Mikhail’s mask billows around his nose as he watches me sneak into his office. “Now that Jax has graced us with his presence, I’ll begin.”
Alexei grins at me from the couch and flips me the middle finger.
I bet he’s happy. I just bumped him from the top of Mikhail’s shit list for the day.
“Enzo has relayed the info on the contact that Nikolai and Jax sniffed out.” Mikhail holds up a sheet sized photograph of a dark-haired man wearing sunglasses.
“I was there, too!” Alexei protests, sitting forward while throwing his hands in the air.
Mikhail glares at him, but continues.
“His name is Kirill Yelchin. He was a lackey when I was in Russia, but seems to have risen through the ranks since I’ve left.” He drops the page and picks up another. “This is Knox Leary. He’s now target number one. We need to remove any foothold that my father is trying to establish.” He waves the closeup of the bearded face I’ve gotten to know too well over the last few weeks.
“I’m tired of playing. If my father, Ivan, comes to play, it will be a bloodbath. Vegas will burn, and no one will walk away unscarred.” His voice raises as he crumples the photograph into a ball between his palms.
“So, a kill order?” Nikolai cracks his knuckles and the very edge of his lip turns up.
I think he’s excited. Well, it’s the most emotion I’ve seen him show.
He’s like Frankenstein most of the time, completely neutral.
I bet his face cracked.
“Yes. We aren’t fucking around any more. I’ve called in help with clean-up teams from New York. Enzo said that Mr. Falcone will send extra people to try to keep things as hush-hush as possible. But I think we have the manpower here for the front lines.” He pulls his heavy rolling chair out and sits, then folds his thick hands in front of him.
He looks like royalty. Acts like it, too. Especially with that balaclava on all the time.
I still wonder if he has scars.
“Dropping off the bodies after confiscating their drugs has pushed them to new levels of aggression.” Mikhail continues calmly. “Expect more aggressive resistance. When we’ve thinned out their ranks, we can organize a coordinated attack on their base of operations.” His hand clasps into a fist and the sound of it thumping his desk resonates in the room. “Whatever you do, do not take them on alone. We lost two men this week in separate attacks. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”
I see heads bobbing in agreement.
“I can take care of myself.” Alexei’s voice raises over the murmurings.
“I don’t give a shit what you do.” Mikhail doesn’t even look at him when he replies. “Everyone else, be safe. Dismissed.”
Nikolai veers directly towards me as we start herding through the exit.
“Jax, don’t forget Elena’s birthday party. It would be nice for another child to visit her.” His grip finds my shoulder as we walk down the hall towards the elevators.
“I’ll be there. Sofia hasn’t let me forget.” I step against the back wall while Nikolai hits the button.
Just as the doors are closing, Alexei’s hand snakes through the gap, forcing them to open for him.
“Sounds like that girl is the best part of you.” The fluorescent lights glimmer off of his toothy grin.
“She really is,” I say seriously. “You need someone like that. Are you bringing someone to the party?”
His hair falls away from his eyes as he tips his head back in a full-bellied laugh. “There’s no woman crazy enough to tie me down.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing. Being tied down can be fun.” I leave him cackling as I head to my bike.
I just can’t imagine Alexei with anyone. The kind of psycho that would match him surely doesn’t exist.
But he is right about one thing. That woman completes me in ways I didn’t even realize was possible.
I can’t wait to see the smile on her face when I get in. The entire living room should have enough roses to look like a damn garden. That’s why I was late to the meeting. Sofia called me on my way here to tell me she got the job. So I dove into the first florist I came across and gave them enough cash to deal with my ‘extreme’ request.
Nothing is too much for my girl.
