“Whatever you choose.”
“Can I trust him too?”
“He’s in a weird place but he’s on board. And yes, you can trust him.”
Leif told me that Malik had been captured and tortured by one of our father’s enemies years ago. He was held in captivity for close to a year. I assumed that’s why Malik seems calculative and quiet. Shit like that can change a man in ways no one knows unless they’ve been through a similar experience. It happened to me once but I was only gone for a few days.
“Malik and I work together in the accounts department. When Father became the Sovietnik our role extended to taking care of the Raventhorn Bank.” That is the bank that holds all the Knights’ money. “Malik is the only one of us who trained with the Pakhan’s security force and he served in the Navy for two years.”
“Impressive.” I especially like the Navy part.
“Well I feel like I should put in a good word for him since I’m trying to get a position that could be his.”
“I’m assuming I can trust Viktor as far as I can throw him?”
“Man, if you can do that much, I give you credit.” He chuckles.
“You don’t trust him?” I decide to cut to the chase.
Zakh grins. “That’s debatable. We’re Volkovas. Power hungry men. But let’s just say a few things have happened to make me question my brother.”
That sounds important. “Like what?”
He pulls in a breath. “You might not care to hear it because of what our father did to you and your mother.”
I see. It’s to do with him. Zakh’s right. I don’t give a shit about our father. But perhaps this is something I should hear.
“Tell me anyway.”
“I don’t believe his illness was brought on by natural causes.”
I narrow my eyes. “But he had a heart condition.”
“Yes, but it didn’t make sense. A man doesn’t suddenly go from being active one day to so sick he has to be hospitalized because his heart is bad, then collapsing straight into a coma.”
That doesn’t sound right. “What do you think happened to him?”
“There were traces of oleander on the desk in his office. I had the place swept for it when he first fell into the coma. I suspected it could be something like that. I’m sure you know how deadly and undetectable that poison can be.”
“I’m aware of it.” I bite down hard on my back teeth, willing myself not to care. I don’t for the old man, but what Zakh is suggesting is that there’s something else going on. “Does anyone else know this?”
“No. I didn’t want to say anything yet until I have more proof ofwhoput the poison there. And what their plans are. If they slow-poisoned our father, they could be up to anything.”
“How come you’re telling me?”
“Our father is going to die and even if he makes it back, his position has already been dissolved with your arrival. But before you, the person who stood to gain everything was Viktor. Now he’s a sitting duck waiting on you.”
“You think Viktor poisoned our father?”
“Yes. As such I don’t want him to have what he so desperately desired. Oranything. But now you have it.”
“Didn’t you want the chance to take over the company and be at the Pakhan’s right hand?”
“Of course, I did. We would have all wanted that, but I knew it would never be mine. You can’t want something that was never yours to begin with. It’s fruitless. What you do is secure what is yours, or what should have been. If I’m doing it, I’m sure Viktor and Uther are doing the same thing too. They’ll be looking for ways to either supplement their loss or get it back. So I guess I don’t have to tell you to watch your back.”
“No, I have eyes on them.”
“I have eyes on them too. I want to find out if Viktor really did poison our father. You do know that if he did, and he’s plotting your death too, it makes himourcommon enemy. It would be one more nail to hammer into his coffin.” He intensifies his stare. “But if it’s not him, then it means it was someone else who might have another agenda which could be the same as Viktor’s.”