“How?” Nikolai asks.
“This person has sown seeds of mistrust. They’ve arranged death and injury to members of the Assembly and their associates. All in the name of taking control.”
I can’t help myself. I can’t hold my tongue any longer.
“Dmitri Sharpe has done nothing but foster animosity in an attempt to take control,” I say, trying to keep the simmering anger at bay in my voice. The words are still edged with fury. “He wants us to turn on each other, all for his benefit.”
Dmitri’s face changes. I can see it happen before the rest of the Assembly turns to him. There’s a flicker of anger in his eyes, a cool calculation as he considers his choices.
He’s trapped, and he’s trying to find his way out. I won’t let him.
The others turn to Dmitri as his face morphs into an expression of disbelief and outrage. He holds his hands up.
“What is this? What—”
“You plotted to kill our father and frame Antonio Donovan for it,” Lachlan continues, his words falling like stones. “You surveilled Aiden and his new wife, Rose. You have worked to destabilize the Assembly and watch it fall, all for power.”
“I have not,” Dmitri replies, his voice sharp. He looks around the table, eyes glittering with anger. “This is insane. Where did you even hear such vicious lies? Who is telling you these things about me?”
“Your wife told us,” Connor says conversationally. I glance at him, noting the way his fists are curled just beneath the table. He’s thinking about Willow.
I am too.
We knew it was a risk to speak. It’s a risk to Willow. She lives with Dmitri and is always there as a subject of his wrath. This will only make things worse for her.
But if we catch him now, he may never return home. I have a feeling she’d thank us if that were the case.
Dmitri relaxes. His hands lower, a smirk twisting his lips. “My wife? It’s a wonder she managed to get enough words out to say so much.”
I bite my tongue so hard I taste blood. I want to throw my fist at his face, watch him crumple to the ground. I want to hit him once for every time he’s hurt me, my family. Willow.Rose.
Instead, I have to wait. I wait as Dmitri seems to relax, his fake astonishment evaporating.
“We can clear this up now,” he says, holding his palms up calmly. “These men say my wife came to them with these allegations. Ask her yourselves.”
He looks around at the Assembly. One by one, the gathered members nod, agreeing to allow him to make his case. I grit my teeth, sharing a look with my brothers.
Dmitri jerks his head at his second, who nods and leaves the room.
The meeting grinds to a halt as we wait for Dmitri’s second in command to return, and the tension that fills the space hovers over me like a cloud, making me itch to stand up and drag Dmitri out into the street like Finn suggested earlier.
Finally, the door opens again, and Willow is guided inside.
She looks terrible.
She’s clearly drugged up, moving slowly like time doesn’t make any sense to her. She keeps her head down, avoiding eye contact, and with the way she holds herself, I can imagine she’s bruised beneath her heavy sweater. The way she curls in on herself makes me want to dive across the table and grab Dmitri by his throat.
Willow is guided to the end of the table, to a chair right beside Dmitri. I watch her sink into it, her body stiff, unrelaxed.
Antonio is the first to speak.
“We have heard disturbing things about your husband, Dmitri,” he says. “We only want to ask you some questions. Do you understand?”
Willow blinks slowly. Her eyes are fixed on the table. It takes her a few seconds to say, “Yes.”
“Has Dmitri confessed to you that he killed Callum O’Reilly?” Nikolai asks, straightforward.
Willow’s brows furrow. I can see confusion in her eyes, along with a flicker of fear.
