The second thing that would land him on my hit list is the aggravating way he speaks. It’s like he’s begging to be shot, just so that he can be silenced forever.
“Missed you, too, little bro.” I smile, matching his provocative tone with my own, then nod at Yulia. “Mother.”
She rises, her posture stiff, and walks in my direction. When she stops in front of me, I’m gutted by the smell of her strong perfume that could be used like a weapon. “Why are you back, Kirill?”
“Yes, brother.” Konstantin stands beside Yulia like a good little mama’s boy. “You said you might give up everything here, and we wouldn’t see your face again, so what brings you here?”
“Your father. He’s a pesky, insistent piece of work, that one. He even killed my men to force me back here. Seems we can’t get rid of each other that easily.”
“Take the plane to Russia and leave,” Yulia announces as if it’s a given. “You’re neither wanted nor needed here.”
This woman treats me as if I’m lower than the dirt beneath her shoes. A long time ago, I used to wonder why she hated me so much, why she looked at me with so much contempt that I thought she might kill me one day.
When I saw other mothers shower their kids with love and affection, I wondered why I didn’t have one of them.
Now, I don’t give a fuck.
“What Mom said,” Konstantin supplies. “I’ll be the Morozov leader as soon as the old man is gone.”
“How about no?” I guard my cool façade and even smirk. “I don’t know what type of plan you two have, but I’m tempted to tear it to pieces and bathe in its blood. I’ll make sure to watch you flounder and die as slowly as possible.”
The slap reverberates in the air before I feel it. Soon after, the burning starts where Yulia’s hand connected with my cheek.
“Insolent,” she spits out.
“So you keep telling me,Mother. I’m glad to live up to your expectations.”
She raises her hand again, but this time, it’s gripped tightly before it connects with my face.
By Sasha.
“Please refrain from physically abusing him, or else I’ll take drastic actions.”
“You…who has the audacity to touch me…” Yulia, obviously lost for words due to the volatile turn of events, stares at Sasha as if she’s a demon.
Konstantin starts to push her away. “I’m going to kill this fucker—”
I grab Sasha by her free hand and push her in Viktor’s direction so he’ll keep the suicidal little shit in check.
“How dare he touch me?” Yulia all but shouts her head off. “I want him dead. Right this instant!”
“Yeah, no.” I smirk. “Aleksander just takes his bodyguard job way too seriously. He reacts badly whenever I’m harmed, so I advise you to refrain from doing that in his presence.”
“So you’re out picking up stray cats now?” Konstantin’s words are laced with mockery.
“Maybe. At least they’re more loyal than your mercenaries.” I start to turn around. “I’m off to see Father.”
“You won’t win in this, Kirill,” he shouts from behind me. “The power has shifted since you left, and the ball is in my court now.”
I glance at him over my shoulder. “You say that as if I can’t just snatch it back.”
“Sooner or later you will leave. I promise you that,” Yulia says all confidently with her irritating aristocratic tone.
But I don’t pay her any attention.
Sasha, however, doesn’t move as swiftly as Viktor and I, probably glaring at Yulia or something equally useless instead.
Viktor all but drags her out with him, whispering something to her in clipped words.