VLAD (The V Games #1)(13)

Thoughts about my brother have the crab and wine reacting bitterly in my stomach. I miss him. Fuck, how I do.

“Is everything okay?” Diana asks. The friend, not the businesswoman.

“In due time,” I promise. “In due time.” When she’s my wife and I can trust her, I’ll let her in on Vika and the Vetrov family. Until she wears my last name proudly like she does my ring, I’ll keep her in the dark, where she belongs.

She parts her mouth open to speak when a commotion resounds from the kitchen.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

Gunfire.

I rise from my chair, reaching for my piece inside my jacket when Diana stands as well. She hikes up the elegant black dress to her thigh where she has a small Beretta strapped to the inside. Her slender, golden thighs are distracting for a moment, but then I’m stalking for the kitchen with her right behind me. Ven bumps shoulders with me as we try to make it through the door at the same time, our guns drawn and ready to fire.

A strung-out tweaker holds the chef at gunpoint and shuffles from foot to foot as he takes us all in. He’s manic—dirty and coated in sweat. He belongs in the gutter—not the finest establishment in Russia.

“I’m here for a goddamned Volkov. I know she’s here!” he yells. “Where is Irvac, you motherfucking cunt whore!”

Before I can formulate a response, Diana pushes past Ven and I with her weapon drawn. Her words are icy and cruel as she delivers them without fear. “Your brother was a thieving snake. Don’t worry, asshole, you’ll see him in hell.”

Pop!

With impressive marksmanship, she puts a bullet through his eye. He crumples to the floor and blood bubbles from his blown socket. She killed him. Two murders in one day. Diana Volkov is vicious, just like a Vasiliev.

“No weapons!” a man in a suit roars as he rushes her from behind. The moment he puts his hands on her, my instincts kick in. I made a promise to this woman, and I fucking intend on keeping it.

I grab him by the collar and yank him away from her. My fist connects with his nose with a sickening crunch. Broken. He stumbles away for a moment before charging me. I take another swing at him, but he blocks me and tackles me to the kitchen floor. He’s bigger, but I’m more cunning. I slip my hand between us and grab his throat in a violent grip. He hisses, and I easily flip him. With him pinned beneath me gasping for air as his face turns purple, I seek out Diana. Ven has an arm wrapped around her. She gapes at me as though she’s surprised I just defended her.

Of course I will. It’s my duty now.

She’s going to be a Vasiliev, and nobody fucks with a Vasiliev.

“Vlad,” a deep, calm voice says behind me. “Release him.”

Father.

I squeeze the asshole’s throat for a second longer before letting him go and rising to my feet. I straighten my jacket and run a hand over my hair to make sure it’s in place before stalking over to Diana and placing a finger beneath her chin to lift her head. Bright blue eyes blink at me. Trust. A flash, but it’s there. I give her a slight nod before turning to regard my father.

“He came for the blood of my fiancée,” I state, my voice now calm, just like my father’s.

His eyes travel to the dead body and he clucks his tongue. “Anyone would do the same.”

Nobody offers the information that Diana was the one to make the kill shot. It’s none of their goddamn business.

“I didn’t realize you’d be dining tonight,” I say, a slight edge to my voice. Bodyguards pile in and start cleaning up the mess.

Father gives the closest thing to a smile he can muster. “Some potential sponsors for The Games. We were in the clubhouse upstairs when we were alerted to an altercation.”

“It’s been dealt with,” I say coolly as I straighten my tie. I offer my hand to Diana. She steps out of Ven’s hold and takes it. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to escort Diana home.”

Father nods his approval, and we leave without another word.





Voices from downstairs wake me from my slumber. I pull on my silky robe over my nightgown and rub the sleep from my eyes, checking my watch. It’s still early. Diana shouldn’t be home so soon, yet I hear her voice amongst others. I hurry to see what the commotion is about. As soon as I make it to Diana’s office, I walk into a scene I wish I could walk right back out of. Anton, my father, several of Vlad’s men, my sister, and Vlad himself are speaking rapidly and all at once. But what has my heart sinking is Diana and Vlad and their proximity. She’s gorgeous as ever in a black evening gown, but over her gown, she wears Vlad’s suit jacket as though she belongs to him. My stomach hollows out. The world expands around me, and I almost feel like I’m floating.

I want to ask what’s happened, but nobody sees or notices me anyway. Apparently, they were attacked at the restaurant. Diana shot someone, and Vlad protected her.

This is happening.

Breathe.

I catch light of the glistening yellow stone on her finger and an ache like I’ve never known opens up in my chest and acid pours in.

Breathe.

They’re engaged.

This is really happening.

My emotions are irrational, and betrayal cuts deep like a hot knife in butter. I knew it was coming. Diana warned me. But so soon? And seeing it in the flesh is something else entirely. My chest squeezes and I blink back angry, painful tears. He was never mine. I need to remember that.