Chapter 22

"There's been nothing? How can one man be this difficult to find?" I flex my fingers, trying to ease some of the tension from my joints.

It's been a week since Cora saw my shit for brains cousin at the coffee house with the detective, and no matter how many stones we turn over, the maggot isn't under any of them.

"Because he's using your grandmother's connections to keep him hidden." Viktor frowns at the cards fanned out in his hand. "You're sure it's him?"

"Cora described the scar I gave him perfectly," I explain, looking at the door of Andrei's study. Cora and the girls are in the living room watching a movie. Every now and then there's an eruption of laughter, and my ears perk up each time I hear Cora's laugh.

She deserves to have a night of fun. Most of her time is spent sitting with her mother and helping the nursing staff. I'm not sure bringing her mom to live with us was the best decision for Cora. She's exhausted by the end of the day. The doctors have explained the disease is progressing rapidly, and her mother has lost more mobility in the last week.

"If it's Boris, then he has no information that would help this detective with anything." Andrei throws his cards down on the table, folding his hand.

I toss a chip onto the pile and raise the bet before looking to Viktor. "It could all be bullshit. Anything to try to fight my grandmother's will. I've met with the board already. He has no claim, she left clear instructions of what she wanted. But he's one of them, so who knows what lengths he'll try to get his way."

I lay my cards down after Viktor meets my bet. "Ah. I win." I shove the cards into the discard pile and pull the tower of chips toward me.

"I didn't know you had such interest in the company." Andrei shuffles the cards. "Other than the arms division, what need do you have for the jewelry and scraps?"

"I have none. You know that." I stack my chips neatly.

"Still going to destroy the whole thing?" Viktor cuts the deck for Andrei.

"Yep." I check the door again.

"She's fine." Andrei catches my gaze as he deals out the next hand.

"I know," I snap, picking up my cards and fanning them out.

"Do you? You keep watching the door. Is it because you want to be in there with her and the girls, or is because you expect her to come running in here at any moment?" Viktor studies his cards, shuffling them around into some sort of order.

"It's been quiet, that's all." There haven't been any sounds in the last half hour.

"Maybe the movie ended." Andrei shrugs and checks his watch. "We've been playing for a while."

"Do you want to go check on her?" Viktor mocks with his tone.

"She's fine." I toss my ante into the pile.

"You sure you don't miss her?" Viktor teases more.

"I'm surprised you've gone this long without going in there to make sure Marlena hasn't run off." I give it back to him.

He laughs. "I've already admitted I love that woman. It's you who has issues in that department." He slides three cards toward Andrei, who deals another three to him.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. As usual." I slide over my two discards and take what Andrei deals back.

"So, you admit you care for her?" Viktor pushes.

"I admit it's none of your fucking business." I fan out the cards and put the bad cards to the left in my hand.

"Hmmm. So, you won't admit you like her, or worse, love her?" Viktor gives a fake shiver.

"Love has nothing to do with our arrangement." I give Andrei a pointed look. "You gonna bet?"

He tosses three blue chips in.

"So, you're still fucking anyone who catches your eye then?" Andrei questions. "When's the last time you went home with one of the girls from the club on the nights you come to check in?"

My grip tightens on my cards until they bend. "I'm married. Why the fuck would I keep fucking other women?"

"Because you don't love her, so you must not care about being faithful, right?" Viktor picks up the line of questioning from Andrei as he tosses in his bet.

"The girls at Kraze have noticed you're not as available as you used to be for them. I think they're a little disappointed." Andrei fans out his cards. A full house, ace high.

"Just because I don't love Cora doesn't mean I have to go around fucking anything that breathes." I toss my cards down; I've lost the hand.

"Sergei." Viktor whispers my name.

"Just because the two of you have lost your minds for your women doesn't mean I will. I fell for that mistake once, no need to repeat it."

"Fuck," Andrei whispers as he looks over my shoulder.

A chill washes over me.

"We just came to check on the game. Our movie ended," Marlena says, her voice hard.

Slowly, I turn to look at the door. Cora stands between Marlena and Izzy. Her cheeks redden when my gaze hits hers, and I have no doubt she's heard everything I just said.

"Sorry to interrupt." Cora's voice is quiet and firm.

"Cora." I shove out of my chair and turn toward her, but she gives a little shake of her head.

"Let's leave them to their poker." Izzy tugs on Marlena's shirt. "I can go for some nachos."

"That sounds good." Cora nods, turns on her heel, and heads out of the room ahead of both girls.

"Seriously, Sergei," Izzy admonishes. "After what she's been seeing in the tabloids, that was the last thing she needed to hear."

"What are you talking about?" I demand. "What has she been reading?"

"Look for yourself," Marlena shoots at me then links arms with Izzy and they both leave, slamming the door behind them.

"You really have a knack for pissing off the females in this family," Viktor says from behind me.

I swipe my phone to life and dive into the media I purposely ignore every day. Journalists have nothing but trash to say when it comes to my family. This inheritance from my grandmother only gives them more garbage to spew. Nothing good comes from looking.

But I barely have Cora's name typed into the browser before a dozen articles pop up about my inheritance and my new wife.

"Shit, Sergei," Viktor says. "These bastards." He's scrolling through his phone too; Andrei looks over his shoulder.

Of course, our wedding was announced. My grandmother made sure the board and the media knew of the terms of my inheritance. Even from the grave the woman tries to manipulate me.

What I hadn't counted on was these assholes coming out of the woodwork thinking they had any fucking right to comment on Cora.

She hasn't said anything about photographers taking her picture, but there are several candid photos of her leaving the coffee shop and the nursing home. They must have been taken right before we were married.

"They're saying you married beneath yourself to get back at your grandmother. How the fuck do they know about your grandmother turning her back on your mother?" Viktor's voice hardens, but it's nowhere near filled with the rage I have building beneath my skin.

"She's seen these?" I turn to my cousins and point to my screen. "She's seen these insults?"

"Sergei." Andrei's placating voice comes out. "Before you do something that will only make matters worse, think about it."

"If they said a single negative thing about Izzy?" I demand from him and immediately, he pauses and gives me a nod. He'd go after them as fiercely as I have the right to.

"I want their heads." I shove my phone into the back pocket of my jeans. "No. I want their eyes. And their tongues."

"Well, that might spark more controversy and more articles." Viktor frowns. "People might notice journalists that write about you turn up without their eyes."

"Do you think I give a fuck?" I might take his tongue, if he doesn't change his tune.

Andrei grins.

"What the fuck are you smiling about?"

Andrei sobers up and shakes his head. "Nothing, cousin. Nothing at all."

"We can get these pricks fired," Viktor offers.

My mind races with all of the brutal things I want to do to these social media critics. The bullshit they've spewed.

Most of all, she's seen it. And she thinks it's true. When I look at her, I don't see anything other than radiating beauty that is her. How can anyone be blind to that?

She has curves.

Fucking gorgeous curves.

I love her fucking body. Every inch, every curve, every pound. If I could spend the entirety of every day kissing, licking, and fucking her I would.

"Fired isn't enough." I grab my phone again. "I'm going to your office. I'll be a while." I head to the door.

"What are you going to do?" Andrei calls.

"I'm going to buy that fucking tabloid." The door almost comes loose from the hinges when I yank it open.

And when I'm done buying all of those fucking assholes, I'm going to make sure Cora understands every fucking word was a lie.