Chapter 29

Chapter 28

Luka

"ERIC'S ON his way to Vegas." I snap my phone shut and tuck it into my pocket. Grisha managed to drop Erik at the airport, our private jet waiting for him.

I slip into my leather jacket, feeling the familiar weight settle on my shoulders.

Thank fuck for Viktor. Our pilot is a seasoned vet in the game and the real MVP tonight. Old man never sleeps, always ready to fly whenever we need him. I owe him a bottle of the finest Russian vodka when I see him next.

"He's scheduled a ‘friendly chat' with The Serpents by first light tomorrow."

Dimitri grunts in acknowledgment, a staccato beat played out on the table with his fingers. I heave myself out of my chair, with Dimitri mirroring my actions like we're part of some synchronized routine. Outside, midnight has cast a cloak over the city, the remaining night lights putting up a vain fight against the impending darkness. We pile into my Jag, the hum of its engine slicing through the silence, echoing the undercurrent of tension that's strung between us.

The city's neon haze can't quite scrub away the bitter aftertaste of our meeting. Images of Aleks, his head removed from his shoulders, flicker hot and insistent in my mind.

"So, Sophia…" Dimitri's voice cuts the silence, baiting me. The question hangs, unvoiced but louder than the car's rumbling engine.

"Yulia's new nanny." I glance at him from the corner of my eye, my grip on the steering wheel tightening. The way her name rolls off his tongue sends a familiar jolt of anticipation through me. God, something about her being around me is sending excitement down my spine.

"You got the hots for her?" Dimitri asks. I snort, dismissing it with a shake of my head.

"Nah, not like that," I lie.

"But you've fucked her," he retorts, his tone sharp, almost accusing. "And now she's our employee, looking after Yulia, and…" He trails off, the implication hanging in the air like a guillotine. An uncomfortable silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words and veiled accusations.

Eventually, he speaks again. "Think she's trustworthy?"

"What's your game, Dimitri? Spit it out," I snap, irritation edging my voice.

"She was at your welcome home bash."

"And?" I challenge, my patience wearing thin.

"And…she wasn't called Sophia," he drops the bombshell.

"The fuck?" I growl, an unexpected spark of anger igniting within me. "Christ, Dimitri!" I throw a look at him. His face is stone, the only movement a slight twitch of his lips. "The fuck are you saying?" I growl, the surprise quickly melting into anger. But before the heated words tumble out, I catch myself.

Dimitri's got a mind like a goddamn steel trap; remembers names, faces, dates, every damn detail like it was engraved into his memory. It's a fucking wonder, and at times, a downright curse.

And in that moment, I find myself grappling with a mindfuck of disbelief and irritation. I know better than to dismiss Dimitri's words. It's a maddening notion – Sophia not being who she says she is. Yet, I can't ignore it, not when it's Dimitri who brought it up.

I look at him sharply, a deep frown furrowing my forehead. He doesn't meet my eye. He's focused on the city lights streaking past.

"You better explain, Dimitri," I warn, my tone dripping with the unspoken promise of consequences.

A wasted drunkard stumbles right into the goddamn path of my Jag. With a swift swerve, I narrowly avoid turning him into a crimson smear on the asphalt.

"Blyat!" I grit out, shooting the fool a glare that could melt steel. But Dimitri, cool as ever, barely even flinches. He's still staring out at the city, unblinking, focusing on something I can't see. The silence in the car grows thick, oppressive.

Feeling the tension, I slam my foot onto the accelerator, the engine roaring in response. The scenery starts to blur as we barrel down the road.

I shoot Dimitri another glare. He's still looking straight ahead.

"Explain. Now."

A sigh. Barely audible, but in the hush of the car, it's thunderous.

"She worked your party," he says. "Under a different name – Sonia Brown."