Page 49 of Velvet Chains
“It’s… It’s a ledger for Vasil… Vasiliev Corp,” Laura says, stumbling over the name.
I feel a chill run down my spine. “You mean a ledger for Vasiliev Corporation?”
She nods, her eyes wide. “Yes. Vasiliev. Is that… Is that the same Vasiliev who ambushed you?”
I exchange a dark look with Misha in the mirror. If Laura found a Vasiliev ledger… This changes everything.
“Yes,” I say grimly. “The very same.”
Chapter 21
Laura
I LOOK at Victor, his profile harsh against the streaming sunlight as Misha drives.
Today has been great so far.
Great until Dave, the ledger, Vasiliev.
“Listen, this is important.” Victor’s tone has changed, the earlier playfulness replaced by a steely intensity. “I need you to tell me everything you know about this ledger.”
I press my lips together, panic rising in my throat. I glance at Misha as he makes a sharp turn, pulling over to the side of the road near a quiet park.
He doesn’t turn around, but I can feel the tension radiating from both of them.
“Where is the ledger now?” Victor asks, his voice low and urgent.
“I…” I hesitate, my mouth suddenly dry. “I hid it. In the apartment.”
Victor scoffs, a smirk twisting his lips. He runs his tongue over his teeth, nodding his head slightly.
“Clever girl,” he murmurs, and despite the gravity of the situation, I feel a flutter in my stomach at the praise.
Did I actually do something praise-worthy?
He shouldn’t look so damn… appealing, not now. But the slight curl of his lips, the predatory sharpness in his eyes, like he’s just discovered a crucial piece of a puzzle he’s been trying to solve.
A stork flies overhead, landing gracefully on the hood of the car. It regards us with beady eyes before taking off again, its wings flapping against the windshield.
Victor hardly seems to notice, his gaze fixed on me. “Tell me exactly what you saw in the ledger.”
I swallow hard, my fingers twisting in my lap. “I… I saw…”
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I have to trust Victor. I have to believe he can help me.
“Dave’s handwriting was all over it,” I say in a rush. “Documenting transactions, payments made and received. It looks like… It looks like he’s been working with Vasiliev.”
Victor’s jaw clenches, a muscle ticking in his cheek. “Blyad. That fucking mudak has been playing both sides.”
I feel a chill run down my spine at his words. “What… What do you mean?”
Part of me isn’t sure I even want to know, but I have to ask. I need to understand what I’ve gotten myself into.
“This isn’t just petty crime, Laura. This is major. If Vasiliev is involved, it means we’re not just dealing with a backstabber, but with a different kind of hell,” he explains, his voice a mix of fury and fascination. “Dave’s been playing a dangerous game.”
I feel like I can’t breathe, my chest tight with fear. “Wh- What will happen to him?”
Victor’s expression turns icy, his voice devoid of any warmth. “Well, that depends on how stupid his next move is. If he’s smart, he’ll lie low and pray they don’t find him. But if he tries to reappear like he did….”
