Chapter 72
1843words
The meeting is arranged quickly. Calling Adriana was the first hurdle, because as soon as she heard from Camila, neither of them could talk between the shouting and crying. It took longer than expected for her to convince Jonah to escort her to my mansion.
Evidently, he's not as sold on seeing Camila in person as Adriana is. I suspect seeing her is a reminder that his way failed, and not because he was unable to protect her. It makes me respect him a lot less. But this isn't about him.
The meeting was supposed to start ten minutes ago. But for the last fifteen minutes, Adriana has clutched Camila in her arms, alternating between crying and chiding her.
'I thought you were dead!" she sobs for what seems like the millionth time.
Smiling indulgently, Camila pets her hair. She catches my eye, and I give her a look. We're running short on time here. She fixes me with one of her own that tells me to relax. But it's hard for me to do that.
Especially because Jonah keeps tapping his pen on the surface of the long wooden table in my sunroom like he owns the place.
I picked the place, thinking the pleasant sunshine would brighten the mood somewhat. But somehow, all it does is make everyone equally uncomfortable. The bright rays keep bouncing off the shiny table into my eyes, forcing me to squint. Damp patches of sweat are soaking through Jonah's pale lavender suit.
It doesn't take a genius to know that things are already off to a rough start.
'Adriana," Jonah mutters. 'Can we focus, please?"
She wipes at her eyes with both hands, laughing self-consciously. 'Right, right, sorry, everyone. I'm just overwhelmed." Giving Camila one last hug, she moves to stand by the window. Camila joins her, her eyes on us, but her hand is encased in Adriana's.
The sight of their closeness makes me jealous. Somehow, my own reunion with Camila—as passionate as it became—lacked the emotional intimacy that she shares with Adriana. And when she squeezes Adriana's hand, as if she's seeking a comfort that I can't provide, I feel my mood go from sour to black.
'Thank you for coming," I begin.
'Thank Adriana." Jonah narrows his eyes. 'If I had my way, I wouldn't have come at all, Volkov."
I force my smile to stay fixed in place. But given how flippant Jonah is in my presence, it's a hell of a lot harder than I thought.
'Noted," I say through tight teeth.
'What are you up to, Volkov?" Jonah asks, craning forward over the table, his eyes hooded. 'Why invite me here?"
'Because we want the same thing."
'The destruction of the Grachev Bratva?" he sneers.
'You're a fool if you think that's possible." My neck becomes a roll of knots. 'And an even bigger fool if you think it won't just set off more violence than you can ever know."
'Nothing is impossible!" He pounds his fist on the table. Adriana jumps, but Camila just glares. 'The Grachev Bratva is a rot upon this city. Has been for years. This was supposed to be my chance to end it once and for all!"
'Is that all this is for you?" I ask pointedly. 'Glory? Fame? A chance to be remembered?"
I know men like Jonah Sanders. Sure, they may dress in fine clothes, parading their supposed power and influence in the daylight. But they are nothing but rats scurrying beneath those who hold the real power. The ones who operate in shadows. The ones who pull their strings, even when they don't realize it. People like Jonah never want to put their own lives on the line. They're happy to scheme so others do the work while they claim the victory because they did the fucking paperwork.
'This isn't about any of that," he retorts. 'This is about doing what is right!"
'You can't even hear yourself," I snap. 'Do you imagine that the Bratva is so easy to collapse that taking me down will end it all? Do you think the corrupt cops who've gotten fat off Bratva money will simply allow their livelihoods to be threatened? Do you think the brigadiers who've been champing at the bit for their chance to taste power will just abandon that opportunity if you remove me? Do you imagine that all you have to do is kick in the door, and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down?"
'You don't believe in this city, do you?" He levels me with a haughty glare. 'You've never believed in it."
'I've seen this city in ways you never could." I shake my head in disgust. 'I've seen it for what it is: a dirty, twisted thing that cares neither for its people nor itself. And here's the awful truth: you remove me, and you might get a year of ‘peace' before things become infinitely worse."
'How do you know?"
I pause, knowing that every word I say to him can potentially incriminate me. What does it matter? I think savagely. I'm already a criminal. And there is room for both of us to help each other before we're back at each other's throats.
'Because I've seen it," I tell him. 'Because I was the cause of the war that has been raging in these streets for the last ten years. Because I did exactly what you're trying to do now. Tell me, why do you think this is a Grachev Bratva and not an Volkov Bratva?"
'Why don't you enlighten me?" Jonah crosses his arms. 'Since you seem to hold all the answers."
'Because this Bratva once belonged to Yannick Grachev," I confess to him. Behind Jonah, Adriana glances at Camila. How much does she know? 'Until I stole it from him."
'So what?" Jonah licks his upper teeth. He'd spit, I think, if some part of his sense of civility didn't stop him. 'Do you want me to thank you for sending so many people to their grave because of your little argument with this … What's his name? Yannick Grachev?"
He's so fucking smug that it takes everything in me not to grab him by his stupid tie and beat him bloody.
'For a man who gets off on telling people what to do, you should listen more."
'I am listening, Volkov." He shrugs. 'But I know what you are, and nothing you say can change my mind about you. Criminals can't be counted upon to take down criminals. And I have no reason to believe that if I put you away, I can't do the same for the rest of the Bratva."
You arrogant little shit.
'If you won't listen to my other warnings, then at least listen to this one." I lean across the table. 'Yannick has a mole in your firm."
'Impossible!" Jonah's eyes flare wide. Adriana and Camila share his surprise.
'Is it?" I ask. 'How else did Yannick find Camila and her mother so quickly?"
Jonah stands quickly, chest filling with air and wounded pride. I know the signs of a man who wants to fight. Wired with my own disdain because of how he put the woman I love at risk, I rise to meet him on the other side of the table. There's no barrier between us. I could easily wrap my fingers around his neck, and I'd watch in satisfaction as I squeezed the color onto his face.
He's a full half a foot shorter than me, and he seems to realize this as he gazes up at me. Surprise turns to hesitation; hesitation transforms into the shadow of fear in his eyes, and he reconsiders his decision. My hand twitches at my side. I can grab him by his skinny gray tie and use it to strangle him. Or I could just slam it downward to bounce his face against my table.
There are many options, and each one is more tempting than the last.
'Stop it! Both of you!" Camila slaps her hands on the table, glaring at us each in turn.
Jonah recoils, his whole face wrinkling up like he's smelled something awful. He's eyeing Camila like she's the cause of his problems. My dislike for him grows stronger by the second.
But while Camila's words have created chagrin in me, my annoyance with this man and his reaction to her keep me from calming down.
'You're a selfish son of a bitch," I say coldly. 'Why did I ever think that I could reason with you?"
'Fuck you, Volkov," Jonah snaps.
Now it's Adriana's turn to step into Jonah's space. With a quick motion, she gives him a tap on the side of his head.
'Camila is right; you're both being unreasonable right now. At least hear him out about the mole."
Jonah gawks, shrinking from her outrageous actions. It's such a ridiculous scene that I have to fight to keep myself from laughing.
'Our goal is the same," I say carefully to Jonah. 'To end Yannick Grachev. Seek glory all you want, but your fight is with him, not me."
Jonah considers me suspiciously before the lines smooth on his forehead. 'Tell me about this mole."
'I have no name," I reply. 'And the man who could tell his identity is six feet underground. But as long as this mole exists in your office, there is nothing the law can do."
'And what do you suggest?"
'Bring me every bit of information you've collected on my Bratva," I suggest. 'Every last piece. Leave no copy behind in your office. If any new information arrives, I want it brought here and here alone. What Yannick doesn't know, he can't act upon."
'You're asking me to break a lot of laws, Volkov."
'Better for you to break laws," I reply, 'than to have Yannick break you once you've outlived your usefulness. And trust me, you're getting dangerously close to that point."
Jonah goes silent, and his face blanches. Finally, it seems the gravity of his situation is starting to set in.
'How do I know I can trust you?"
'You don't," I answer truthfully. 'But Camila trusts me, and your wife trusts her."
Jonah sighs, placing his hands on his hips as he considers my words. 'I'm going to need some time to think about this."
You coward. 'Fine," I say. 'But be quick about it. You have a lot less time than you think."
My gaze tears away from Jonah and his stupid lavender suit just in time to see Camila and Adriana step out of the sunroom. Jonah is running his mouth as he launches into details about all the irrelevant things he'll need before he can agree with me, but my attention is no longer focused on him.
There's a reason Camila and Adriana stepped away from this room.
They're going to talk about something.
Something they don't want me or Jonah to know.
Just what the hell could they need to talk about in private?
