Page 54 of Sin Wager
"Then you're on your own with people who've already killed one person to protect their operation." I let that sink in. "Is that what you want?" Lies come so easily for me, but it's simpler to let her believe Sonya killed Pavel than to explain why I had to take him out.
"Of course not," she says, letting her shoulders drop.
"Then we work together. You tell me when Sonya contacts you, what instructions she gives you, where she wants you to go. I make sure nothing happens to you while you're following those instructions."
"And then what? This can't go on forever, Misha." She wraps her arms around my chest in a move that startles me. I stiffen at first and then return the embrace.
"No, it can't. Which is why we're going to make sure it stops." The words come out a little unsteady, like how I feel. Vera isn't just a pawn in this game anymore, and when I told her I love her, I meant it. She looks at me with a mixture of hope and wariness.
"What does that mean?"
"It means Sonya and her crew are going to learn that using people to do their dirty work has consequences." My chest feels like it's on fire, warring between what I know my job is and whatthis woman in my arms means to me. "They can't come into our territory and?—"
"Our territory?"
I realize my slip immediately. The possessive language, the territorial claim—it reveals more about my position than I ever wanted to let her know.
"The track, of course—the stable complex. The areas where you work and live." I keep my voice steady, matter-of-fact. "Places where people should be able to do their jobs without being threatened or manipulated."
She nods slowly, but I can see the questions in her eyes. Questions about why I speak with such authority, why I'm so confident about handling dangerous criminals, why my protection feels less like concern and more like ownership.
"Vera." I pull back and touch her cheek, the gesture both genuine and calculated. I have to make sure she understands I mean this with all of my heart. I need to protect her. "I know this is complicated. I know you're scared. But I need you to trust me."
"I do trust you."
"Even when you don't understand everything I'm doing or why I'm doing it?"
She hesitates, and in that hesitation I see her father's warnings, her own instincts telling her that something doesn't add up.
"I trust that you care about me," she says finally. "I trust that you want to keep me safe."
It's not a complete answer, but it's enough for now.
"Good. Because caring about you and keeping you safe—those are the only things that matter to me right now." Somewhere between seducing her for information and manipulating her trust, my priorities have fundamentally shifted. The investigation, the family's interests, even my ownsurvival—all of it has become secondary to the woman standing in front of me.
"What happens next?" she asks.
"Next, you go do your job. But you don't go anywhere alone, and you don't follow any of Sonya's instructions without telling me first."
"And you?"
"I make sure everyone understands the new rules."
I lean down and kiss her forehead, a gesture that's meant to be reassuring but feels more like a claim. She belongs to me now, whether she fully understands what that means or not.
"Stay close today," I tell her. "And if Sonya or anyone else tries to pressure you, you find me immediately. Don't worry about being polite, don't worry about making a scene. Just find me."
She nods, and I can see some of the tension leave her shoulders. Having someone else make the decisions, carry the responsibility—it's what she's needed all along.
I watch her leave the tack room, then follow at a distance as she begins her morning rounds. The protective instinct that drives me to shadow her movements, to position myself where I can intervene if necessary, feels less strategic now and more fundamental.
Now the urge to keep her clear of the Radich mess isn't about gathering intelligence or maintaining cover. It's about ensuring that the woman I love survives the war that's coming.
Because it is coming. Sonya's escalation, the threats against Vera, the broader territorial dispute between the Radich and Vetrov operations—all of it is building toward a confrontation that will leave bodies on the ground.
I just have to make sure Vera's isn't one of them.
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