Page 56 of Porcelain Lies

Someone next door thumps on the wall and yells at us to keep it down.

I lower my voice. “You said yourself how dangerous this guy is. And you want me to go there? To haggle with him?”

“He wouldn’t hurt you, sis.” Nick shakes his head. “It’s me he wants. And if you take cash and tell him you’ll pay him back…”

“I can’t fucking pay him back!” I hiss through clenched teeth.

“What about the estate… didn’t we get… an inheritance?” My brother shifts awkwardly.

I stare at him, aghast. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

“He’s a businessman, Stella,” he goes on, ignoring me. “He wouldn’t screw up a deal just to make a point.”

I raise an eyebrow.

“Maybe if you met him somewhere public and explained things…”

I sag against the kitchen counter trying to process all that I’m hearing. “What could possibly be public enough to keep me safe from this guy.”

“A party,” Nick says eagerly, latching onto what he thinks is me considering doing this thing. “He’s having a big party in a couple of days. Everyone will be there. If you went in to talk, he could hardly do anything in front of everyone, right?”

I shake my head. This is insane. Absolutely insane.

Partly because I’m actually starting to think about doing it.

“Okay, tell me more,” I hear myself saying.

“Are you completely nuts?”Boyana’s voice echoes around my mind.

I pull out my phone while Nick rambles on about the party, my fingers trembling slightly as I type “Aleksei Tarasov” into the search bar.

The results make my stomach clench. News articles about weapons trafficking investigations that mysteriously disappeared. Business profiles highlighting his legitimate ventures — real estate holdings, tech investments, private security firms.

“He’s not like other Bratva bosses,” Nick says, peering over my shoulder at where I’m scrolling through a news feature. “Most of them are old school thugs, but he’s different. Smart. Ruthless.”

“Says here there’s rumors he exiled his own father,” I mutter, scanning an article. “Took over the organization at twenty.”

“They’re not rumors. Anyone who crossed him disappeared.” Nick’s voice drops.

I click through more articles, each one painting a clearer picture of calculated violence wrapped in a veneer of legitimate business. The man operates with surgical precision, whether he’s funding a new tech startup or eliminating rivals.

An idea starts forming, dangerous and probably stupid. But looking at my brother’s bruised face, I realize I don’t have many options.

“The party,” I say slowly. “You said everyone will be there?”

Nick nods eagerly. “All the major players. It’s like this annual thing he does — shows off his power, makes deals…”

“Okay,” I exhale the word, already feeling doom descending as I say it.

“You’ll do it?” Nick’s eyes are wide.

“Not for you,” I say grimly. “For Mom. And Dad.”

My brother finally has the good grace to look shamefaced. “I’m so sorry, Stella. If I could have done things differently…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I was just trying to protect you.”

“Save it,” I say darkly. There really isn’t any point in going down that road now.

Nick nods once quickly. “You’re right. I get it.”

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