Hidden Monsters (Volkov Bratva #4)(101)

Luka didn’t lose his temper. There was no point. “What do you want, Fatos?”

“If you don’t want to rule beside me, brother, then you can answer for what you’ve done against the Organization.”

Luka scoffed. “Mishca won’t—”

“Mishca? The Russian that you’re holding so much stake in sold you out. How do you think I knew you would choose today to strike against me? Even without your frivolous acts, I’m free to drag your ass back to Albania and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

Words failed him as Fatos spoke. That couldn’t be true. Not after everything…

“He wouldn’t.”

“No?” Fatos looked all too happy as he produced another phone from his pocket, clicking a few buttons on it before the sound of Mishca’s voice filled the room.

“He did all this?” Mishca asked.

“Why would I lie?” Fatos asked in return. “If a part of you didn’t believe me, I doubt you would still be sitting here with me, no?”

“And you want me to hand him over to you. Why wouldn’t I keep him? Have him answer for what he did to my brother?”

“Because, Russian, only I know what will truly break him. You don’t understand. Valon can withstand the harshest of tortures and nothing that you can think of will hurt him the way I can…the way being home in Berat will. This, too, you know.”

Mishca was quiet for some time, then came back and said, “He won’t go without a fight, and I doubt he will leave without first striking back against you for what you did to my sister.”

“She was never harmed…not really. But you did strike out against a number of my men, you and your mercenary. I believe that all is forgiven on that front?”

Mishca seemed to ignore this. “Two days from now, my sister will have an audition. I suspect that Luka will come for you then. That’s your only chance of taking him alive. But, before you leave with him, I need to hear the words from his mouth. Bring him to me. After he tells me what I want to hear, you can do whatever you want.”

The recording ended, Fatos looking at Luka smugly. “Loyalty is hard to come by, no?”

“Even if you did take me, there’s no guarantee that any of them are safe from you.”

Fatos shrugged. “True. Seems your Russian failed to remember that.”

Luka stared at him, making sure Fatos could see how serious he was. “This isn’t about him. This is about me. You want to take me? You, more than anyone, know what I’m capable of, and I promise you, I won’t make it easy.” Luka licked his lips. “But…you give me what I want, and I’ll go with you…willingly.”

“What, exactly, do you want?”

“First, no one affiliated with the Bratva will be hurt by you. Especially Alex.”

“You can’t possibly—”

“Agree or don’t.”

“Fine, agreed.”

“And I talk to Alex. Not Mishca.”

“You want her to know how you tried to kill her brother? Sure, by all means.”

No, he wanted her to know the truth.

Even if he didn’t think she would be able to handle it.





42

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Full Circle





Alex was panicking.

Never mind that everyone seemed to be on edge, even Mishca who was rarely frazzled. Whatever it was, she doubted it just ended with what happened to her. She knew something serious was happening if only because of the fact that Mishca had called in Celt, a friend of Klaus’ who worked as a mercenary. He seemed nice enough, his Irish brogue a delight to hear, but Alex was more worried about Luka than what was happening here.

He hadn’t answered his phone, and she’d been calling it dozens of times after her audition. She’d been so excited, especially when they’d asked her to come back for another performance. He’d told her earlier in the week that he would come by and pick her up afterwards and they’d go out to celebrate, no matter what answer she got. This morning, however, he hadn’t mentioned anything about it. She had noticed how he’d seemed drawn into himself, but she had ultimately accepted his word that he was fine. Now she wished she had pushed.

The men were off to the side, far enough away in Mishca’s office where Lauren and she couldn’t hear them. The pair of them was sitting together, and Lauren was rubbing her very swollen belly. She looked worried, her gaze focused on her husband across the room. If he hadn’t told her, then there was no chance that she was going to get any information from him.

And worse, in her gut, she felt like whatever was happening had something to do with Luka.

Hunting through her contacts, she clicked Luka’s name, bringing the phone to her ear and listening to it ring. And ring. And ring. When he still didn’t answer, this time she left a voicemail. Maybe that would prompt him to call her back sooner.

The sound of Mishca’s phone ringing cut through the silence in the room. From the second he connected the call, Alex was watching him, waiting for any sign of whom he was talking to. He always had a tell when something bothered him. That tick started in his jaw whenever he ground his teeth. Whatever the person on the other line was saying, Mishca didn’t like very much.