Dimitri presses his lips together. “Apologies, Pakhan. My problems don’t matter.”
“How valuable is this girl?” Alexei asks, shifting the focus.
“More valuable than you. That’s all you need to know.”
"If you’re not willing to give us any information,” I say, “why tell us about it?”
"Ah yes,” he drawls, “Leave it to my son to ask the tough questions.”
He slams his fist on the table. “I know someone inside this organization took her. Someone who knew exactly where to find her and not be noticed doing so."
His eyes sweep the table, stopping on each man. "One of you. Or someone working for one of you did it. Whoever knows what happened needs to think wisely about how long you expect to maintain your silence."
Pasha’s eyes widen. "You think one of us set fire to your brothel to steal a girl? A whore? There's no logic to that."
"Isn't there?” My father bites out. “A fire on the same night the girl disappears. That's not a coincidence."
"Why would the fire be convenient?" Sergei asks. "Was she being held there against her will?"
My father's eyes narrow. Sergei’s getting too close to the truth.
"Do not question me."
He draws in a breath, grinding his teeth. "The girl was under my protection. She did not wish to leave, and she didnot leave on her own. I know this, because she couldn’t have run away.”
Pasha scratches his head. "Did she have no legs? She could have gotten tired of working at the brothel and left town.”
"Not this one."
"Why not?"
My father rises. Planting both hands flat on the table, he leans forward, looming over it.
"She just couldn't."
"You're asking us to help you find someone, but you won't tell us what’s special about her. You won't tell us anything except that you want her back. That’s not a lot of information, Pakhan."
"I don't need to explain myself to anyone,” he snarls. “Much less you."
"Then don't expect much help.”
His eyes narrow to slits. "Are you refusing to help me?"
"That’s not what I’m saying. It’s hard for any of us to help you if we don't know what we're looking for. We need to know what makes this girl different, why we need to find her.”
"That's not your concern."
"Then I don't know what you want from us."
"Do not question me!" My father's voice cracks through the room like a whip. "One of you took something that belongs to me, and I want it back."
The mercenaries at his side, edge closer to the table, hands sliding to their pistols. I hear the click of a safety going off.
The men around the table go still, all eyes swinging to the guns, to the Pakhan then to each other.
We’ve all seen this play out before, even inside this room. Bodies going into bags and business continuing as normal.
"What if we don't know who took her?" Dimitri asks, his gaze snapping back to the guns.
