“Understand something, Marco,” Volkov said quietly. “Men who accomplish great things don’t need to brag about them.”
Marco’s jaw tightened. Volkov crouched down until they were eye level, his voice a low murmur.
“You are enjoying this far too much. Which tells me one of two things.”
Marco held his stare.
“You’re either very stupid,” Volkov said.
A beat of heavy silence followed. “Or you believe someone very powerful is protecting you.”
The basement fell quiet.
The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating, until Marco broke it with a jagged laugh that sounded like gravel grinding together.
“You’re a fool to think that,” Marco spat. “Do you really believe it takes an outsider to bring you down? Wake up, you arrogant piece of s**t!”
He strained against the chair, his face inches from
