off the options in my head already.

“I negotiated them down from thirty-five percent, Kolya,” Milana presses. “It’s a good deal, especially considering the uncertainty of the situation we’re in right now.”

“Then allow me to step in and complete negotiations, because I’m not signing any contract with that kind of highway robbery baked in.”

Milana sighs. “Fine. I’ll arrange meetings for this evening.”

“No.”

She looks at me with a startled expression. “No?”

“I’m busy this evening. I have to pay a visit to June’s father.”

She does a double-take. “Wait, I can’t—You’re not—Are you being serious?”

“Which part sounded like a joke?”

“You’re blowing off important business meetings to go see your father-in-law?” she says in amazement. “The Bratva needs you, Kolya. You’re letting your personal life take precedence over work.”

“I’m not in the habit of tolerating lectures, Milana. Especially not from my subordinates.”

Her shoulders tighten. “Must you do this today?”

“Sure as fuck looks like it, doesn’t it?” I snarl.

She purses her lips together, as though she has to physically stop herself from saying what’s on her mind. I get to my feet, effectively ending the conversation, but she lets loose before I can leave.

“Do you think June may be right?” she asks, as if she can’t help herself.

I stiffen. “Right about what?”

“Adrian’s reasons for being in the ring. What if he knew about your mother all along and he was just trying to track her down?”

“Without my help? Bullshit.”

“Maybe he was trying to do this on his own,” she suggests. “Maybe he was trying to get out from underneath your shadow.”

“Fair enough. Let’s pretend he was a fucking saint, and those were his reasons,” I say harshly. “That doesn’t explain why he wouldn’t tell me he found her after the fact.”

Milana nods. “No, it doesn’t explain that.”

“Unless of course I were to stop making excuses for him and start making assumptions based on what I know to be true.” I start rattling things off, counting them down on my fingers. “He stumbled across our mother. He got her out of the ring, set her up somewhere comfortable—and then proceeded to fill her head with lies about me.”

Milana sucks in a breath. “You really think he would have done that?”

“Without a doubt,” I say. “If she’s alive right now, she thinks I’m the devil incarnate. And if she’s dead, then she died believing that I turned out just like the monster she married.”

“Kolya…” Milana whispers.

“June needs to believe that Adrian has some redeeming qualities,” I continue coldly. “She’s carrying his baby, and that’s confusing her. I’ll let her believe whatever the fuck she wants in that regard. But it will no longer stop me from doing what I know I have to do.”

Milana nods and swallows. “I’ll negotiate the contracts down to ten percent,” she says. “Good luck with the father-in-law.”

“Tell that to him,” I mutter as I turn to leave. “He’s the one who’s gonna need it.”

---