Chapter 71: What A Wicked Game You Play
[FROLO]
Anya looked at the call, then at Sergei, who was trying to think of something, anything to say to what he had just seen.
His omega had spiraled because of one called the worst part of all this wasn’t even Sergei standing lighter sheepishly and watching Katya lose his balance and react to just one call.
It was insurgent knowing that the system he had set up to keep Katya safe, that the protection he had offered so graciously, had reduced his omega into a panicking mess.
He couldn’t even remove the protection because, without it, Katya was a dead target of everyone who wanted to come after the Moskowsky group.
He would be used to being pulled in every way to rip through the Moskowskys, and Katya would probably have to walk with a doctor every ten steps to keep him from falling unconscious abruptly.
This was Sergei’s fault.
There was no easy way to go around it.
"Wanna hear what his friend has to say about this? I bet he called her," Anya said coldly, her tone holding no condescension.
It was like she was reminding Sergei that Katya had a support system too. That Katya was not alone, that Katya had really crazy people looking out for him and who wouldn’t hesitate to stand in the line of fire.
Anya had told him the conversations he had with Svet the day after the public humiliation, and Sergei hadn’t known how to react because Svetlana wasn’t from a port family that he could manipulate.
Andre too.
These were people in the social class as Sergei Mowsky, who should have been terrified because Sergei was the devil, and yet, not once did they step back, even knowing that Sergei would ruin their families.
That was the kind of loyalty that only death could come between, but it would also probably be the death that happened because of loyalty.
"Fine, if you went mute, but it’s your funeral. I might as well enjoy seeing the wreaths being lined up," Anya chuckled as she picked up the call whenever called the second time.
"I am busy," Anya said before Svet could speak, and Svetlana let out a mocking chuckle.
"Oh great, you actually have a job? Or are you busy finding another omega to torment in the morning?" Svetlana asked.
Sergei’s eyes raised at that.
Did Svetlana see them?
Was this woman stalking Katya, too?
What the hell?
"Like I said, I am busy. If you wanted your friend free for us, you could give your wealth to him... oh wait, you already tried, and he shot both of you down, didn’t he?
"Now, why the fuck are you calling me?" Anya asked, her facts spilling into Sergei’s ears and making the alpha feel like he was running an actual concentration camp.
It was devastating enough seeing Katya defeated, but Katya declining his friend’s help to be free of Sergei? It wasn’t just because he didn’t help. But it was because Katya had to know that Sergei would still find a way to ruin him.
After all, the value of Romanov steel had tripled. Even if Svet and Andre combined their family’s wealth, it wouldn’t make up for three-quarters of the debt.
Half, maybe. And Sergei would probably retaliate.
’Am I that bad?’ Sergei wondered as he drifted into his thoughts.
"Where is he?" Svet asked, and Sergei paused his regress.
She didn’t know where Katya was.
She was not talking to Katya.
So, what was this about?
But then Anya hung up.
"Why did you hang up?" Sergei asked like that conversation hadn’t ended, and maybe it hadn’t. But what was it for Anya this morning anyway, right?
"If you want to call her, you do it yourself. I am busy. Can’t believe I’m parenting a fifty-year-old man instead of watching Coco Melon with people my age in retirement homes," Anya huffed before she began walking in the direction of Volkov and the car.
Expectedly, Volkov, who had been watching everything and listening too, knew this wouldn’t end well. Perhaps that was why he drove forward, probably to make sure that no one saw Sergei being attacked again by Anya for whatever reason.
"Call her back," Sergei said. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"You have a phone too, don’t you?" Anya bit back.
"It’s at the tailors."
"And the tailor is barely twenty feet from here? You go take it and call her back if you want to," Anya said.
"Please..."
"No. Get your ass to the office, and maybe you will find your omega in his seat."
At that, Sergei smiled.
Actually smiled.
"My omega," the alpha let out a soft chuckle.
"Oh, good Lord, what the fuck did I get myself into?" the woman groaned.
And as if the universe wasn’t done with her misery, her phone rang again.
"Great. She is calling again. Maybe you want to pick up this time?" Anya said, offering the phone to Sergei.
Sergei clicked receive and speaker, not once taking the phone from Anya’s hands.
"Listen her you old woman. I told you I would cut that old throat with my nails, and I will do it if you don’t tell me where Katya is. I called your fucking office; he is not there.
"That bastard contract husband who forced himself into his life is to pick up ether. And my friend is having a panic attack. Now, we can either spend the morning being bitches to each other, or you can tell me where to find my friend so I can help him calm down.
"Or, Andre can come up to that office of yours, and you will have to answer him eventually. he is more patient than I am. So, patient that he is already at the lobby. What do you think?" Svet said, her words sounding like some good deal, but there was no good deal there.
Katya was missing.
Or not picking up. They didn’t know.
But Andre being at the lobby of Moskowsky holdings was madness.
Anya glared at Sergei, who just stood stiff, like this wasn’t all his fault.
"Why would I know where he is? You are the one who said he has a tracker in him, no?" Anya asked, voice still cold even though she was worried for Katya.
If Katya wasn’t kicking, then they needed to call Rahim. But at the same time, Sergei didn’t have a phone, and they were in a conundrum now.
"Oh, really. Are we doing this? Right now? When my friend will probably die?" Svet asked, exasperatedly.
"Not my problem."
"Fine. But if he dies, Anya... that small village you care about on the outskirts of Frolo? There will be flames in thirty minutes, and I will personally make sure all of them end up in body bags," Svet said, then she hung up.
And for the first time, Anya looked horrified.
"Volkov!!" Anya shouted as she ran toward the car, Sergei following right behind her while she dialed Rahim.
The chairman’s secretary was also not picking up.
"Miss Anya?" Volkov asked when he saw them panicking.
"Find Rahim. And drive towards their car’s location," Anya said, getting to the passenger seat, while a silent Sergei stayed in the back.
His mind was whirring with so many questions. Many regrets. Even though he didn’t know which one to start with, because the man was coolly realizing that he was not just dealing with an omega who had protective friends here.
This was the omega whose friends were his level of unhinged.
And worse...
The idea of Katya dying had sent him into shock.