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Adrianos, The Greek Devil

Page 132

by D.C. Beks

His gaze shifts to me. "Your banker was involved."

"Karras was a cog."

"According to your woman."

I take one step toward him. Elena doesn't touch me this time because she doesn't need to.

"Santiago, choose your next words carefully."

His expression changes. Not fear, exactly. Calculation. At least he isn't stupid enough to forget where the line is.

Lorenzo moves between us yet again. "This is exactly what whoever built the network wants. Look at yourselves. Five minutes ago, we discovered someone has been stealing from all of us for decades. Now we're deciding which one of us did it."

"One of us might have," Santiago says.

"Yes," Volkov replies. "That's the fucking problem."

Lorenzo turns on him. "You aren't helping."

"I'm not trying to."

Elena closes one of the files, and the quiet click somehow cuts through the room.

"We questioned another broker this morning," she says. "He spent six years processing funds connected to this network. He never met whoever controls it. Instructions came through intermediaries who appeared legitimate. Accountants, lawyers, executives, security contractors. People connected to businesses the Crown already trusted."

"Which families?" Lorenzo asks.

"All five."

Nobody speaks.

Elena looks around the table. "Before we left, he said something that bothered me. He said we're looking for an enemy, and that's why we'll never see them."

Declan's gaze sharpens. "What did he mean?"

"We don't know for certain."

"Your theory?"

Elena glances at me.

I answer for both of us. "Whoever built OB6 may already be part of the Crown."

Santiago laughs once, but there's no humor in it. "You're suggesting one of us."

"I'm suggesting we stop assuming titles make anyone innocent."

Volkov's expression becomes dangerous. "Including you?"

"Especially me. If Elena's evidence is correct, whoever built this wants us destabilized, perhaps fighting each other. Until we understand the objective, nobody gets automatic trust."

"Wonderful," Lorenzo mutters. "That should keep the alliance peaceful."

"Peace isn't the priority."

"Keeping the Crown intact is."

I look around the table. Maybe Lorenzo is right. Maybe keeping the Crown intact is exactly the battle we're already losing.