“If you kill me, your father will settle you with the next entrepreneur on his list.Or, say you get your way, and your father listens, doesn’t that place you in your brother’s path?”
“I can deal with my brother.”Her top lip curled with distaste.
No respect between siblings, for sure.
“You should leave.”
Suspicion crossed her face, turning it hard and impassive.Interest rose in him because she’d played her part well.She’d acted frightened and cowed, but right now, she was the opposite and radiated attitude.She was her father’s daughter, full of determination and grit, willing to go after something she wanted, even if it meant killing him.
“What will you do?Will you tell my father?”
“I’ll give it some thought.”
“You can’t tell anyone.”Urgency stamped her face.
“Should’ve thought of that earlier.”
She continued to study him, her mouth pressed flat and indecision radiating from her.His wife wanted him dead.Interesting times.
Footsteps in the passage outside grabbed his attention and instinct had him turning off the light.
“Someone’s coming,” he whispered, his gut telling him that these footsteps didn’t bode well.
She glided into the shadows on the opposite side of the room.Mikhail cocked his head when he heard something else, but this sound was outside.A large bird had settled on the windowsill and peered through the glass.The raptor took to wing a beat later and vanished into the darkness.
Mikhail shifted his attention back to his loitering visitor, unsurprised when they paused before carefully opening the door and pushing their way inside.This person—also dressed in black—strode forward without hesitation.They were bigger.The brother.How the hell had he landed in this nest of vipers?He pushed at his powers of recall, but it was like bashing against a brick wall.His life seemed to have begun in this house.
Mikhail switched on the light.“Something you wanted?”
The son whirled, the knife in his right hand larger than the sister’s.Hatred flared on Pavel’s face.
Yeah, things were gonna get nasty.
He wondered what the sister would do.Would she hide or attack him, too?They both wanted him—
The son sprang, knife extended.Only Mikhail’s reflexes saved him from a nasty gash in the gut.He jumped back, balancing lightly on his feet.The tiger roared, and the sound tore up his throat and escaped.Pavel faltered and fell back, his eyes wide.
“Get out,” Mikhail snapped.“Both of you.”
“I’m the one with the knife,” the son said, his tone snooty.
The daughter slipped from the shadows, skirting them both on her way to the door.
“What are you doing here?”the son demanded.
“Saying goodnight to my husband,” she said coolly before exiting.
“Leave,” Mikhail thundered, baring his teeth at the son.
Pavel retreated half a step before he halted and straightened his shoulders.A sneer formed on his lips as he raised his knife.The light reflected from the silver blade.“Why don’t you make me?”
Mikhail huffed.These people were irking him.They’d both visited him with murder on their mind.
His murder.
Only Konstantine wanted him here.“Get out before I use my fists.”
“If I were you, I’d watch your back,” Pavel spat, but he spoiled this threat by tripping over his feet, such was his haste to put distance between them.
