The Score (The Russian Guns Book 3)

by Bethany-Kris

  Even so, there was a bleakness to Anton’s voice whenever he spoke about it. A cloudiness hazed his eyes. Viviana knew guilt was the first emotion to plunder through his system in regards to how it hurt her.

  It wasn’t only Viviana that needed to know the truth. Anton did, too.

  “I have to know if that woman was with my husband,” Viviana said softly.

  “You’re sure?” Ivan asked.

  There was no hesitation in her thoughts. No flowery explanation in her words. Just honesty, as plain as it was.

  “Yes, I need to.”

  ***

  Viviana pushed through the obnoxious, smothering crowd inside Seven Lights at a little past two in the morning. There was thirty feet of dancing, drunk, and far too happy people in her way before she would be able to disappear up the metal staircase that led to Anton’s upstairs office.

  While her husband was incarcerated, a few of his guys had really stepped up to take care of the club after the feds were finished tearing it apart during their searches. Viviana had no interest in the place, and even if she did, she wouldn’t know what to do with it. The same guys handling the club business also made sure the other businesses Anton had a hand in was running properly, too. Even though Viviana technically owned those businesses, they were for all purposes, her husband’s. She didn’t have the first clue how to run a strip club, restaurant, or bar. Not a one. They didn’t ask her to, either.

  “Vine!”

  Over the loud music, drunken voices, and laughter, Viviana heard her name called again. She followed Ivan’s voice through the throng of people, feeling her heart beat faster the closer she came to the stairs. There were so many bodies inside the club she had to wonder if the building was over its fire code.

  Seven Lights always was popular in Brighton Beach. With Anton’s arrest, it was even more so.

  No one seemed to notice it was Viviana pushing her way past them, though. That, or they were too drunk and enjoying themselves to care. She’d tried to dress the part of being at a club to dance, at Ivan’s suggestion. Even though she hadn’t wanted to. Taking the time to get dressed up and do her makeup had wasted precious time that would have been better spent getting this over with and going home.

  Finally at Ivan’s side at the bottom of the stairs, he leaned down to say in her ear, “No one noticed a thing when they brought her in through the back.”

  “She’s up there right now?” Viviana asked. Jesus, there was a whole building full of witnesses! “Are you fucking stupid?”

  “This isn’t our first scene, girl. Besides, with the cops they had watching Natalie, it was like picking up a penny out of a fountain. I guess they weren’t even inside the motel they had her shacked up in, just waiting outside like a bunch of fools. She was a sitting duck. Simple, or so says Adrik.”

  Viviana tried to wave her worry off, but it was already settled in way too deep. “How’d his guys find her if ours couldn’t?”

  “Adrik has a few official contacts we could really use on our side, too.”

  “Is she actually awake?”

  Ivan rolled his eyes. “For now.”

  Yikes, that was cringe worthy. Viviana wasn’t sure she wanted to know what that meant.

  “I don’t want to see—”

  “It’s clean. Nothing like that. Anton wouldn’t want it that way, anyhow. Messy means we’ll have more to clean up later. That’s unacceptable. Come on, Vine, if you’re so fucking intent on doing this.”

  When she paused, Ivan asked, “You do want to, don’t you?”

  “Very much,” Viviana admitted.

  Ivan frowned. “So what’s the hold up?”

  “What if it did happen? You were right earlier, I have forgiven him. I’m perfectly happy to move on and not know because of it.” Viviana blew out a quiet sigh, her stress rising. “Did I just come here to punish myself? Because I believe him when he says he couldn’t have done it, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. If I find out it did, will that change my opinion?”

  “I don’t think you came here to validate what you already feel, Vine.”

  “Oh, no?” she asked, trying hard not to scoff. “Please, feel free to tell me why I did, then.”

  “Because you wanted to hear her say it,” Ivan replied simply. “You know how you feel about it, and so does Anton. Your reaction now, if you find out he did fuck her, won’t be any different from when you first thought he did. What’s the difference, really? Nothing. You only want to hear her say it. Either yes, or no.

  “You want the confirmation that he can’t give. And you want to ask why, like any normal person would. Those are the answers you haven’t been given. Humans are the most curious of creatures. We have to know everything, pick things apart to understand the hows and whys of it all. You want to be satisfied in your information and there’s nothing wrong with that. It has very little to do with forgiveness, Vine.”

  Oddly, what Ivan said made a lot of sense. It was something she hadn’t considered, but it felt right.

  “Okay,” Viviana said, feeling her emotions lockdown and ready for the battle ahead.

  Ivan waved at the stairs. “After you.”

  ***

  Natalie sat across from Viviana with a fleece blanket tossed over her shoulders. With a stony expression and blank, eyes staring at the wall, she looked tired. If it weren’t for the slight tremor rocking the girl’s shoulders, she would almost appear unbothered by her current situation.

  Viviana knew better.

  “Are you scared?” she asked Natalie.

  They were the first words Viviana had spoken to her since entering the office, and the effect they had were shocking. Natalie flinched, eyes fluttering closed as she grimaced. “I’ve been scared for a long time.”

  Viviana nodded. That she could understand. “Your uncle is here as well.”

  “To kill me,” Natalie said with a sniff.

  “No, to show respect for his boss. Something you wouldn’t understand.” Viviana rocked back on her heels, resting her elbows to her knees. “You see, Viktor has caused Anton issues once before. Slapped me around a little when he was supposed to bring me to my husband safe and secure. Their business relationship hasn’t been the same since, or so I’ve been told. Viktor has a lot to prove. You’ll certainly help that.”

  “But I will die.”

  Viviana made a dismissive noise, though her heart clenched painfully. There was no denying the fact she didn’t like where this had all led them, and where they had yet to go, but it was the ways and rules of their life. Something Natalie hadn’t followed.

  “Did my husband really tell you he killed Sonny and the Belovs?” Viviana asked quietly.

  Natalie glanced up from under her damp lashes, the mess of wetness on her face shining in the overhead lights. “Yes.”

  “What did you give him?”

  “Vine,” Ivan stared to say.

  “Shut up, Ivan.” Viviana didn’t even turn to look at him. “Natalie, what did you give him?”

  “I … I don’t know,” the girl confessed.

  Confusion ran rampant. “Excuse me?”

  “They said it wouldn’t do any harm, just make him more agreeable. That’s how they said it: agreeable. The feds, I mean. I wasn’t told what it was, only how to use it.”

  “They’d do anything,” Erik said angrily. “And what could he say, huh? Nothing, because it was probably all burnt out of his blood by the time they thought to check. Fucking ridiculous.”

  Viviana had to agree, but she forced herself to bite her tongue and not respond. That wasn’t the discussion she wanted to have at that time. The question burned inside her mouth, so she let it out, knowing full well the answer might kill her further. “He wasn’t agreeable before?”

  “No.”

  “But he was after?” Viviana pressed.

  Natalie blinked, the blank expression returned while tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. “I’m a pretty girl, or so I was always told.”

/>   Sure, that was true. Natalie wasn’t anything to scoff at. “Your point?”

  “Men look, they always have. I’ve never had a problem catching a man. It should have been easy. All I needed to do was get close, make him pay attention, catch his eye, and move in. The agents assumed because Anton wasn’t having a public affair that he must have been keeping it on the low. Someone inside. Or maybe even more than one. God knows he’s got enough girls working for him to do it, right? You were always around, I don’t think they even knew.”

  “Knew what?”

  Natalie shook her head frantically. “It should have been easy!”

  Without warning, Viviana reached out and grabbed Natalie’s face. Her fingers squeezed painfully tight, nails digging into the creamy toned flesh of the girl. With a jerk of her hand, Viviana forced Natalie to look at her. More of the girl’s tears fell at the rough handling.

  “Knew what?” Viviana repeated through her teeth. “You will answer my questions without unnecessary rambling or I promise, this won’t be easy for you, girl.”

  “How much he loves you,” Natalie whispered.

  Momentarily, Viviana’s grip loosened in her surprise. “Why did you do this to us?”

  “They hounded me, nonstop. Showing up outside of my apartment, where I shopped for groceries, and even sitting outside my older brother’s job.” Natalie swallowed thickly, her tears falling freely, now. “I wasn’t sure if I was more afraid of the feds, or someone in the Bratva finding out they were following me.”

  “They knew that,” Viviana assumed. “Used it to get you.”

  “I—”

  Anger washed through Viviana like a wrecking ball. Who did this girl think she was? Whatever excuses she was ready to spit for her choices, no one wanted to hear. Viviana’s fingers dug in again, causing Natalie to quiet with a painful whimper.

  “You should have come to my husband. If you had told him the truth, he would have helped you. We might not be law-abiding citizens, but we take care of our family when they take care of us. You didn’t do any of that, Natalie. Instead, you very nearly ruined my life. You took my lover from me. You took my son’s father from him. How dare you?”

  “Pl-please …”

  “Don’t beg me,” Viviana hissed. “A smart woman—a worthy woman—would never beg for anything. But since you’re obviously neither of those things, it shouldn’t surprise me.”

  When Natalie stayed silent, but for her tears and occasional sniffling, Viviana sighed. She was so tired. Exhausted from the time, from her anxiety, and her troubles. An ache had started to settle somewhere deep inside. She no longer wanted to be in front of this woman. Talking more seemed useless, like wasting her time and breath.

  “You don’t matter,” Viviana said with quiet conviction. “You didn’t matter to my husband when you were trying to catch his eye. You didn’t matter to me, as I never thought you were a threat. Hell, even the feds overlooked you in the end. What a stupid, awful girl you are. I want to feel badly for you, but I can’t.”

  “Vine,” Ivan said from the corner. By the tone of his voice, it wasn’t meant as a warning, or even a question. Just an acknowledgement.

  Not one of the other six men in the room had spoken since Viviana’s arrival. They allowed her to do as she pleased. She was grateful, but now she was done.

  Viviana released her hold on Natalie and stood. “One more thing, Natalie.”

  The girl wouldn’t meet Viviana’s gaze. “What?”

  “Did you fuck my husband the night you drugged him?”

  Natalie sucked in a ragged breath, pink coloring her cheeks. Throats cleared around the room, surprise lighting up the noise as they stilled in their respective positions, all waiting for the possible answer. Of course some of the men knew Viviana would ask, but maybe they hadn’t expected her to be so blatant or crass about it.

  She wasn’t one to pretty a damned thing up.

  “I thought—”

  “I don’t want your nonsense,” Viviana snapped hatefully. “Just tell me the goddamned truth. Either you fucked him, or you didn’t.”

  “I didn’t.”

  This time, it was Viviana’s turn to freeze in her shock. Something surged into her throat—her heart, likely. “No?”

  “He can’t remember, then?” When Viviana didn’t respond, Natalie smirked bitterly, turning her face down. “No, we didn’t, but certainly not because I didn’t try. Unlike most men, I understand the word no.”

  Viviana refused to react to that. None of the rest was important. She had the one answer to the only thing she had needed for so long.

  “Ivan?” Viviana asked under her breath.

  “Yeah?”

  “Make it fast.”

  Outside of the office in the upstairs hallway, Viviana found herself grasping tight to the metal banister overlooking the dancing people like it was her only lifeline. Over and over, her breathing hitched, sometimes stopping completely. Wildly, her heart beat out of control.

  Relieved. My God, the relief was as painful as it was good.

  She heard nothing as last call was shouted out. She thought nothing as the bass was turned up louder on the floor below, pounding beats into the wide open space. She tasted nothing as her own tears finally fought their way out, creating rivulet lines down to her lips.

  Behind her, a woman was set to die if she hadn’t already.

  For Natalie, Viviana felt nothing.

  But for Anton, and for herself, she felt everything.

  Ivan had been right. The reaction she felt now wasn’t any different.

  She still cried. She still broke.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “This man is allowed the expectation of a fair and speedy trial, sir,” the judge said firmly. “I have read the investigators' reports regarding the witness’s disappearance, and while it was sudden and suspicious, there was absolutely no sign of foul play. This is your third request for a stay. Already, Mr. Avdonin has spent a month and a half waiting for his trial to continue while remaining in prison. I’d say he’s waited enough.”

  “Exactly,” Ivan muttered under his breath.

  The judge shot Anton’s lawyer a look that silenced him. “I’m not suggesting he’s innocent.”

  Anton wisely chose to stay quiet during the entire exchange. Between Ivan, the Assistant District Attorney, and the judge, they had the arguing thing handled. He didn’t need to get in on it, by any means. It probably wouldn’t help his case if he did. He was just lucky he was allowed out of Rikers to be a part of the meeting between everyone.

  “Well you can’t suggest my client is guilty for anything when there’s nothing to say he caused Natalie’s disappearance, either. Phone recordings from the prison show nothing. I’m sure they’ve got their snitches inside working the angles, but nobody’s speaking. You said it yourself, Judge, the investigators found zip.” Ivan shook his head, leaning back in his chair with a cool disregard for the attorney sitting next to him glaring daggers. “The reality is simple: my client did nothing in regards to that missing woman, and without her lies, their case is falling apart at the seams.”

  “My case is—”

  “Enough,” the judge interrupted sharply.

  “Your case is crap,” Ivan said, ignoring the judge’s warning. “DNA on cigarettes my client doesn’t even smoke that isn’t completely conclusive. Witnesses that say they believe it was my client near the restaurant where the Belovs were found dead. Even your motive is shaky! What an intelligent attorney would do right about now is request for the charges to be dropped because they know they can’t win. Then, maybe when they had something more concrete, they’d come back to it. But, you’re not smart, are you?”

  Anton snorted under his breath, suddenly interested in the white crescents on his fingernails. Ivan was one hell of a lawyer. Not only was he condescending, but he was patronizing as fuck. In the courtroom, he was as professional as any attorney could be, but outside, he chewed up the prosecution verbally every chance he
got. The fact of the matter was simple, the A.D.A. was nothing more than a young, upstart attorney looking for his first big win.

  There was no way on earth that win would come from Anton.

  “What about the possibility of a deal?” the attorney asked.

  Ivan barked a laugh. “For what? My client is innocent.”

  “And I’m God.”

  “All right, I’ve had enough of this damned nonsense in my chambers,” the judge said. “My decision is final. You’re stay is refused. The trial will resume Monday morning at nine.”

  “Anton?” Ivan asked, turning to look at his friend.

  Anton shrugged. “Works for me. I’d like to get home to my pregnant wife as soon as possible.”

  The A.D.A. scowled while the judge flinched. Anton was more curious over the judge’s reaction.

  What was that all about?

  “Before we finish,” the A.D.A began.

  Frustrated, the judge turned his angry gaze on the man. “What?”

  “I’d really like to have the video tapes of Natalie Berezin’s interviews with the federal agents accepted into evidence. They’re as good as an official statement. She was sworn—”

  “Absolutely not!” Ivan shouted.

  “Mr. Lavrov, be quiet.”

  Anton’s fingernails weren’t so interesting anymore and there was no way in hell he could stay silent. “That woman was not my mistress, let alone my lover. I don’t have lovers, and I’d like for you to find even one woman on this goddamned earth and bring her to court to stand in front of my wife and say we had a sexual relationship while I was married. So you can say she was sworn in, and that it’s official all you want, but there’s no way for my lawyer to challenge the lies she told.”

  “That’s what you deny in her deposition? The depth of your relationship?” the A.D.A asked, shocked.

  “That’s what I know she told and what I know is a lie,” Anton retorted hotly. “Whatever else she said I told is beyond my knowledge and memories.”

  Ivan rested back in his chair, a little smugly. “My client made my argument to have that evidence overturned just fine, I think. What more do I need to say other than he’s right? Without Natalie’s presence, he’s unable to confront his accuser. And if it is allowed in, I will parade friends, family, coworkers, and anyone else I can find through the witness stand to say repeatedly she didn’t have a relationship of any sort with my client that went beyond her position as his employee. If she lied about that, what else did she lie about?”