Page 66 of The Bratva’s Monster

“Stay down,” I say, and a swell of pride grows in my chest. My voice isn’t shaking and neither are my hands. A new wave of emotions comes over me, victory, pride, even anger at him for daring to try and attack me.

I’m not on the outside of things anymore. I’m neck deep in it.

I grab my phone and turn it back on with one hand. Whatever Rikki is doing, he needs to come back. Now.

26

RIKKI

“Holy shit. Where the fuck have you been?”

It’s the first thing Alex says when he sees me. I’m standing at the entrance to his game room, where just a moment before, he was leaning over the pool table, ready to make a shot. The moment he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, he looked up, and for just a second, he paused as though he needed a moment to recognize me.

Now he’s standing up, pool cue still in his hand like a staff. I can’t quite tell from the look on his face whether he’s angry or just surprised. All I do know is that he wants an answer to his question.

“It’s a long story,” I say to him. I glance around and notice there are a couple of Boeviks sitting on the couch across the room, watching the football game. I clear my throat. “Can we have the room?”

Alex tilts his head slightly, reading me. Then without taking his eyes off me he says, “You heard him.”

The Boeviks, who just a moment ago appeared not to notice that I was even here, turn off the television and file out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

Alex sets the pool cue down on the pool table and says, “You’ll be happy to know the convoy made it back. Practically in one piece.”

I nod. “That’s good news.”

“Yeah.” He leans against the table, crossing his arms, and now I can see that he’s pissed. “When Igor called me, he thought that I’d seen you already. That was about two hours after they reached the meeting place. When I told him that he was the first person I’d spoken to about the convoy, he told me everything that happened.” The corners of his mouth dip into a hard frown. “I thought they’d killed you, Rikki.”

I don’t respond. I guess it’s reasonable enough for him to assume.

“What the fuck happened, man?” he asks me. “Why haven’t you been answering my calls? I’ve got half the Bratva out in the streets looking for you.”

This is it, the moment that might lead to my death or salvation. “I was with Liz,” I tell him.

He nods slowly. “I assume that if you’re standing here telling me about that, then she must be dead. It doesn’t explain why you went radio silent for a full day, however.”

“She’s not dead, Alex.”

His face darkens as glares at me and his jaw clenches. He’s waiting for me to explain myself.

“The crime she’s being accused of is being a traitor,” I say, “just as Gedeon was accused. I didn’t kill her because she’s innocent.”

“You think she’s innocent?” He smirks and shakes his head. “You know, Gedeon used to say that Liz could fuck like a champ. Now I know it must be true if she’s managed to convince you so easily.”

“Careful, Alex,” I warn. “It wasn’t that long ago that somebody might have accused you of the same thing.”

He glares. “You got amnesia or something? Did you forget who the fuck I am, Brother?”

“I haven’t, Alex. I know who you are and I know exactly what you can do.”

“Then what the fuck is this?” He advances on me, but I don’t move. I let him get in my face. “You disappear for a whole fucking day and when you finally show up, you want to tell me that your girlfriend isn’t the fucking rat we know she is.”

I could punch him right now. We could fight and tear this room apart the way we used to when we were young. Despite the size difference between us, Alex fights like a demon when he’s pressed. While I’m fairly sure I could beat him, it’s not a fight I want.

“You don’t know the whole story,” I say, lowering my voice. “Liz is not a part of any of this. And Gedeon… Gedeon was flawed, but he never betrayed us. I have the proof.”

He stares at me for a long time, and I can see indecision behind his eyes. “You disobeyed a direct order,” he growls. “And you came into my home⁠—”

“That should tell you something,” I say over him. “I know you could shoot me in the head right here and now for what I’ve done. And despite our being brothers, no one would ever question it. That ought to tell you how serious I am. I would not be here right now if I didn’t think there was a chance that you’d listen to me.”