“If you don’t testify towards the case, I’ll call it collusion. I’ll rope you right into those charges, honey. Don’t think I won’t.”
“That’s how you’re doing this? Really?”
“You leave me no choice, honey,” he shrugs. “I’m sorry, but this is too big a step in my career to just let it all fall apart.”
I give it a second. Then I start to laugh. “Okay, well, guess we’re doing this.” I walk back to the front door and peek my head out. “Come on in.”
I hold the door open, and Zoey walks in.
My father stiffens and scowls “I know what this is.”
“Do you?”
“Yes. I’m not proud of it. I’d…” he frowns. “I’d had some drinks. But Zoey, honey.” He smiles sweetly at her. “You’re a grown woman, and beautiful. You must know that men might get a little caught up in your… well, you know how flirty you get.”
I close my eyes in disgust. Zoey laughs coldly.
“A grown woman?”
“You’re twenty-two, honey. I mean I know what you and my daughter are playing at here. But that’s a scandal I think I’ll weather just fine. I’m not married, you’re an adult. I hardly think voters would—”
“And the last time you texted me disgusting naked pictures of yourself, Mr. Murray?”
He freezes. “I—what do you mean?”
“I saved them,” Zoey mutters. “All of those texts.”
He glances nervously around the room. “I—I was drunk.” He frowns. “You know I had some drinking problems back then, what with my wife passing—”
“Don’t you fucking dare,” I hiss, shaking my head. “Don’t.”
My dad swallows, looking nervous. He glances at Zoey. “It was wrong of me, okay? But you were…” he swallows. “How, uh, how old were you?”
“She’s my age, dad.” I say quietly. “And that was five years ago. We were seventeen.”
His face goes white. “Oh Christ…”
“This isn’t a setback, dad,” I snarl. “This isn’t a storm to be weathered. This is what they call a career killer. This is Anthony Weiner times ten. Sending lewd images and texts to seventeen—”
“What do you want?” he blurts. “Money? Jobs? Name it, seriously.”
“I already told you.”
He’s hyperventilating, looking sweaty and terrified. “Fiona, I can’t just—”
“Yeah,” I say grimly. “You goddamn well can.”
We stare at each other across the room. I’d say this is the moment I know our relationship is over. But I think we crossed that bridge some time ago. And certainly, when he pawned me off to settle a debt.
“All charges dropped,” I say quietly “You can even stay as DA. You can run for mayor if you want, I really don’t give a shit. But if you ever so much as peek over Viktor’s fence again, I will have these leaked. Understand?”
My dad is silent. He stares at me, looking grim.
“You’re going to make a damn fine lawyer, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I am.”
I turn, hook my arm into Zoey’s, and walk to the door.
“I’ll be at central booking in ten minutes. If he’s not free and outside waiting, your career is over.”
The door slams behind me. Then it’s just Zoey and I outside. I suck in a huge breath of air. I’m shaking all over, but I also feel more alive than ever before. I feel free.
“Okay, this new ‘I got laid’ Fiona?” Zoey smirks at me. “Is a fucking badass.”
18 Viktor
The door to my cell clangs open behind me. I close my eyes and take a breath. I wait for one of two things, because there’s only two things that happen to men like me when they’re chained in this room.
One, either a much bigger government entity comes to take the case to a bigger level. That means federal charges, maximum security jail, and probably life behind bars with no chance of parole.
The other option isn’t much better. Because the second thing that happens to crime lords at my level when they’re in lockup is that a rival learns that they’re here. And that means a guard gets paid off, and some guy going away for life anyways earns some commissary cash my gouging my neck.
I hear footsteps approaching, and I wait. Either way, this is the end. I know the business will do fine. He’ll hate it, I think with a smirk. But Lev will take over. He’ll learn diplomacy, and he’ll be an excellent boss. He’ll continue our operations against the traffickers, too. He has all the paperwork and plans, and Nina will be there to help.
I shake my head when I think of my sister. I wish I’d had more time with her. I wish I’d had more years to know her and make memories. But she’ll do fine too. She’s strong—maybe even stronger than I am. And smart. If Lev says fuck it, she’s next to ascend the throne.
My thoughts drift to Fiona, and my pulse thuds heavily. It might have taken me my entire life, and it may have only lasted for a handful of weeks. But I found the woman of my dreams. I loved her, and I made her mine. If this is the end, I could be furious that I had such little time with her. Or I could think of that small time as a lifetime unto itself.
I let the air out slowly. Maybe Nina was right. Maybe I was distracted by Fiona—perhaps I let my guard down too much, which is why I got blindsided. But to have those few weeks with her again—all mine, in my arms? I’d do it all the same.
“Komarov.”
It’s a guard’s voice. I stiffen, waiting to see which way this will blow. Either he’s letting me know the FBI is here, or he’s “going out for a cigarette” with my holding cell door open for some psycho to come cut me. I’m chained to the goddamn table and the floor. Despite my size, it won’t be much of a fight. But I tense my muscles just in case it is the second.
It might not be much of a fight. But I won’t roll over and fucking die.
“Komarov! Viktor!”
I
