A week later, I was still in California. I found reasons to stay and excuses why I shouldn’t go.
I even took an extra job that normally I wouldn’t consider.
Leaning against my motorbike, I watched a black sedan pull up in front of the warehouse by the docks. A black sedan with tinted windows, hiding the view of who was inside. I never moved, but my hand was behind me, ready to pull out my gun.
The car came to a stop and Maxim Konstantin exited. My eyes traveled over him. Unlike his twin brother, Ilias, Maxim had light brown hair. It was their only distinction. That and Maxim’s IT expertise with surveillance. His twin brother, who ruled their family business and was Pakhan, was tall with dark hair and even darker eyes. Go figure.
Unbeknownst to most, the Konstantin family owned most of the malls in California. And some in Russia. It was their legal front and a very efficient way to clean money. Ilias, due to his position in the hierarchy of Bratva and his Pakhan role, was the target of many assassination attempts. Did that keep him out of the spotlight? Fuck, no. His brother, Maxim, on the other hand always remained under the radar. It was almost as if he hid behind his twin brother.
Just for that, I didn’t particularly care for him. Vasili was the oldest of our family and ran our businesses but the rest of us, Alexei and I, stuck our necks out for the family. We’d never hide behind Vasili.
But maybe Ilias preferred his twin brother to work behind the scenes. Whatever, not my problem.
As good as I was at killing people, Maxim was good with hacking into governments and fucking with them. Sometimes even starting a war just so he could benefit.
“Nikolaev.”
“Maxim.”
My eyes traveled over him. He had two men with him. Like that could save him if shit hit the fan. He and his friends would be dead before I could say boom.
“Thanks for meeting me,” he started, stretching out his hand. I flickered a glance to his hand. I wasn’t a germaphobe, but I didn’t particularly care for fake pleasantries. Normally, I’d never accept a job from him, but the timing kind of worked. And everything Russo related was always of interest to me.
“Let’s get to the specifics,” I told him. If I didn’t like the assignment, I’d just not take it.
“Russo has my woman and I want her back.” My eyebrows shot up. Alessio didn’t strike me as the kind of guy to take someone else’s woman. “He snatched her while we were at my cabin.”
“Are you sure he has your woman?” I replied. “Alessio isn’t in the habit of kidnapping women.”
Maxim’s lips twisted. “His old man is.”
Ah, that made more sense. The old Russo was in the habit of snatching whatever he wanted. The cruel bastard. I’d never understand how Mia and Branka could be a product of that man.
“I’ll need the details.”
No answer.
“Have you reached out to Alessio?” I questioned. “He has eliminated that business from their territory.”
“It happened in Alaska,” he hissed, pushing his glasses up his nose. The tremble of his fingers didn’t escape me. “Anything outside the Russo territory doesn’t concern Alessio.”
Good point.
“Why would the old man take your woman?”
“I hacked into his system and emptied his bank account.”
My eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t realize you’re strapped for money.”
After all, the Pakhan was more than loaded.
“He didn’t pay for a business transaction we finalized.”
It made sense. He had to collect. Letting him off the hook was out of the question. You let someone get away with it once, word was bound to get out and more people would try.
“You might have a better chance working directly with Alessio,” I suggested. “Make him aware.”
Thick silence filled the air.
Something about this whole thing rubbed me the wrong way. I waited, watching Maxim’s face for any telltale signs. He had a good poker face. Fucker!
“If I reach out to him, he’ll put men on his sister and surround her.”
Alarm shot up my spine. He better not be threatening Branka.
“What does his sister have to do with it?” I growled. My voice would have made a lesser man shit their pants. But Maxim grew up in the brutal world of the Bratva, watching his brother rule with a firm hand.
“Woman for a woman,” he retorted although I could see a hint of conscience cross his face. He didn’t like hurting women any more than I did.
“I’ll take the job,” I told him. “But I’m going to give you a warning, Konstantin. You touch a single hair on Alessio’s sister’s head, you’ll be a dead man. You better pray nothing happens to that woman because you’ll be the first man I come after.”
I had a promise to keep, and I’d be damned if I failed.
