Chapter 149 152

Chapter 149 152
Her eyes are wide and I can tell she’s nervous that I might not tell her what I have planned. I glance towards Demyan. His gaze is trained on my mother.

“I’ve prepared my trap,” I say. “By the end of the week, everything will be settled.”

“Oh.”

“You look surprised?”

“I just… I know nothing of this plan,” she says.

“And I suppose you want to know?”

“I would like that very much,” she murmurs.

I stroke my chin. “I see. The thing is… you already do.”

My mother frowns. “What do you mean?”

“It was your plan to begin with,” I explain. “You were the one that suggested a meeting between Hargrove and me to iron out our little dispute.”

Her mouth falls open. “You’re going to ambush him? Take him out?”

“Precisely.”

She looks stunned. “Has the meeting been set yet?”

“No,” I reply. “I leave that up to you. See, Mother? Is there better proof that I trust you than relying on you to make this happen?”

She gives me a tentative smile. “I’ll have my work cut out for me.”

“I know he’s not very happy with you at the moment, but you’re nothing if not persuasive.”

She smiles. “I’ll make sure he agrees.”

“See that you do.”

She stands up and smooths down her blouse. In theory, it’s a delicate, feminine gesture. But she moves more like a soldier readying their armor for battle. I admire the tenacity.

Without another word, she whisks out of the room, bristling with purpose.

As soon as she’s gone, Jennifer locks the door and turns back to Demyan and me. “Are we sure this is going to work?”

“The first part worked out perfectly,” I point out.

“We don’t know what his next move will be,” Jennifer says. “He could do anything now.”

I shrug. “I can handle it. All we have to do is watch.”

“Aleks—”

“Don’t,” I say, cutting her off. “We needed to get the ball rolling. With my mother on the job, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”

She sits down next to Demyan looking uneasy. “I’m just saying, Hargrove shouldn’t be underestimated.”

“I’m not underestimating anyone. We’re in the home stretch, Jennifer. Don’t look so grim.”

She crosses and uncrosses her legs. I can see the growing restlessness in her. Apparently, Demyan can, too. We exchange a glance before he reaches out and puts his hand on her arm.

“Hey,” he says. “We’ve got you, you know?”

She knocks his hand off and glares at him. “You think I’m worried about myself?”

“No,” he says. “But I do think, after this mission, you need to take a break.”

“A break? I don’t—You don’t—” She turns to me. “Aleks, do you feel that way, too?”

All I do is nod once.

Jennifer jerks up to her feet, incensed. “Shut up. You’re pulling me out after this? You’re actually gonna—”

“You’ve done your service and then some, Jennifer,” I say gently. “It’s time to retire.”

“Retire?” she exclaims, getting even more worked up. “Retiring isn’t a ‘break.’ You want me to hang up my hat for good?”

“I—”

“I’ve never let you down. I’ve never blown cover, I’ve never fumbled a case. I’m the best you have.”

I silently meet her eyes. She seems to buckle a little, sensing what I’m saying without saying it. She lowers herself back on the sofa, keeping her eyes on me.

“Rob was a different situation. And he isn’t a factor anymore.”

“So you’ve been saying,” I say. “But the fact is that you haven’t been the same since then. Tell me the truth: do you honestly love this job as much as you used to?”

“I… I don’t know,” she says, sagging forward.

“If you don’t know, then that’s your answer,” I say. “I’m not doing this to be cruel, Jennifer. I’m doing it out of mercy.”

She takes a deep breath. “I don’t know what I would even do, Aleks. This is who I am.”

“You’ll still be in the game. Just not as a spy.”

She looks up sharply. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t want you in the shadows anymore, Jennifer. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you at my side.”

She frowns and glances at Demyan. “You mean…?”

“I’m going to be traveling back and forth from the Midwest,” Demyan explains softly. “My daughter’s there now, and I want to be able to spend time with her.”

“And,” I chime in, “while Demyan is away, I need someone to rely on.”

“Like… a Vor?” she asks tentatively.

“Exactly like that.”

“The rules say women can’t be inner circle.”

“Fuck the rules,” I snort. “I’m the don. I’m gonna make my own rules.”

She stares at me as though I’m speaking a foreign language. “You’re serious about this. You’re actually serious.”

“Are you up for the challenge?”

“What challenge? Using my own name instead of a fake one?” she ponders in amazement. “Sleeping with men because I want to, not just because I’m trying to manipulate them? Not taking my clothes off just to cause a distraction? Yeah, I think I am ready for all that.”

I can see Jennifer coming alive at the idea. Being my spy is all she’s ever known, but actually being part of the world, living her own life… it’s clearly something she’s more than ready to consider.

“Thank you,” she says softly. “This… It means a lot to me.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “I’m gonna start over.”

“We have to finish this job first,” I point out.

She smiles. “End of the week, remember, Aleks? That was your boast.”

“I don’t boast. I promise.”

“You understand what this means though, don’t you?” Demyan asks. “You’ll have to decide what you’re going to do about her.”

“I’ve already decided what I’m going to do about her.”

Both Jennifer and Demyan look shocked. He speaks up first. “Aleks, brother… are you sure?”

I nod. “This is the Bratva. Only blood can answer for blood.”