Page 57 of Sin Wager
"What do you mean, I can't go home?" She clumsily pushes some hair out of her eyes, and I reach up to help her curl it around her ear.
"Think about it, Vera. These people know where you live. They know about your family." I pull my hand back, watching her process this. "You want to drag this mess to your father's doorstep? To Elvin while he's sick?" I'm not telling her Sonya may already be there, using her family as leverage to draw her out. It's the last thing she needs to hear.
The color drains from her cheeks. She understands now—how deep this runs, how far the danger reaches. After a long moment, she nods and takes my hand. I pull her up, and we leave through the service exit, avoiding the main concourse where police cars still crowd the parking lot.
I take her to my house, and she shakes the entire drive. A few times, I catch her covering her mouth as if she may throw up, and I wouldn’t blame her. Today was just normal business for me, but for someone like Vera it was traumatic.
At home, I pour myself three fingers of vodka and offer her some, but she refuses. She finally accepts a cup of tea, wrapping her hands around the mug when I bring it to her. We sit in my living room—her on the couch, me in the chair across from her. There's nothing I wouldn’t do to try to comfort her, but I don't want to add more pain while she processes things.
"I need to know everything," I tell her. "All of it. No more half-truths." Vera has been over this a few times, but something isn't stacking up for me. She is placing the bets, but she's not making those horses win. Pavel was involved, probably doping horses to get them disqualified, but the ring is bigger than that.
She meets my gaze steadily. "What do you want to know?"
"Start with Sonya. How long have you been running bets for her?"
"Six months." Her voice is quiet but firm. "She approached me at the stables. Said she had friends who needed small favors—placing bets, collecting winnings. Clean money for honest work."
"And you believed her?"
"I needed the money." There's no shame in her voice, only fact. "Elvin's treatments cost more than I make in a year. When someone offers you a way to help your family, you don't ask too many questions."
Again, I know all of this, but there's more I need, and I'm not sure if Vera knows it. "What did she tell you about the people you were working for?"
"Nothing. She said it was better if I didn't know. She told me to take the envelopes, place the bets exactly as written, collect the winnings, hand them over." Vera sets down her tea and looks directly at me. "I swear to you, I had no idea this was about fixing races. I thought I was just… helping people who couldn't get to the track themselves."
"The amounts never seemed suspicious? Some of those bets were enormous."
"Of course they did." Her green eyes flash with irritation. "But Sonya said her clients were wealthy businessmen who preferred to stay anonymous… I see it now, Misha, but I swear I didn't know back then. And then I was in too deep. It was too late."
I study her face, looking for any sign of deception. There is none. She's telling the truth. She was used by people who saw her desperation and exploited it.
"And do you know anyone else who is working for her?" I ask carefully, hoping not to anger her.
She shakes her head firmly. "Just a few jockeys I hand over cash to if the bets win. And only if she didn't supply the account and routing numbers." Her hands are shaking now, and I hate that I'm a part of what makes her tremble.
"These treatments for your brother," I say carefully. "How much do you need?"
"The full course? Two hundred thousand rubles. Maybe more if…" She stops herself, shaking her head. Her face droops, expression growing dim. I know she's thinking about Elvin's eventual demise should his treatments fail. I never want her to think that again.
"What if you didn't have to?"
She looks at me sharply. "What do you mean?"
"I mean what if the money wasn't a problem anymore?" I lean forward, my elbows on my knees. "What if I paid for his treatments? All of them."
The silence that follows is complete. Vera stares at me, her lips parted, as if she can't quite process what I've said. She shakes her head as her eyes tear up. "You can't be serious," she whispers.
"I'm completely serious."
"But why would you… I mean, Misha… You don't know him."
"I know enough." I know she's brave and loyal and willing to risk everything for the people she loves. I know she deserves better than being used as a weapon in someone else's war. "The money means nothing to me, Vera. But it means everything to you."
Tears gather in her eyes, making them look like green glass. "I don't understand. What do you want in return?"
"Nothing."
"There's always something."
