It doesn’t take long.
Because ultimately, it all comes down to one unchangeable fact: I swore over my sister’s closed coffin five years ago that I’d get revenge against the man who put her there. I only met Matvei in the first place because I didn’t think I had it in me to do what must be done.
I froze, and Raymond lived, and Giana stayed dead.
But now, the universe is once again handing me the exact man I went looking for. Theexact. Same. Man.
Better yet, he is telling me that he wants Raymond dead, too. That he’s been tasked with it. He has people and plans and a will and a way. All the things I’m lacking.
Is that not a sign?
“Okay,” I decide at last. “Do it with me.”
He goes very still. “Say that again.”
“Do it with me,” I repeat. I lift my chin. “You and me together. We plan it. We execute it. Your uncle gets his body. I get?—”
For one wild second, I consider telling him everything. He’d listen and he’d understand, I think. I don’t know much about Matvei, so I could be wrong on that front, but I don’t think I am. There’s just something in his eyes, a sadness and a loneliness and afierceness,that says he’d understand me perfectly.
But I don’t. I have to remember that this is a transaction, at the end of the day. The less intimately involved we are with each other, the better.
I’m not gonna tell him about Giana, and I’m sure asfucknot gonna tell him about the baby. It’s better like this. It’s the only way.
I swallow. “Your uncle gets his body, and I get free.”
Matvei stands up out of his crouch and looms above me, as huge and beautiful as he is terrible. “You understand what you’re asking for.”
“I understand perfectly.”
“You understand that once we start, we don’t stop.”
“I understand.”
“You understand that my people are not your people. If this goes wrong, I can’t protect you from all of them at once.”
“I understand that, too.”
“You understand that you and I are going to have to lie to everyone we know for as long as it takes.”
“Matvei, I have been lying to everyone I know for the last five years. I’m basically a professional at this point.”
He hesitates, and for as long as that hesitation lasts, I think he’s going to decide that I’m an operational risk, not worth the trouble, and I’ll be right back where I started, only more alone than ever.
Then he sticks out his hand. “Partners,” he says. “Say it back to me.”
I grab his hand. His fingers enfold mine, swallowing me up. “Partners.”
“Good girl.”
I close my eyes. I let myself have it, just for a second. The warmth of his hand, yes, and the ease of being in his aura, but also the relief of not being alone in this anymore.
From out in the ballroom, distantly, I hear the string quartet strike up something festive and the first murmurs of a countdown starting.
Ten. Nine. Eight.
Matvei squeezes my hand. “Happy New Year, Mrs. Snyder.”
Three. Two. One.