Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“I’m done,” Semyon says wryly. “For now. Depends on what I find out when I ask some questions whether or not I continue the well-deserved ass beating.”
Eli shakes his head. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Semyon only frowns at him. “You gonna tell me who the fuck had you?”
“As if you need any confirmation.”
Semyon’s body goes rigid. “I knew it. The fucking Irish.” He shakes his head. “Makes no sense why they’d just bring you back, though, unless they had something to gain by it.”
Eli frowns. “They want to dismantle your entire operation from the inside out. They took me because I owed them money, but somebody paid them off.”
Semyon frowns. “Did they?”
“Yeah. No clue who.”
“Still doesn’t make sense that they just let you go.”
“So yeah, can we figure this all out later, you guys? I think it would be really smart right now if you weren’t bleeding out on the floor when you have these discussions?”
Semyon rises to his feet, towering over Eli. “I told you, Anya. We aren’t done here.” He nods to the door. “Go. I’ll come see you after Eli and I talk.”
I open my mouth to protest, but his expression brooks no argument. “Go.”
Eli pales and swallows hard. “Anya?”
I turn to look at him.
Eli gives me a curious look before he huffs out a laugh. “Wait.” He looks to Semyon. “Remember when we used to play chess? And you’d try to talk to me through the moves?”
What the hell is he talking about, and why does that have anything to do with us now?
“Yeah,” Semyon says with a nod. “I remember it well.”
Eli smiles. “And no one would ever know we had a secret language, did they?”
“Nope.”
His eyes swing to mine, and he gives me a knowing look. “It was convenient,” he says, talking to Semyon and meeting my gaze. “A good way to talk to each other in secret.”
Semyon shakes his head. “Strange time to remember that, but alright.”
No. No, it isn’t a strange time at all. It’s an excellent time.
My god.
Eli, you’re a genius.
Chapter 30
ANYA
My hands shake when I lift the phone and check my messages. I hope I didn’t wait too long. What are the rules about this, anyway?
My mind is whirring with the tip from Eli. He was not as unaware of what happened last night as I thought he was. Now all I have to do is play it safe with the Irish and have a not-so-casual game of chess with Semyon.
I hate that he’s using Ophelia’s number to get to me. It creeps me out seeing the messages under my bestie’s number.
Ophelia
How’s your brother?
I know how they’ll play this already. They’ll ease into a conversation like we’re friends before they put the screws to me. I can already hear the deep brogue and see the ruthless eyes.
Fine
Ophelia
And how’s your husband?
They’re testing me, looking for a weakness.
Boring. Plays too much chess.
Ophelia
Cute. Keep your ears open. We’ll be in touch.
The moment the message is sent, I toss the phone onto the bed and squeeze my eyes shut. Where are they? What are they planning?
I need to check on Stefan to assure myself that he’s alright. I walk to the kitchen, ignoring every thought that comes up about whatever’s going on with Eli and Semyon. Watching them beat each other like that was awful.
I can’t imagine how a questioning would go.
I find Zoya in the kitchen, scrolling through her phone. “Hey, beautiful,” she says with a bright smile. “You look like hell.”
“Thanks?” My voice is hoarse. I lean against the counter, the weight in my chest making it hard to plaster on a smile. “Stefan get off to school alright?”
“Yup. Yana took him today since he overslept and missed the bus.” She sobers. “We didn’t mention anything to him about Eli. We wanted to leave that up to you.”
I give her a small smile. I look to the doorway at the sound of three footsteps—Grandfather, plus his cane. He hobbles in, his gnarled hand on top of the cane, dressed in the same pressed pants and button-down uniform he always wears.
“My, my, if it isn’t the loveliest ladies in the house,” he says with a wink. “I already saw Yana this morning and said the same thing, so don’t think I’m playing favorites.”
Zoya shakes her head and smiles at him as she turns to put the kettle on.
“You’ve had a rough few days, I hear,” Grandfather says, pulling out a seat.
I get the teabags while Zoya puts out a simple breakfast of kasha, a warm porridge served with butter and honey. My mouth waters.
We talk about simple things, but no one mentions the elephant in the room.
My phone buzzes with a text. I stare at my phone as if it would bite me.
“Are you alright?” Zoya asks with concern. “First you looked like you might pass out again, and now you look like you want to toss your phone out the window.”