Yuri falls silent. Everyone in the room has their gazes fixed on me, even May.
“You lied, kidnapped, deceived. You did that to the people closest to you.”
“And then you saved them.”
“You saved them,” I repeat. “You looked after them. You protected them from Carmine’s overreach, made sure their safety was part of the deal. And then you ate a bullet for them.” I finally let my expression thaw. “You chose wrong at first. But when you had to choose again, you chose them. You chose us.”
“But is that really okay?” Yuri protests. “Shouldn’t I pay for what I’ve done?”
“Of course,” I reply. “Effective immediately, you are no longer part of the Groza Bratva.”
He nods, like he’d been expecting this. “The vory voted?”
“On the phone. Like you said, I can’t keep stiffing them. Their voices matter
