Page 147 of Ripped Veil (Ripped Bratva)

“Don’t,” he snaps. “You asked me a lifetime ago to work with you. And I vowed that together we would bring down that fucking organization, once and for all.”

“It’s personal for me, Matvei.”

“It’s personal for both of us. I want these motherfuckers dead as bad as you do. I just want to do it right.”

“And I don’t?”

“You should have consulted with me before you went, Phoenix. That’s all I’m saying.”

“What would that have served?” I ask, irritation bleeding into my tone.

“You would have understood more about what you were walking into.”

I frown, waiting for him to continue.

“After I was stabbed by that cop fucker, you gave me a job,” he reminds me.

“Yes. I told you to try and track Sakamoto’s movements.”

Matvei nods. “Precisely. I haven’t just been sitting on my ass watching Netflix this whole time. I’ve been doing my job.”

I tense with anticipation. “You found something?”

“Only that he seems to be tracking someone himself,” Matvei tells me. “And from what I can tell, the person he’s tracking is…”

“Spit it out, brother.”

He sighs and raises his gaze to meet mine. “You.”

“Sakamoto’s tracking me?” I repeat. “Blyat’.”

I turn to face my wall, dripping with printouts and photos and scrawled notes. Matvei wants his news to shock me. To scare me.

But it’s doing the exact opposite—it’s proving I’m on the right track. That’s got me fucking giddy.

“You very nearly died today, in case you forgot,” Matvei points out. “Only reason you’re still standing here is dumb fucking luck. They’ve clocked you, Phoenix. They’re coming for you. For us.”

“Let them come,” I snarl. “I’ve been preparing this my whole fucking life.”

“It still requires planning—”

I barely hear his cautionary words. “You said you’ve been tracking him?”

“Yes, but—”

“So where’s he going to be next?”

Matvei eyes me warily but he answers anyway. “He’s got a fundraising gala he’s attending tonight.”

“Tonight? Hm.” It’s sooner than I expected but I’m not about to postpone my plans for a more convenient date. “Tonight works.”

“Phoenix, hold the fuck on. You’re not seriously thinking about going after him tonight?” Matvei asks incredulously.

“You should know better than to ask.”

“Phoenix, it’s too soon. We’re not prepared.”

“I’ve been prepared for years. Since I held my wife’s dead body in my arms. It’s not too soon, brother. It’s five years too late.”

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