Lies of My Monster: A Dark Mafia Romance(27)

“No, you’re good.” He squeezes my shoulder. “You were able to escape Damien’s hold. Not just anyone can do that. I’m proud of how far you’ve come.”

I grin. “It’s all thanks to you.”

“Don’t be humble. None of this would’ve happened if you weren’t disciplined.” He releases me. “Come on. We should go before Viktor starts being a pain in the ass.”

We’re about to leave when I catch a glimpse of Rai—the Pakhan’s niece—being guided by her guards into her car. She got married a week ago to someone chosen by her granduncle. Her new husband is dangerous and mysterious. Everyone is keeping an eye on him.

Their wedding day was complete madness, and everything that followed was weird.

Since then, she’s changed, but I’m not sure if it’s for the better. Rai has always been a careful businesswoman who’s made of steel. She used the secret she held over Kirill’s head to make him vote for her to become the executive director of V Corp—the organization’s legitimate front. Since that time, she’s been slowly but surely eliminating his and even Adrian’s spies from the company. Something both men don’t appreciate and have been secretly plotting to get back at her for. How, I don’t know.

Under different circumstances, I wouldn’t care, but I’m sure Rai is also planning something. For instance, she’s glaring at Kirill as he gets into the car now. And I’m not sure how much longer he can piss her off in meetings before she decides to put his position and all the wins he brought to the organization in jeopardy.

All because of me.

Logically, Kirill has no reason to protect my identity. He could tell her that I’m a woman, and that might get me killed by the Pakhan, but Rai would have nothing to threaten him with anymore.

But he hasn’t.

Why hasn’t he?

“Move it.” Viktor glares at us, forcing me to break eye contact with the situation.

I climb into the passenger seat. It’s now my usual place since I’m forbidden from sitting with Kirill. Viktor, who took that position, would gloat if the man knew how to display normal human emotions.

I’m in the middle of checking my ammunition when my eyes clash with Kirill’s through the rearview mirror, and he’s glaring.

Or I think he is, because the contact only lasts for a fraction of a second before he focuses back on what Viktor is telling him about the club’s numbers this month.

I swallow. What the hell was that for?

“Is there a reason why you’re not putting Rai in her place?” Viktor asks after he’s done discussing the club. “She has the audacity to subtly threaten you at the table with everyone there.”

I go still, but I don’t dare check the rearview mirror or look behind me and, instead, focus on the tall buildings blurring past us.

Even Viktor notices her not-so-subtle animosity. Which means everyone else does, too.

“She’s all bark and no bite,” comes Kirill’s casual reply.

“She didn’t sound like it. Besides, it’s demeaning, Boss. Adrian, Igor, and Damien’s men are asking me and Lipovsky if you’re not able to remove Rai from your path. We don’t know how to answer them.”

“Then don’t,” Kirill says simply. “You don’t owe them anything.”

I’ve been telling them there’s nothing to it, but, of course, they don’t buy it. Especially Vladislav, Damien’s senior guard, and Yan, Adrian’s guard. Yan acts clownish like Maksim, but he’s the best at getting information. And I’m sure he told Adrian that Rai must be threatening Kirill with something.

Shit.

“If Adrian knows…” I trail off when I realize I’m speaking out loud. Silence falls over the car, so I clear my throat and look at Kirill through the rearview mirror. “I’ll try to find out from Yan. We’ve become close.”

Or more like, we’re constantly milking each other for information while pretending to be friends. Neither of us will admit to that fact, and we keep dancing around it in this weird limbo where we’re aware of each other’s intentions but still go with the act anyway.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Kirill orders in his frightening tone.

“But I can do something. If Adrian has any information, you can be in the know.”

“What the fuck did I just say, Lipovsky? Are you defying direct orders?”

“No…sir.” I want to bite my lower lip until it bleeds, but I ball my fists on my lap instead.

Tension grows in the car for a few seconds before Viktor says, “Lipovsky is actually close to Yan, Boss. Let him do his thing and be useful.”

“I said— No. And that’s fucking final.”

This time, no one tries to persuade him. There’s a shift in the air, and the tension swirling around Kirill could be cut with a knife.

The rest of the ride, Viktor talks more about the club, but that doesn’t really kill the unwelcoming atmosphere. Once we arrive at the house, Kirill tells us he has work to do alone.

Pressure grows in my chest and I have to tap it a few times in order to breathe properly.

It’s times like these when I start to question my choices and everything I’ve done since Russia.

I’m so close to giving up, but then he does something like saving me or paying attention to details about me and I go back to my stupid hopeism.