“It’s useless, Sasha. You’re fighting a hopeless battle here.”
“But why? I won’t know until I try.”
“Or get killed for crossing the mob.” He releases a long sigh. “This isn’t regulated military life, Sasha. You went ahead and inserted yourself into a lawless world that has zero tolerance for betrayal. You might think you’re getting close to this Kirill, but the moment he sniffs something wrong, you’ll be buried where no one can find you.”
My breath catches, and I lean against the wall to regain my composure. Yes, I thought about this possibility when I first decided to come here, but that was before everything that happened with Kirill.
The truth remains, a small, probably foolish part of me thought that I could definitely separate business from pleasure. We’re both using each other’s bodies to satiate a carnal need, and that’s it.
I don’t have feelings for him, and God forbid he has feelings for anyone. Sometimes, I think he doesn’t even like himself.
It’s been a week since Rai caught us in his office. Every night, we come to the club, where he meets the people he deems fit for his manipulation, and then we go back to the mansion, where he eats me out and then makes me choke on his cock. Yesterday, this happened at the same time.
After we’re done, he leaves me to sleep in his bed while he does more work on the sofa opposite the bed. Sometimes, he builds his stupid house of cards.
He never lies down beside me and sleeps. He doesn’t sleep much in the first place.
I wish I didn’t sleep either, because all my nights have been plagued with the same reoccurring nightmare where Mike asks for help and then dies, followed by Uncle Albert and Babushka.
So although I was scared of Uncle Albert’s reaction to my trip to New York, I had to call him and make sure everything is okay.
“I can take care of myself. Don’t worry about me,” I say with confidence I don’t feel. “How are Babushka and Mishka?”
“They’re fine, Sasha. We’re all fine. You’re the one who got yourself in a dire situation.”
“It’s not really that bad, I have…” I trail off before I let out that I have friends.
Uncle Albert won’t react well to that. Having friends is no different than putting my real identity and, therefore, all of them in danger.
“You have what?” he asks.
“Integrated well here. No one suspects me.” Except for Kirill and Viktor. Anna, Yulia, and Konstantin don’t like me either, but my uncle doesn’t need to know about that.
“You can never be too careful in a place like that.”
“I know, I know. I’m actually getting close to Kirill.”
“You are?”
“Absolutely. I must be good at what I’m doing, right?”
“He’s a Morozov, Sasha. I wouldn’t be so sure about being close to him if I were you.”
“I know that I’m getting there. Anyway, how is Babushka?”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“Can you tell me?” I ask in an innocent tone.
A long sigh comes from the other end. “She’s getting old, but she’s not suffering or anything. She’s more energetic than me, actually.”
I smile as relief washes over me. “That’s good to know.”
“Call me occasionally.”
“I thought that was dangerous?”
“It is, but I would rather hear you’re still alive once in a while.”