"Viktor! I got something!"

Still drowsy from sleep and fresh from my bed, I stumbled away from the monitors to the master bedroom where I knocked loudly, my chest brimming with excitement and hope.

"Viktor!"

The door flew open and wind brushed my face and the curls of my hair that stood straight and out of my braided pigtails. I'd have to redo that. Viktor stood before me, loose grey sweats and a orange graphic tee, alert and completely awake.

"What is it Peach?" he asked worriedly, carefully looking me over. "You can't shout like that."

"Sorry," I apologized and yawned, unable to keep it in. I put a hand over my mouth and when it passed, I shook my head. "Your doppleganger messaged."

We both rushed back to the monitors as Viktor read _m.a.r.k.v.i.k_'s message aloud.

_m.a.r.k.v.i.k_: Kill him or you die.

And then there was a notification of a deposit in the hitmen account.

"Trace the transaction," Viktor ordered and I sat in the chair in front of him. 

"On it."

My fingers flew over the keyboard, my mind processing things faster than I thought was possible early morning after a nap. My head was still slightly fogged but it cleared as adrenaline run through my veins, burning with the promise of a rush.

"Ok so the deposit was made with Summit Holdings Inc., a bank that's not even that big. We have half a million on here," I stated.

"Bank account name of our doppleganger?"

"One second," I said dragging the words out as I squinted at the screen, trying to get what he needed. Reading the name, I frowned. "Chyornye den'gi? What is that?

"Chyornye den'gi. It is Russian for Black Money," Viktor said and then swore in the very language he'd explained to me.

I turned, raising my head to see him above me. His expression was angry, murderous and if I was being honest... kinda hot.

Kill me now.

"What's up? I guess this is ringing bells you don't want to hear," I pointed out. "Tell me everything. Policy."

Viktor run a hand through his hair and kept it on his head, looking more confused than I was comfortable with. "Summit Holdings is a secret bank owned by the Bratva. That account is my family account. There are only three living people who know about it."

I wanted to be happy that this narrowed down our search but Viktor seemed to be on the edge so I kept my mouth shut. "Who are the three people?" I inquired instead.

"Me, my little sister Kira and... Markov."

More Russian curses. I turned to the monitors, shocked and searching the screen for something that might help shade some more light on our current situation. I jumped and turned back to the raging Don when I heard glass shatter.

"Viktor!" I scolded seeing that he had kicked the glass coffee table that used to sit with the couches in the corner. "What the hell?!"

"Moy dyadyai..." he stressed with a scowl on his face. "pytayetsya ubit' menya!"

I stood up with a sigh, knowing I had to be the calm one and the voice of reason in this whole situation.

"First off Viktor, lay off the Russian will you. I'm not linguistic and I suggest you calm the fuck down. Now, what's the matter?" I said gently, keeping my voice soft and calm.

"My uncle is trying to fucking kill me! My family," he spat and begun to pace in the living room. His face had a slight red tint to it and he flexed his hands, balling them into fists and relaxing them.

"Let's not jump to conclusions alright?" I suggested.

"There is no other explanation. Summit Holdings is a family secret. That no good blundering bastard is using it to finance my execution," Viktor fumed, his words curling into a deep Russian drawl that sent shivers down my spine and goosebumps over my skin.

"What if someone else knows about Summit Holdings huh?" I prodded.

Viktor stopped and turned to me, walking lowly in my direction like his was stalking me like prey. His hair was in disarray.

"There are some secrets that must be kept Peach," he begun. "If my father or brother were alive in this moment and had realised I told you about our bank, you would be screaming your lungs out in a coffin six feet under, crawling your way to the surface of the grave they would've buried you alive in. They would kill me themselves, slit my throat and throw my body to the dogs, not deeming me worth a proper burial. If my uncle even gets a wind that you have knowledge on Summit Holdings, he will double his efforts to get you killed, going against my orders as Don. Even I cannot survive that kind of betrayal. My sister would inherit the Bratva, something she is not ready for. Trust me, he's the one trying to kill us."

Um.. ok.

Seeing that I was properly shaken, Viktor took a step back from me and continued his angry pacing. I turned my gaze to the ground and run my hand over the curls that escaped my pigtails.

"You're certain it's Markov?" I quietly asked.

"If it isn't, you're insinuating that my 15 year old little sister has planned a whole assassination to have me fucking killed!" he barked at me, causing me to reel back a bit.

"We'll just rule that out. No need to shout, Jesus," I mumbled under my breath and turned away from him, watching the screens. I sat down in front of them and tried to track down where the transaction was made. It would take a lot of time so I sent the information to my laptop.

When I was done, Viktor was still pacing. He seemed so bothered by the revelation that Markov wanted to kill him. I had always thought that in the mafia, everyone's relationship is professional. Uncle in word but not exactly in love. Seeing him like this, I questioned that. He had this look in his eye that made me reach out for him. Over time, his anger was mostly drained and his shoulders weren't tense, they relaxed, dropped and his eyes were glued to the ground. His brows weren't pinched in anger but they dropped, worry lines forming on his forehead. I could see them despite his hair in the way. One hand lay over his lips, covering half of his face. A light stubble had grown over his chiseled jaw over the last week and he rubbed at it lightly, thinking.

I stepped in front of him and he seemed angry about that, trying to sidestep me but I grabbed both his strong tattooed biceps to keep him in front of me.

"I'm not sure it's Markov," I revealed.

Viktor scoffed, holding onto my hands, trying to dislodge them. I refused to budge. "You don't know that Peach."

"I don't but I know a way we can find out," I stressed.

"How?" Viktor asked angry yes, but also defeated. "The information has just stared right back at me."

"Information without proof," I hinted.

Viktor shook his head and looked down. "Markov has been trying to pull the Bratva out from my feet ever since I got it. I admit I have not wanted to rule but... the group is mine. It was my father's and my brother's."

"I know it must be hard for you learning this Viktor," I sympathized, trying to catch his gaze. When he refused to look at me, I shifted my hands to hold his cheeks so he stared right into my eyes. "The most dangerous thing in this world is hope but it is also the most powerful emotion. Have hope that it is not Markov. I can tell that you care for him deeply."

"That's not the point," he commented. "The facts are solid."

Under my hands, his face was cool and the roughness of his stubble brushed against my smaller calloused hands. I realised it would be so easy for me to just pull him all the more closer so that I could feel that kindling heat that sparked when he was near me.

"Not completely. Markov knows both of us well enough to stage this whole thing. He knew I could hack your network and figured out that you would come after me. I say, we go pay him a visit. If he recognizes me, we'll know he did this whole thing. That's when our facts are solid but if not, that would mean someone else is at play."

Hope sparked in Viktor's eyes. It was there, a small bright flame that he didn't allow to grow.

"We can't make it easy for him though," I continued. "I have no idea how we are going to pull this off but we must. I can find the location of the bank transaction. It might help us but you know Markov right? We have to find a way to do this inconspicuously so he doesn't figure out we are onto him."

Holding Viktor like this, the words I spoke had never been stronger. The tongue had a power of its own but bringing Viktor reassurance like I was held so much meaning. He was the one keeping me alive and I was grateful but my gratitude and my attraction to him was turning into an emotion foreign and familiar. I wanted to explore it, see how much of it could build until I exploded with the rush of it in my veins. It was dangerous, stupid and... it would never happen.

Viktor peeled my hands off his face, holding onto my smaller wrists. He run his thumb over my pulse, an action that got my heart racing. He stared into my eyes and I knew he could feel it but he didn't act on it. I was glad.

He let me go and I kept my hands to myself, taking a small step back, the spell broken.

You can't do this Peach. Not with a man like him and especially not now. Haven't you had enough of the male species? All they've ever done is let you down, break your heart and leave you to drown in your own misery. He's a Don, a killer. You think he won't do the same? Use you and throw you away. You're better than this or... you have to be. You'll shatter whatever is left of your heart. We can't go back to that dark place again. We can't. Keep your distance.

My subconscious was right. What was I thinking? I was being driven by lust, something my brother did often. I didn't want to fall like he did.

"Peach?"

I blinked and looked around. Shit. Viktor was talking to me.

"Sorry, a little absentminded. What did you say?"

Viktor gave me a confused look and I kept my expression blank.

"I might have an idea. I meet with Markov at la Lanterne Bouillante, a restaurant between Las Pavita and my Bratva territory. He'll be there this Thursday. I have to make a few calls but I think I can come up with something so we can test out this theory of yours."

"Great!" I chirped awkwardly.

"Why don't we get to the place I'd prepared in Las Pavita. The sooner we settle down, the faster we can plan this thing," Viktor suggested and I nodded.

"Let me pack and erase everything on these monitors, ok?" After a nod from Viktor, I turned away and went back to my room, shutting the door. His footsteps moved around the house and I listened, sliding down the door so I sat against it. I stared into space for a while, my thoughts rushing through me so fast I could barely grasp one to think it through.

A memory came to me, one I thought was long forgotten but words echoed in my head, clear as day.

"Your brother is a murderer!" the ginger screamed from outside the door. Her fist pounded and her foot kicked at the wood that threatened to give in under her strength. "You hear me in there! Peirce is a murderer you bitch!"

My hands shook, my eyes watered and all I could do was continue rocking from my hiding spot behind the couch. She would go away. I knew she would. I just had to give it time. She wasn't the first to come since Peirce left but it was her words that hurt me the most.

"Your brother is a lowlife and a cheat! I hope he burns in hell for the rest of eternity!" she jeered.

"Go away!" I yelled.

"Oh I will after you listen to what I have to fucking say!" the pounding stopped and when the ginger spoke again, I could hear the tears in her anger and the venom in her words, all milked from her pain. "Your whole family is cursed! Your mother is rotting in the ground, your father is undergoing his own punishment and your brother left you! You're a useless fucking orphan and your family curse will follow you as well. All the men in your life are going to be nothing but trouble and heartache! You hear me! Nothing good will last for you and you'll soon find yourself burning in hell alongside your brother!"

I knew what Peirce had done to her. He'd used her, threw her away and just to add salt to the wound, he shot her brother. They'd sold drugs together but ginger's kin was a squealer and they had to shut him up.

"I'm sorry!" I shouted back, tears brimming in my eyes when I heard her breakdown at the door.

"S-sorry isn't going to bring my br-brother back!" she stuttered through her tears.

Sorry wouldn't bring mine back either. Nothing would. I drove him away. I pushed him.

It was my fault and I couldn't find a way to make peace with it.

I would avenge him though. I had the evidence on my USB, I had my hacking skills and I had hope. It dwindled everyday but it was still there.

Peirce would forgive me. He had to but my fraternizing with Viktor wasn't going to end well. She was right about one thing, ever since she'd uttered the words, all men in my life after were nothing but trouble and heartache. Viktor didn't survive the first word and he soon would live up to the latter.

It was inevitable.