“Open the door.” All friendliness is gone from his voice. “We can discuss this like adults.”
“Wearediscussing it like adults,” I point out, actually enjoying this verbal sparring match. “I’m just doing it from behind reinforced steel because I’m an adult who learns from her mistakes. And you, Alexei, were a colossal fucking mistake.”
The silence that follows is heavy enough to feel through the door.
“Open the door, Vera,” he growls.
“No.”
Alexei snarls. “Open it or I’ll have my men break it down.”
“Good luck with that.” I examine my nails like I’m not scared shitless. “This door is reinforced steel designed to withstand military-grade explosives. So unless you’ve got a tank out there, we’re going to be here a while. Want me to make coffee? The espresso machine in here is nicer than anything I’ve ever seen.”
I can practically hear him grinding his teeth.
“Where’s Dimitri?” I ask, unable to help myself. I need to know what happened to him.
Alexei laughs, that cold, horrible sound. “Dimitri is dead, Vera.”
The world tilts and it’s a good thing I’m leaning against the wall.
“Konstantin handled him personally. It’s over. Your husband is gone, and now you belong to me. The way you always should have.”
My knees buckle. I grab a nearby table, gasping.
No. It’s not possible. Dimitri is too strong, too smart, too?—
But the radio said “Boss is not responding.”
Oh God. What if?—
Static crackles and then I hear a voice over a radio, faint but audible through the door.
“Sir, we have a problem. Dimitri Volkov is alive and en route. ETA three minutes.”
I stop breathing.
Alive.
He’salive.
Relief crashes over me so violently I actually sob. My legs give out and I sink to the floor, one hand over my mouth, the other splayed to the ground.
He’salive. He’scoming. I just need to hold on.
“What?” Alexei’s voice turns sharp. “That’s impossible. Konstantin said?—”
“Konstantin failed, sir. Dimitri’s wounded but functional and heading this way with reinforcements. We need to extract now.”
The string of curses that follows would make a sailor blush. Then his voice through the door again, all pretense shattered.
“Change of plans, Vera. You’re coming with me. Now.”
I shake my head. “Hard pass.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Alexei snaps. “Dimitri might be alive but he’s wounded and vulnerable. If you stay here, he’ll walk into a trap. Is that what you want?”
It’s manipulation. Pure, calculated manipulation.
