Page 44 of Betrayed By the Mafia

My cousin sighs, and his shoulders fall. “Fine.”

I look at him optimistically.

“You deserve happiness, and I want you to be family. I do all this to ensure my family's happiness and prosperity. Otherwise, there’s no point. But Evgenii Volkov,” he looks at me seriously, and a shiver runs down my back, “don’t turn this into a habit. I’m happy with our unity with the Sorvinos and our other allies, but it’s foolish to give them what is rightfully ours.”

I bow my head. “You are a great Pahkan, father, and cousin. Thank you, Ivan.”

“Get out of here before I change my mind,” he grumbles. “I have other things to attend to.”

Somehow I know he wants to spend time with his family.

I leave the house buoyant, knowing I can do this for Shirley. This could make up for how I used her, giving this to her family to make up for what I took.

I’m practically bouncing in the car on the way home, and Gregori seems amused. There’s a traffic jam a few miles from the house, and I settle back, looking out the window.

“Turn on the news. Maybe they are announcing what’s causing the backup,” I say.

Gregori turns the radio on and finds a station broadcasting the news.

The presenter simply says that the area is backed up for an unknown reason and to avoid going through those roads. I roll my eyes. “Americans. Why don’t they just say what’s happened? Always so mysterious.”

Gregori shrugs. “Maybe that’s the secret to their power.”

I chuckle. “Maybe.”

The traffic is backed up all the way to my road, which is closed off with police tape. My heart flops as Gregori pulls up and is approached by a patrolman. “You can’t go into an active crime scene, sir. Only residents are allowed through to their homes.”

Gregori points down the road. “We live down there, one of the larger gated houses.”

The patrolman nods and lifts the tape over the car as Gregori drives forward slowly. There are marked and unmarked vehicles outside my house, and I tell Gregori to park outside.

I get out and hurry toward the house. I recognize one of the detectives who immediately stops me. “Evgenii, they’re not going to let you in.”

“Where’s my sister?” I ask immediately. “Natalia. Where is she?”

The detective shakes his head. “They’re still going through the house.”

I pull out my phone and dial Nat’s number. As I call her, I stare at the bodies littering the yard. “Pick up. Pick up.”

My heart flutters when I hear her voice. “Hey, Ev, what’s up?”

“Natalia, where are you?” I ask immediately, my eyes darting from body to body.

I can hear the sound of people in the background as she speaks. “Shopping with Anastasia for a party she wants me to go to. We won’t be long.”

“Don’t come back to the house. Go to Ivan’s and…”

My eyes fall on Konstantin’s body, and I realize what this attack is about.

“Ev?”

I hang up and dial Shirley.

It goes straight to voice mail.

No. Not when I just got her back.

I dial her again, but it rings off.

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