Page 112

“It also meant no one was checking you. If Dmitry had intercepted one message,” he continued, “he would have known exactly when Alessia left, which airfield she used, who escorted her, and where she would land. Because you hid the plan from us, no one could see whether you had missed something.”

“I didn’t miss anything.”

“You’re missing the point, brother,” Ivan scoffed.

The anger in his voice surprised me. Ivan was rarely angry. Usually, he just became more precise and detail oriented. Hearing the emotion in his voice right now gave me pause.

“I intercepted the pilot’s clearance request,” he explained. “The Bellandi aviation account had been compromised. The moment Aleksei approved the flight, a copy containing the tail number, departure window, and destination would have gone to a Volkov burner.” His gaze held mine. “Dmitry would have known exactly where you’d sent her before she even left the ground.”

Fuck.

Aleksei stood near the doorway, immaculate despite the hour, one hand inside the pocket of his dark coat. “The pilot contacted my office,” he said. “He needed arrival clearance through one of our European companies.”

I looked at him.

“I refused him.”

“You had no authority to cancel my order.”

“No,” Aleksei agreed. “But I do have authority over my name, my contacts, and whether I helped you transport a woman without her consent.” His voice held none of the teasing amusement he usually used to soften a blow. “I will not help you send your wife anywhere against her will,” he continued. “Not to Sicily. Not to Maxim’s estate. Not across the street.”

Nikolai had remained silent until then. He stepped closer, the bulk of him filling the space between the sofa and the fireplace. His gaze dropped to the collar in my hand.

“She isn’t Mila, brother.”

My entire body went rigid. “I know that.”

“No. You don’t.” His voice was rough, stripped of every joke he usually carried into a room. “You know it when Alessia is standing right in front of you, but then someone makes a move, and you start loving her like she’s already dead.”

My hand closed more tightly around the leather.

“Do not speak about something you don’t understand.”

“I understand enough.” Nikolai came closer. “You watched our parents die. You watched Mila die. All of that happened, yes, but Alessia is still alive, and you’re already arranging the part where you lose her.”

“I was sending her somewhere safe.”

“You were mourning her in advance.”

The words cracked through me, and it must have shown on my face because Nikolai’s expression softened by a degree, which somehow made them hurt more.

No one spoke after that.

Maxim sat in the chair opposite mine. Aleksei finally removed his coat. Ivan closed the flight record but left the screen visible. Nikolai went into the kitchen and returned with vodka and five glasses, but he didn’t pour any.

Then I took out my phone and called the pilot.

“Cancel the aircraft.”

A pause followed. “The crew is already preparing⁠—”

“Stand them down. Remove Alessia’s name from every manifest. Destroy all retained copies of her travel documents.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Send written confirmation when it’s done.”

* * *