Chapter 171

Vladimir:

Little did you know, sister, that years later, your own son would prove to be just like his uncle. And the funniest part was the fact that the offer came from you this time. Ah, how time can show things differently, right?” I watched as Konstantin spoke, voicing out his thoughts while I sat in Han Yong’s bar. His eyes met mine and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Well, at least you know that he’s ordered against touching the woman that you fancy,” he said, and I rolled my eyes. I knew that he wouldn’t just stop there. No matter how much I wanted to believe that he would; this was far too easy to be true. 

“He has no other choice for now. The man has to believe that he needs me and not the other way around. And while I don’t like the idea of him thinking that he can get what he wants, simply because he wants it; I know that this is something that I am going to have to deal with,” I said, shaking my head. Han Yong was a friend, a good acquaintance of Killian and I, and one of the main reasons why I was always finding myself a few steps ahead of Konstantin.

Flashback:

“You called, boss.” Han Yong said, entering the restaurant where Killian and I were sitting. It’s been years since I’ve seen him, and I could still remember the man playing with a sword that his father gave him at the time. Despite his young age, he was the one who taught me how to use my blades efficiently. It was a skill that only those who learned it at a young age could master, and it wasn’t as easy as handling a gun. “Vladimir, I believe that we attended your funeral?”

“The fact that you gave me a funeral when I ‘betrayed you’ seems to be more of an honor,” I teased, and Killian smirked. I knew that he would do it to make the story believable. It was to be a funeral of disgrace, but one to ‘honor’ my mother and father. 

“Considering that you are sitting in front of the Alpha, I doubt that betraying is the right word to put it. Maybe a little showcase of a game, but even I am not foolish to believe that you would have your eyes on Eleanor, your best friend’s woman.” He said, and I smirked, masking my expression in case I knew the bastards were looking. 

“We are going to need to bug Konstantin’s office in Russia. It is where I am staying, and I have a dark feeling that the man is up to more than just what we know. He is not letting me in on too much, and he knows that I still have my conflicts with him. With your help though, that could change, what do you think?” I asked, looking the man in the eye. He smirked and raised an amused eyebrow. 

“And you believe that I am the man to do the job?” He asked, and Killian shook his head.

“No, I don’t believe that, Han Yong.” He said, looking up from the paper momentarily. “I know that you are the man for the job…” 

End of Flashback.

“I doubt that he believes that he needs you, Vladimir. Do not trust in that too much. The man still doesn’t trust you, and the proof of that is the fact that his second hand is playing the game of ‘doorman’, while he is still working hand in hand with him.” He said, and I nodded, knowing that he was right. 

I knew that giving up on Batrov was too good to be true. But I had to admit, I didn’t expect to be played as easily as the man tried to do so. I, at least, expected that he would make it a little more believable to send him away when he did something major. I am guessing that Konstantin had other plans.

“Don’t worry, I am no fool to trust a bastard like him. But what I don’t know and I don’t understand is how and why they’re choosing to play this game against us. What is he hiding? And why is he choosing Elena to play against?” I asked, shaking my head in question.

“Maybe because she is the weak link right now? He knows that you’re liking her and he wants to take advantage of that. But that still doesn’t explain it. He could use something else, but I am guessing that he would be playing with the act of love.” He said, and I shook my head. I pinched the bridge of my nose as Killian’s warning of not letting him in my head about Elena played in my mind.

“The man sees that I am catching feelings for her,” he said, and he nodded.

“And he is going to take advantage of that. Before that happens, you are going to need to control it. Elena might not like it, but bringing a maid into your room would help. He would believe that you want nothing of Elena, and would lay off her back for a bit. In his mind, they are going to be your ‘concubines’.” He said, explaining his plan. While I knew that he was right and that this was going to be a plan that would work to fool the bastard, I knew that trusting that fact too much was only going to lead to things that I wasn’t going to want to put between me and my mate.

“Wait for my signal before you contact me,” I said, knowing that Konstantin would be on a lookout. And the last thing that I wanted was to give him a chance or an opportunity against me. “It is time for us to plan our next move. And I know for fucking fact that the bastard is going to be waiting for us to make a move…”