Chapter 20

It's taken hours to get to this point, driving down the strip in a limo: Mila, Ania, Dimitri, Lia, and me. Somebody called in a bomb threat to the Manor, where the pledge is being held. That meant we had to wait around in the house, the tension rising. I'm buzzing all over to get this over with.

Staying away from my woman, even for this short while, has been the most challenging thing I've ever done. Every second I'm on the compound, my instincts are telling me to find her, hold her, kiss her, program with her, lick her, own her, fuck her. Every. Single. Second.

"Are you ready?" Dimitri asks Lia in a gentle voice, holding her hand.

That pisses me off way more than it should—them holding hands so casually when I've had to make myself seem cold and distant toward my Mila, for both our sakes. If this doesn't work and Oleg doesn't hold up his end of the deal, or Nikolai somehow wins …

"Are you sure about this?" Lia replies.

"Yes. No more hiding. No more game playing."

It's like he's forgetting there are other people in this car. "Well, brother, this whole thing is a game."

He gives me a dark look. "Hmm."

We finally reach the venue, a hidden Bratva basement converted to look like the most luxurious restaurant, with actual fires in the walls, expensive rugs, and a host with a mortified expression on his face. I'm so ready for blood. Just sitting in the limo next to Mila, being unable to comfort her even when I could feel her pain radiating, was enough to turn me half-feral.

"Mr. Sokolov, sir," the host says, approaching Dimitri. "I'm so sorry for the delay. I trust your team has informed you that everything is safe? Of course! Otherwise, you wouldn't be here!"

They exchange some words, with Dimitri still holding Lia's hand. My Bratva-promise cut burns as we cross the room, which is fairly busy with people who didn't have as long of a drive after learning there was no bomb. When we reach Nikolai's table, Mila makes a soft noise of fear that almost has me putting my arm around her.

Dimitri tenses, causing the other men to tense as well. Oleg gives me a serious look, and that's how I know it's on. That's how I know I will get what I want—the vengeance I need. As I stare at Nikolai, I find it difficult to focus on what he and Dimitri are saying. All I can think about is getting this over with.

"She's my woman, Nikolai," Dimitri says, referring to Lia. "You can arrange any marriage you want to, but she'll never stop being my woman."

"This is—" Nikolai's face is coated in sweat. I can tell he's about to explode. "Dimitri, perhaps we should talk in private."

This is precisely what Dimitri wanted to happen—the whole reason for his plan to rub his closeness with Lia so obviously in Nikolai's face.

"Yes, let's do that," Dimitri says. "Away from the women."

Just like that, we all turn away. The men make for the closest exit, leaving the women at the table behind. I know what's going to happen next. It's just like we've planned. Dimitri and I are going to tell Nikolai that if he agrees to kill Oleg, we'll spare him. The point is for Oleg to have concrete proof that his own Pakhan would betray him just like that.

Either this goes to plan, and I'm left in a room alone with the scumbag, or it goes badly, and the Sokolov brothers walk willingly to their deaths.