Loving Gavriil had always come at a cost. I was just finally admitting how much it had taken from me.
My brother’s eyes turn icier than normal. “You wouldn’t be standing here if not for me, and this is how you choose to repay me? I did you a favor by taking her from you before you got even more attached and she hurt you like Daria.”
“You’re too late,” I reply. “I love her.”
“You know what happens to those who betray me, little brother,” Gavriil states as he slowly straightens each sleeve of his suit.
“I didn’t betray you; I just fucking disagreed with your decision to kill Archer because you were wrong. I’vealwaysbeen loyal to you and the Bratva,” I grit out.
“If you’re so loyal, then prove it to me by obeying my orders,” Gavriil says simply.
“I won’t obey any more orders that hurt the people I love,” I tell him point blank.
“That’s the problem. You love your men, yourwildcat, more than you love this family.”
Him. He means that I love them more than him.
When I don’t deny that truth, Gavriil says, “Your men swore oaths to me, not you. And then they betrayed that oath. That’s why I have to make an example of them.”
No.
He wouldn’t.
“You gave your word. You told Alina that my men wouldn’t be harmed.”
“Alina and I made an agreement that I personally would not harm you or them,” he clarifies. “There are ways to get around that.”
Here it fucking comes.
My heart falters knowing that my brother is about to make me hate him even more.
Gavriil glances away from me to look at either side of my cell. “You’ll choose one of your own men to receive their punishment.You will prove to me that you can still follow yourPakhan’sorders.”
I brace myself. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Gavriil gestures to either side of me. “You’re going to aim and fire a gun at one of them. If you refuse, I’ll give the option to Alina, and she has already done quite a number on herself…”
I grind my teeth when he trails off, knowing exactly what he’s saying. Mydikaya koshkais so distraught that there’s no telling what she would do with a loaded gun, possibly even turn it on herself. “You want me to kill one of my friends to spare her and prove myself to you?”
“A revolver. One single bullet. Just a little game of Russian roulette. If you do as you’re told without argument, then your man might survive one shot with a minor wound,” Gavriil explains with a shrug. “I never said it had to be fatal if the gun fires, but it must hit flesh if it does. Continue to refuse, though, or intentionally miss, and the number of bullets in the cylinder will increase. Every second you or her delay, another bullet is added. Decide now.”
I don’t want to hurt any of my men, but I won’t let my brother put this burden on Alina. It sounds like all he would need to do is let her refuse food for a little longer, and the deed will be done without her having to lift a gun. Maybe we’ll get lucky and not land on the bullet.
“If I do this,” I say through clenched teeth, “youhaveto make her eat and drink something.”
“Of course. I already have a few ideas to entice her.” Gavriil snaps his fingers, and Roman emerges from where he stood out of view with the key to my cell door. Gavriil takes the key from him, then Roman lifts his automatic weapon right at my head.
When the cell door swings open, I barely resist the urge to lunge at my brother and rip his throat out. But I know I couldnever beat Gavriil at hand-to-hand combat. After all, he’s the one who trained me.
Another time I might take the chance. But I can’t afford another injury, not when Alina needs me.
I walk out of my cell for the first time in days, my body tensing in preparation for what’s to come.
Gavriil stands there calmly, though, as if he’s confident I won’t turn on him. “Choose your man.”
I glare at him before turning around to look through all the cell doors at the men who stood by me and were willing to risk their lives to help me and Alina escape the city. Going behind my brother’s back was dangerous, but they did it anyway for me. They would do anything for me, even bleed.
And I have to fire a gun at one of them and pray it doesn’t injure or kill them.
