Page 114 of Blood Code

But there were piles and piles of evidence: secret deals, money changing hands, women disappearing. All connected to something called the Order.

I had no idea what Viktor would do once he had the information. Throw a coup?

No idea. But it wasn’t for me to judge or care. He paid me to do a job, and I did it. And now I was slipping through the Volkov mansion to find Viktor and deliver my findings. Preferably without anyone seeing me.

My stealth had been going splendidly until I heard two men arguing somewhere deep in the residential quarters.

Two voices I knew.

Severin and his father.

I crept down the hall, careful to avoid the creaking floorboards of the old Gilded Age mansion.

As I moved, the voices got louder. I peered through a cracked door. It was an antechamber between the main hallway and a suite of rooms that belonged to Severin’s father.

I didn’t dare sneak in further. I had to listen from here.

The voices were faint, but I could make out a lot of what they were saying.

“I don’t care about her,” Severin said harshly. “I’ve never cared about her.”

“Then you won’t mind⁠—”

Aleksandr spoke in such a low register that it was incredibly difficult to hear him, and half of what he said was completely inaudible.

“I won’t do it,” Severin said. Aleksandr's response was lost.

Their muffled exchange sounded like a conversation between the Peanuts parents.

“You will.” Aleksandr's voice faded again, swallowed by the distance.

My heart pounded in my ears. I chewed on my bottom lip.

A crash sounded, followed by a muffled curse word.

“I don’t care,” Severin snapped, suddenly loud enough for every word to carry through the wall and down the corridor. “Just get rid of her.”

Aleksandr replied too quietly for me to catch.

“And don’t fucking tell me how you do it,” Severin yelled.

My stomach dropped. Who were they talking about?

It couldn’t be me.

Severin and his father had plenty of Bratva business that I wasn't allowed to know about. This could be anyone.

Aleksandr spoke again. His words were indistinct, but the threat in his tone was unmistakable.

“Why would I fucking care what you do with her?” Severin asked. “I haven’t loved her and I never will. She’s a fucking⁠—”

The rest was inaudible. I stifled a curse and edged closer, trying to hear more, but entering the antechamber was out of the question. If I got caught in there, I would have no excuse.

And if I got caught, I would have Viktor’s evidence on me. Which was not good at all.

From the hallway, at least, I could claim I was on my way to see Viktor. That was absolutely true, though admitting it would cause different problems.

“You will do it…” Aleksandr snapped. “Or I will… and I’ll make it the worst… you’ll wish she…”