Page 51 of Dark Christmas

Sasha listens intently, swirling his whiskey with a smirk. When I finish, he lets out an amused chuckle. “I know exactly who it is.”

I frown, setting my glass down. “Who?”

He leans back, looking at me like I’ve missed something obvious. “You don’t remember Akim Medvedev?”

I shake my head. “Not really.”

“Of course you don’t,” he says, his voice heavy with amusement. “You weren’t the one who had to rough him up before we finished the job; I was.”

That jogs my memory. Akim Medvedev was a thief we needed info from. It was starting to come back to me.

Sasha nods, seeing the recognition in my eyes. “That’s right. Akim was a piece of work, tough as nails. But what stuck with me was what he said right before you ended him.”

I narrow my eyes. “What did he say?”

Sasha’s voice drops, taking on that edge of menace I haven’t heard in years. “‘If you kill me, my brothers will come for you tenfold, no matter how long it takes.’”

I clench my jaw, the weight of the memory settling in. “His brothers.”

Sasha nods. “Looks like they finally decided to deliver on that promise.”

I sit back, furious with myself for not piecing it together sooner. “How the hell did I miss that?”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Melor. We did a lot of dark shit back in the day. Can’t expect you to remember every bastard we put down.”

“Still,” I say, shaking my head. “I should’ve been able to piece this together.” I pause, thinking it through. “You know anything else about the brothers? Where they are now? What they’re capable of?”

Sasha nods, taking a sip of his whiskey before answering. “Yeah, I looked into them after we took out Akim. Figured they might come looking for payback someday, so I did my homework.”

He leans forward, lowering his voice. “There were two. Denis, the hothead. He’s impulsive, reckless, always looking for a fight.He’s the type to shoot first, ask questions never.”

I nod, remembering bits and pieces now. “And the other?”

“Daniil,” Sasha says, his expression darkening. “He’s a lot more dangerous, in my opinion. Cool, collected, calculating. He’s the brains.”

I take that in, feeling the weight of the threat. Denis should be easy—he’ll come at me head-on. But Daniil? He’s the one I need to worry about, the one who’ll wait for the perfect moment to strike.

Sasha’s eyes lock onto mine. “If they’re coming for you, Melor, it won’t be pretty. These brothers don’t forget, and they’ve most likely been planning your demise for years.”

“Makes sense. They’ve been biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike. They’re not going to give up until it’s done. I can’t afford any missteps or mistakes.”

Sasha’s eyes narrow. “Who was it you killed in your place? The one who broke in?”

“Some goon. An associate, no doubt. Nothing more.”

He grunts, swirling his drink. “That means both brothers are still alive, still coming after you.”

I run my hand through my hair, the gravity of it settling over me like a vice. Two relentless brothers with nothing but revenge on their minds. It’s not just me they’re after now, it’s Amelia, too.

Sasha notes my anxiety and his voice softens slightly. “You’re in a mess, no doubt. But I’ve got your back, Melor. You’re not in this alone.”

I look at him, guilt taking over for a moment. “I’m sorry for dragging you back into this world. I didn’t want to—”

He cuts me off. “Don’t be. You know I live for this shit. Besides, if they’re coming after you, it’s only a matter of time before they come for me, too. Might as well get ahead of it.”

He leans forward, his eyes hard. “Now let’s take the fight to them.”

I nod. The game has changed, and I know exactly what I need to do.