“We won’t even need to wait for Damien,” Sergei says. “Welcome aboard, Kirill. Konstantin, I expect you to support your brother going forward. You can take your leave.”
“But—”
“Now.” There’s a nonnegotiable quality to Sergei’s voice that the younger Morozov has no choice but to follow.
As soon as the door closes behind him, Kirill takes his brother’s seat. “I apologize for his behavior. He still has a long way to go.”
“Indeed,” Vladimir says. “I trust you’ll keep him in check as you promised.”
Kirill nods. “You have my word.”
Oh, I see.
The pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place.
Kirill already had a plan A and a plan B. The first one was his mother’s kidnapping and making himself appeal to Sergei’s sense of loyalty and family.
But if that somehow went awry, he already had
