Lady Valentina sighed. “All three of them are addicted to prescription opioid painkillers supplied by Matryona Sokolov.”
Maxence and Lady Valentina were standing right next to where Dree was sitting in a chair, taking notes.
When Valentina said Matryona Sokolov’s name and connected it to opioids and the election, Dree’s eyes widened. “Oh Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Now, I get it.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
DREE EXPLAINS IT ALL FOR YOU
Dree
“So, last night, Matryona and Kir Sokolov kidnapped me from the Sea Change Gala and tied me to a chair in a warehouse over in France where they were threatening to kill me. And the warehouse was filled with narcotics they were planning to distribute to France and Spain, but they also had more on a ship at the Port of Marseilles that they were having trouble getting to because their usual trucking company was helping somebody move instead of transporting highly addictive prescription drugs all over Europe.
“Yeah, so they had tied me to a chair with bungee cords and duct tape—this was after I tried to escape by distracting them by planting malware on their computer from a website that screamed it was watching porn—and Matryona and Kir were talking in Spanish to some guy on a video call. I guess they didn’t remember I spoke Spanish because they were talking while I was sittingright there.I had tried to speak Spanish to Matryona earlier because I don’t speak French, when she and her goons had recaptured me after I escaped the first time.
“And when they were talking to the guy who spoke Spanish on the video call, Matryona and Kir were arguinga bunch.They’re brother and sister, and you couldreallytell by the way they were fighting. I have some brothers and sisters, and we fought like thatall the timewhen we were growing up. You’d think those two would have gotten over it by now.
“Anyway, when they were talking with the Spanish guy about how to get their drugs off of a ship at the Port of Marseille, Matryona wanted to do something about it right away, but Kir was being a slacker. This does not surprise me. Kir has been a slacker this whole time. He didn’t even know my ex-boyfriend Francis was ripping him off in Phoenix foryears.He seems to be the type who doesn’t keep a close eye on the family farm, if you know what I mean.
“And then, when they were all riled up, Matryona suddenlystopped arguingwith them. And she said something really funny. Like, funnyhmmm,not funnyha-ha.She said that afterthat afternoon,which istoday,that they wouldnever have to worry about getting drugs stuck in the Port of Marseille or about how to ship their drugs around Europe ever again.
“And when the Spanish guy called her on it, Matryona said that even though they sold illegal prescription drugs, especially highly regulated opioid painkillers, their most valuable commodity waspeople.Then she said some stuff about Facebook, and how Facebook wasn’t selling advertising, they were selling access to their Facebook users.
“And so, she kind of insinuated that she hadsold the votesof a whole lot of people who were on the Crown Council—meaning drug addicts and casual users—to the highest bidder. The bid was that the Sokolov crime syndicate wouldn’t be hassled about imports and exports anymore. Oh, and she also said that the Sokolovswould not have any competition anymorefor selling their drugsin Monaco.
“And then the Spanish guy made fun of Matryona, telling her that Prince Jules would never have agreed to that, and Matryona said that she hadn’t made the dealwith Prince Jules.
“Then she said thatwomen got the job done.
“So, it seems to me, the Russian drug smuggler Matryona Sokolov made a deal with Lady Marie-Therese Grimaldi. Matryona Sokolov got an exclusive license to sell illegal prescription opioid drugs in Monaco, hassle-free shipping through the port of Marseilles, and free reign to ship her wares all over southern Europe.
“In return, Marie-Therese Grimaldi got the votes of the Crown Council members who were beholden to the Sokolovs, and Matryona specifically mentioned Louis Grimaldi, Lady Clémentine Gastaud, and Lady Henri Giordano, and she also mentioned an Ethan and a Nathan, but they sounded like more casual users than addicts.
“And that’s how Marie-Therese stole the election, kind of like how she tries to steal other people’s boyfriends.”
Silence.
The crowd was a mass of round, open mouths.
Marie-Therese stood with her hand pressed against the red satin of her dress over her black heart. “It’s all lies.”
Dree said to her, “Oh, don’t act so shocked. I heard about Rae Stone and Wulfram von Hanover and how you tried to steal himafterthey were already married. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that you tried to crawl in bed with Maxence.”
Marie-Therese scowled, actually baring her teeth with anger.
Lady Valentina Martini rolled her eyes. “I knew you’d slept with Pierre, Marie-Therese, but you tried it with Maxence, too?”
Marie-Therese stormed out of the throne room, the satin of her red dress rustling in her wake.
Prince Jules watched her leave, and even from where Dree was standing, she saw his eyes narrow. He turned on his heel and walked to the double doors on the other side of the room, where he stood.
When Dree looked out over the shocked-silent crowd in the throne room, every eyeball pointed at her.
They were all freakingstaringat her like she’d grown three heads.
Dree stared back at them. “What?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
