Page 124 of Emerald Vices

I’m eager myself.

“There’s no one here with you because you’re not important enough to require security, you fucking mudak.” Without warning, Leonty lunges forward and lands a solid blow to Viktor’s jaw.

“Fuuuck!” Viktor bellows, straining against his handcuffs. Despite how cheap the cuffs look, they’re holding up just fine. The zip-ties I brought might not be necessary after all. “When Slavik finds out about this?—”

“He’ll send us all gift baskets for taking you off his hands,” Leonty growls.

I only agreed to let him come on the condition that he controlled himself and followed orders. I’m not sure this qualifies.

He towers over my brother, top lip curled back. “I should put a bullet through your fucking mouth.”

“Leonty,” I caution. “Breathe.”

With a snarl, he backs away to the furthest corner of the room. Shura is handling himself somewhat better, but even he’s white-knuckling the back of the chair like he wishes it was Viktor’s neck.

“I only did what any one of you would have done in my place!” Viktor cries out, his voice cracking. “My honor was at stake?—”

“What fucking honor does a worthless rat like you have?” Shura seethes.

Viktor ignores Shura and focuses on me. “Can you let me out of these things?” he begs, pulling at the cuffs.

“You got yourself into them,” I say. “You get yourself out. It’s time you learned that lesson.”

“Brother—”

“Oh, now, I’m your brother?”

He tries to push himself upright, but the cuffs have him chained in place. “Listen, you’ve humiliated me, I’ve humiliated you?—”

“Don’t flatter yourself. You don’t have the power to humiliate me.”

He flinches before his face hardens into that cruel, arrogant mask I know so well. “I heard you’re a father now. Boy or girl?”

“Boy,” I say on impulse.

Viktor’s eyes dull. “An heir, then.”

“Not if you have anything to say about it. Isn’t that right, brother?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Viktor mumbles. “I would never wish harm on your son.”

“That’s the thing about you, Viktor,” I sigh, turning my back on him and heading towards the door. “I can’t believe a word you say anymore.”

Shura gets to his feet. Only Leonty stays where he is. He cracks his knuckles. “Now?”

“What are you doing? What is he—” Viktor looks from me to Leonty. “Andrey! Brother!”

“You have fifteen minutes.” I ignore Viktor and address only Leonty before I walk out. “But don’t get too carried away. I need him alive.”

When Viktor splutters awake again, he’s naked and shivered, caked in blood. All of my vory surround him, but his eyes dart wildly around the room.

I know what he’s looking for.

He won’t find it here.

“Welcome, brat,” I greet, ignoring the gnawing in my gut as I step forward. “This is judgment day.”

I pull a scalpel from behind my back and it winks in the lights. I tap it against the heel of my hand as I approach him.