“Once they are gone, then we make our move against the Russian cunts.” I nod my head in agreement. I want those fuckers blood coating my hands for what they did to my brother. King sounds just as hungry for their blood as I am.
“We need to find a way in undetected. We’ll draw too much attention if we all fly in.” Bishop is right. Luka can’t come with us thanks to his warrant, but it’s not like the rest of us aren’t noticeable either.
“We need an inside man,” I say. We all exchange a look. Each of them knows I’m right, the problem is my brothers and I can’t be the one to do it.
“I’ll do it.” My face scrunches as I look over Gage. “I’m the only one out of the four of us that could pass for a Russian.” He isn’t wrong, with his blond hair and green eyes he could blend in where we can’t.
“How do you suggest to do that?” King asks.
“I’ll figure it out. Someone in their organization must be able to be bought and get me in.” Luka shakes his head cutting Gage off.
“The Bratva is a birthright, not some gang you can just join. You need someone with a higher standing to get you in and I don’t know about you, but none of us know any Captain’s.”
“You don’t, but I might.” We all turn toward the entryway to see a pale looking Koby leaning against the wall for support. I want to rush and help her but I can’t. She needs to do this and prove to my family she isn’t the enemy.
“And why would we trust you?” Bishop’s tone is wary and filled with accusation. Koby cuts her gaze to me as she answers.
“Because I’m offering you the head of the snake that took the life of your brother.”
Koby
Knight searches my eyes for any sign of lies, he won’t find any. I’m ready to help them take down the family that cost me everything. The Volkov Bratva took everything from me. Now it’s my turn to take from them and finally be free of this life. I won’t live like this anymore. I’m a trained weapon. I can read people, find information on them, shoot, kill, fight, - you name it, I can do it. That is how I was raised and what I was taught to become. I never got to play with dolls, I got to play with guns instead.
Bishop motions me to have a seat at the table with the others. It’s then that I notice Dimitri. He charges toward me the moment I shoot him a smile and wince in pain when he wraps his arms around me. In the blink of an eye he’s hugging me, then he’s not. Knight has him by the back of his shirt glaring down at him.
“Don’t hurt him!” I plead. Knight keeps his glare on D as he speaks to me.
“He hurt you.”
“He didn’t mean to, he’s just a kid.” It surprises the hell out of me when Dimitri looks up at Knight and I don’t see fear in his eyes. He isn’t even shaking like he normally would. Knight ignores my plea as he speaks to my kid brother.
“I told you to take it easy on her.” Dimitri deflates slightly and it pisses me off. I keep my mouth closed because he seems… different. He isn’t clinging to me or Allison for once, he actually seems comfortable with Knight. What the hell changed in the time I was away from him?
“It was an accident.” Knight grunts as he releases D, then ruffles his hair playfully. Too stunned to process what the hell just happened, I let Knight lead me by my elbow to the table. I claim the seat between him and Allison. I don’t even spare her a glance—I shouldn’t have allowed her to get close enough to me so she would have power to hurt me. I did though and now her betrayal stings like a bitch. Bishop clears his throat drawing my attention to the head of the table. King sits to his left and Kiara to his right. I look around the table and notice Luka is present but Mav isn’t.
“You have one final chance to convince me you aren’t a threat to my family. If I deem you are, you won’t leave this room breathing.” The threat is clear. Truth be told, he isn’t the one I’m worried about believing me, Knight is so distrustful that proving to him I’m not the bad guy is going to be the hardest task. “Koby?” I meet his stare. Bishop’s face is void of all emotion. “Make me believe you because I don’t want to hurt my brother by having to kill you.” I nod my understanding. I flick my gaze to Dimitri who seems unsure and slightly terrified at what I’m about to do. I need to put his mind at ease.
“Everything is going to be okay, I swear. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” He shakes his head and mutters under his breath.
“It’s not me I’m worried about.” I decide to unpack the meaning behind his words later. I take a deep breath before turning to face Knight, his gaze is already on me.
“I’m not Anya.” His mask doesn’t shift, his emotions remain walled off from me.
“Who. Are. You?” I inhale a deep breath wincing slightly from the pain in my ribs, once I tell him the truth, I will never be able to hide again. This persona I have built will crumble, never being able to be revived again.
“My name… my real name is Katerina… Antonov.” The moment my last name slips from my lips Knight’s eyes widen. I hear gasps coming from my other side but I don’t look away from Knight. Silence ensues, no one speaks for a long moment.
“The Antonov Bratva was wiped out years ago.” Now he’s starting to get it. I nod, waiting for Knight to ask me what he really wants to know. “I thought you were Vlad’s daughter.”
I shake my head. Learning my name is one thing, but finding out who I am to Vladimir Volkov is another. Knight will never look at me the same after I tell him who I am to the Pakhan of the Bratva that now runs all of Russia.
“I’m not his daughter,” I answer. Bishop’s question pulls my attention toward him.
“Then who the fuck is Anya?”
“Anya is Vlad’s daughter and my… best friend.” Bishop looks to King. They exchange a loaded look before they both focus only on me.
“Why does everyone think you are her if you aren’t even related?” King’s question doesn’t surprise me, I knew one of them would ask.