“And then went home?” Mikhail presses.
I hold his gaze. “You saw the state of my mother’s face.”
His shoulders sag, and in that moment, every minute of his fifty-five years shows on his face. “Why didn’t you mention it when I asked if you had anything else to add?” he spits. “This information would have helped you.”
I remain silent.
The pakhan sighs, long and weary. “You’ll need to make yourself a ghost for a while. There will be questions no matter how well we cover this.”
I nod, expression neutral, not sure I can trust what he’s saying.
“Take the bodies somewhere it’s believable you could have found them. Then, call the cleanup crew. The story will be Sergei discovered Petyr trafficking women behind my back. They killed each other. Keep the rest of it to yourself.”
He doesn’t need to explain the obvious to Alex or me. Even a whisper of my father’s betrayal could undermine Mikhail’s authority. His power.
He narrows his eyes at me. “Stay out of sight for a couple of weeks. I’ll put it out that you’re doing a special project for Alex at Koval Industries and supporting your mother in her grief. I need to root out every man involved and deal with the traitors. I’ll contact you when you can come back.”
It’s not a complete answer. But I can’t find it in me to worry about the future.
Because by some miracle, I’m walking out of this house tonight… alive.
Back in the car, I take my first full breath in hours. “Thanks.” My voice is hoarse. “For coming with me. For convincing Mikhail.” My eyes stay on the dark road in front of us. “I know you didn’t have to do that for me, and I won’t forget it.”
Alex scoffs. “Don’t be fucking stupid. You’ve always been more of a brother to me than Mikhail ever has.”
Something hot swells in my chest.
He watches me for a beat. “I know you’re not telling me everything. I don’t need the details, but you need to make sure that shit is locked down.”
I don’t answer.
“I didn’t take your mother for the hooker heels type.”
“What?” My head swings to stare at him, and he dangles Sera’s broken shoe from his fingertip, the steel tip dark with dried blood.
“I don’t know who she is or why you would?—”
“Iamresponsible for this.” I manage through gritted teeth. I know Alex would never move against Sera, but I still don’t like him knowing another woman was involved. “I should have taken him out years ago.”
“Are we doing guilt?” Alex makes a face. “I don’t do guilt.”
I cock an eyebrow at him. “Really? I’ve seen you turn yourself inside out when Madison’s mad at you.”
He waves a hand in the air. “That’s different.Yourself-flagellation isn’t nearly as stylish as mine.”
The club is closed when I back into the alley.
“Returning to the scene of the crime?” Alex murmurs as we get out of the car.
I don’t know if anyone noticed the pool of blood in front of us since closing, but Alex does. Besides, it’s not the first time blood has been spilled here, so even if it had been noticed, I’m not sure anyone would care.
Alex lets out a heavy sigh when the trunk lid opens. “This is seriously beneath my pay grade.”
“Getting squeamish in your old age?” I smirk. “I blame the fact that you sit behind that fancy desk all day.”
“Couldn’t we have done this somewhere less disgusting?” He wrinkles his nose and looks at himself. “This suit is custom.”
I grunt. “Fancy.”
