I fight the urge to deck him, or better yet, both of Alina’s brothers.Instead, I call upon every ounce of restraint and approach the couch.
They stand as I stop in front of them.It’s eerie how alike they look, despite being nearly six years apart in age and Konstantin wearing glasses.They’re almost like twins.Or triplets, if you count their middle brother, Nikolai—who, it appears, couldn’t make it to the party.Probably because he’s busy playing daddy tomynephew.
It sets my teeth on edge just thinking about it.
The two Molotovs match me in height, so we’re eye to eye as we glare at each other.
Valery breaks the silence first.His voice is like a shard of glass in winter.“I told you not to stand in our way, Leonov.We came unarmed—now let us see her.”
It’s hard to keep my face expressionless.“You want to see your sister.”
“That’s right,” Konstantin says, his tone calm despite the hatred burning in his eyes.“Your email said she’ll be undergoing surgery shortly.We want to see her before she goes under the knife.”
This is fucking weird.Are they here as a diversion?Do they think we’ll call off our men and stop looking for Alina if they pretend like they know nothing?If so, that’s a very risky ploy.The full contingent of my guards is here now, so I could have them both detained.I could keep them prisoner and torture them until they tell me exactly where Alina is.Alina wouldn’t appreciate it if I killed them, so I’ll try not to, but they wouldn’t have to know that.
Then again, they undoubtedly have their men stationed nearby, ready to attempt a rescue if needed.Maybe they think that’s assurance enough, and this game is worth it.But to what end?Why take this kind of risk for a not-so-convincing ploy?
I have to find out, which means playing along for now.
“She’s resting,” I say coolly.“I’ll tell her you’re here when she wakes up.”
Valery’s jaw hardens.“We’ll see hernow.”
Yeah, sure.“How did you find us?”I ask, as if he hasn’t spoken.
“We tracked your plane,” Konstantin replies flatly.“From there, it wasn’t hard to figure out which penthouse you’d purchased.There were only a few on the market in Geneva, and only one was bought by an untraceable shell company.I’m sure you knew that, though.”
So I did.And they knew that I knew they’d be coming.So why the hell are they pretending like I don’t know Alina would reach out to them first thing?
Unless… she didn’t.Or couldn’t.
Everything inside me goes cold.
What if she didn’t climb out of that window on her own?
What if someone took her?
Fuck knows, her brothers and I have enemies to spare.
Goddammit.What if that’s what the Molotovs want me to think so they can get her out of Geneva without bloodshed?Is this what they’re hoping to achieve by coming here unarmed—convincing me that they’re not involved in her disappearance?
Then again, what if they aren’t?
“We’ll see hernow,” Valery repeats harshly, taking a step forward, and Konstantin does the same.Their faces are hard, determined, their postures tense and combat ready—the very picture of brothers dead set on getting to their sick sister, regardless of the risk to themselves.
Ruslan was right.If it’s a fucking act, it’s an Oscar-worthy one.
The threat of violence hangs in the air, thickening the atmosphere, and I make a split-second decision.Because the only thing worse than Alina’s brothers taking her from me would be someone else doing that.Someone who doesn’t care for her.
Someone who wants to hurt me or her brothers through her.
“I don’t have her,” I say, laying all the cards on the table.“And the two of you either know that full well, or she’s in big fucking trouble.”
Chapter5
Alina
Iwrithe on the bed, the pain in my skull unbearable, nauseating.In the past, I’ve had drugs—migraine meds, painkillers, or pot—to help me through these episodes.But I don’t dare take so much as a Tylenol now, not when I have yet to decide what to do about the fragile life inside me.
