Page 173 of Mission Shift

“While we were in Manhattan, we met with Luca Genovese,” I started. “Apparently, two days earlier, Viktor and Valentina managed to escape from Luca’s home. You know…his basement prison.”

Atticus shifted forward, his jaw tight.

“Viktor got a hold of a weapon,” I went on. “Luca’s guys caught up to them, and there was a shoot-out. Viktor’s dead, but Valentina got away.”

Silence.

Angel blinked slowly. “He’s actually dead?”

“Luca said it himself,” I confirmed. “Viktor took a couple of bullets. Didn’t make it. Valentina…she vanished before they could catch her.”

I looked around the room. No one moved.

“There’s more,” I said. “Luca has reason to believe that Valentina boarded a cargo ship owned by Alexey Melnichenko.”

Daria didn’t flinch—she just sat straighter. “My father.”

Angel’s eyes darted toward her, then to me, then back again.

“What am I missing?” Conan demanded. “Who is Daria’s father?”

“He is the Pakhan of the Tambovskaya Bratva—a Russian mafia organization similar to the Volkovi Notchi.”

“Oh, fuck!” Conan swore under his breath.

“Wait,” Angel said slowly. “You’re saying my mother is now working with your father?”

Daria nodded. “That’s the theory Luca floated.”

Angel exhaled through her nose, clearly rattled. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to react to all this. My parents were always…distant at best. I was never close to either of them. But it’s still strange to know my father is dead. And now I have no chance of getting any closure.”

Conan twisted around to put his elbow up on her thigh. “Don’t worry; I’ve got you.”

Angel smiled weakly. “I’m fine. But I’m worried about Nikolai. He’s the heir. I was only the spare—a tool for Viktor to use as a broodmare to tie the Volkovs to the American mob through bloodlines. Nik is the one who’s paid for my freedom by keeping Viktor away from me. He has suffered years of grueling physical and psychological pain under Viktor’s fists.”

Samantha spoke up gently. “Maybe this is not all bad. I mean, Viktor’s gone. That’s huge. We don’t know what Valentina’s real power was—if she had any. In mafia families, the women usually aren’t the ones with any real power, right? They’re not the leaders. Just the ones cleaning up the messes.”

Daria scoffed. “You’re not wrong. My father has never seen a woman as anything more than a means to an end. Valentina willbe no different. But this—this move with my father—this must be personal. I think they both want revenge.”

“Against Nik?” Atticus asked.

Daria nodded. “Nikolai took control of the Volkovi Notchi right out from under Viktor. And my father? I’m sure he blames Nikolai for helping me escape. That had to have wounded his pride and cost him dearly in other ways as well. They’ll come for him—probably anyone involved in the situation as well.”

Conan climbed up onto the couch beside Angel and draped a protective arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him.

Samantha looked from one of us to the other, then shook her head. “At least now there aren’t any more secrets.”

She raised her wineglass. “To all of us—and I guess Nik, when he wants in. We are Tacoma’s white knight power squad. Good versus evil.”

Conan barked a laugh. “Christ, Sam, you’ve been watching too much TV.”

Angel elbowed him. “Why not? Maybe the good guys need their own alliance for once. Doesn’t mean we’re soft. You guys aren’t a bunch of pussies; that’s for sure.”

“Right!” Samantha added. “Being good doesn’t make you weak.”

Daria lifted her glass next. “Let’s toast then.”

Sam smiled widely. “To no more secrets, always having each other’s backs, and putting more good into the world than bad.”

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