Born into Temptation (Devils Will Rise: Melnikov Legacy #4)

2. Valentin

Chapter 2

Valentin

T he first time I kissed Yelena, I was eleven, and she was ten. It was nothing more than a featherlight touch, my lips barely grazing the skin of her cheek, but those few precious seconds changed me. I’ve always been hers, but in that moment it became official. I can still smell the cherry lip balm she used to wear, still feel the warmth of her breath, and see the huge smile on her young face. Even back then, I knew she was mine.

I glance over, grinning at how worked up she is. One of the things I love most about Yelena is her ability to look so goddamn sweet. No one knows about her other side, no one gets to see her when she’s soaking her panties and insisting I work her harder—that part of her is only for me.

Judging by the heated look she’s giving me and her inability to sit still, she’s getting close to the breaking point. She’s always had a high sex drive, equal to my own in every way, but the pregnancy has heightened her arousal, and my only regret is that I can’t be with her to satisfy her needs every second of the day.

Sliding my hand further up her thigh, I ask, “You doing okay, Yel?”

“Not really.”

I laugh at her response and the way she squirms beneath the firm grip I have on her. “Not too much longer, baby,” I tell her while running a finger along the seam of her jeans that runs right between her legs.

“That’s not fair,” she whispers, curling her small fingers around mine.

“I’m about to make it up to you,” I promise, letting go of her long enough to shift and turn down a side street and into an empty parking lot. It’s one we know well, firmly within our territory and private enough to ensure we won’t be bothered. As soon as I stop the car, she’s unbuckling her seat belt and closing the distance. My laugh is cut off by an insistent pair of lips and an eager tongue. I thread my fingers in her dark hair, fisting it as she swallows my groan and scoots her cute ass into my seat.

I’ve had this Jaguar since I turned sixteen, and I’ve always been very particular about it, but it’s never once occurred to me to stop Yelena from putting her feet any place she pleases. She could trash this car, and I’d just sit back and smile while she did it.

Another one of my deep groans fills the car when she settles onto my lap, the pressure on my cock slowly driving me insane. Every rock of her hips, every soft moan, every scrape of her nails along my skin pushes me closer and closer to the edge of sanity. I ride the line between being coherent enough to be aware of our surroundings and falling head first into a world where only she exists. When I reach between us and snap the button on her jeans, she lets out a soft whimper that leaves me coated in pre-cum, and when I drag my fingers over the stomach that’s not yet showing signs of our baby, her breath hitches as she clutches me tighter.

Slipping a finger into her panties, I tease her with soft caresses until she’s fogging up the windows with her heavy breathing and her body is softly shaking. Dipping lower, I feel the stubble that’s starting to grow on her pubic mound.

“Uh-oh,” I whisper. “I’ve been neglecting my duties.”

She smiles and kisses me again. “If you’d let me shave myself, this wouldn’t be an issue.”

“Don’t you dare.” I trail my fingers lower. “This is my pussy, Yel, and I’m the one who gets to shave it.”

Her breath hitches again when the tip of one finger hits her swollen clit. She’s soaking wet, dripping so beautifully for me.

“Remember the first time I shaved you?” I ask while I circle her sensitive skin, rubbing her arousal all over her delicate folds.

“Yes,” she whispers, and then gives a soft laugh. “You were so focused on doing a good job.”

“I didn’t want to cut you, and with you splayed out before me, I could barely think straight.” I groan at the memory. “So fucking beautiful.”

“Val.” She moans my name when I slowly slide my finger into her, clenching around me and pulling me in deeper, every part of her so hungry for what only I can give her. “Please,” she begs.

I’ve never been able to deny her anything, and now is no different. Cupping the back of her head, I crash my lips against hers as I use my hand to push her over the edge. It doesn’t take much. She’s coiled tight and ready to burst, and when I feel her body tense and she breaks our kiss on a ragged moan, I watch as she comes undone for me.

“That’s my girl,” I praise her, watching her rock her hips and grind harder against my hand, chasing every last bit of pleasure she can get. Her dark eyes are glazed and heavy-lidded, and a tremor runs through her body when I brush the pad of my finger along her overly sensitive clit.

When she squirms, I give a soft laugh and spread my fingers so I can tease her while giving her body time to recover.

“I’m not done with you yet,” I tell her, nipping at her bottom lip. “You and I both know that one orgasm is never going to be enough for you.”

She smiles and cups my face in her hands. “You make me sound insatiable.”

“Oh, myshka , you are. We both know it, and I love it.” I lean into her touch and meet her eyes. “I hope you always are.”

“I will be,” she promises. “You know the effect you have on me.”

I slide two slippery fingers into her. “I might have an idea,” I say with a soft laugh because she’s completely drenched my hand. “You’re going to be stuck in very wet panties, sweetheart.”

“Your fault,” she tells me.

“Ready for another?”

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me, Yel.”

I can tell she’s about to argue, so I silence her words with a kiss and move my fingers in a way that guarantees she’ll be coming again soon. We’ve experimented with one another and learned what works for each of us, and I’m a very good student. I know exactly how to touch Yelena to make her shatter, and I don’t let up until I’ve pulled two more orgasms from her shaking body.

While she catches her breath, I kiss her sweaty temple and keep one hand buried in her pants while the other rubs soft circles along her back. I’m painfully hard, but I’m so tired of taking her in the damn car. She deserves so much more than that, and I can wait until tomorrow night. I want a bed, I want room to take my time, and I want to know that after we’re both sated, I don’t have to let her go. I can fall asleep with her in my arms, just like it should be every night.

“Think that’ll hold you over until tomorrow night?” I ask her.

I feel the puff of air against my neck when she laughs. “I really hope so. I’d hate to have to take matters into my own hands.”

“You’re breaking my heart, myshka . At least send me a video if you do.”

She kisses my neck. “I can wait for you. It’s more fun that way.” Pulling back, she asks, “But what about you?”

“I’m fine, Yel.”

Reaching down, she rests her hand on my raging dick, and I bite back the groan I want to give while also resisting the urge to rock my hips, desperate for more friction.

“I’m fine,” I say again, pulling my hand from her pants. Unable to deny myself the pleasure of tasting her, I bring my fingers to my lips and lick them clean. The taste of her settles on my tongue, and I know I’m close to losing my resolve. I’m consumed by her, overwhelmed by her presence, and stunned yet again that someone half my size can so easily knock me on my ass.

With a sigh, I button her jeans back up and rest my hands on her hips.

She rests her forehead against mine. “Do you have to work tonight?”

“Yeah, I’m going out with my dad.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

I caress her cheek with my thumb. “I’ll be fine. Stop worrying.”

“I love you too much not to worry.”

I smile and kiss her again. “You’re pregnant. Worrying is bad for you.”

“I can’t help it.” She sits back and runs her eyes over me. “What if something happens to you?”

“Nothing is going to happen to me.”

“But it might,” she whispers.

I keep my voice steady and confident when I say, “It won’t. Nothing will separate us, myshka .”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She still looks worried, but she gives me another kiss before scooting back into the passenger seat and buckling up. The drive to her apartment doesn’t take long, and I’m forced to let her go way before I’m ready to.

“Text me before you go to sleep.” Keeping my distance in the elevator, I run my eyes over her, waiting for her to say that she will. We text each other all the time, and ever since our first phones, we’ve always texted each other a goodnight, but I always ask because I like hearing her say that she will.

“I will.” She ducks her head as the doors open and whispers, “I love you, Val.”

I step off with her so I can walk her to the apartment and whisper back, “I love you too, Yel.” Angling my body in front of the camera, I graze my fingers over hers right before she unlocks the door and steps into her apartment. I wait, helpless to do anything but watch her walk away from me.

I’m convincing her this weekend to move in with me, because this is going to be the last goddamn time I watch Yelena walk away from me.

When she’s safely inside with the door locked, I turn and head back to the elevator. I hadn’t been lying when I told Yelena that I’d be safe tonight, but I hadn’t been completely honest either. The only thing I will ever fudge the truth on with her is work. With everything else, she’ll have absolute honesty, but I can’t tell her details about what our family does, and I’m sure as hell not planning on telling her about all the things I’ve done for our Bratva. She doesn’t need to know about all the blood on my hands. It’s my job to protect her from all that, not dump it in her lap so she can worry even more about it.

The truth is my dad and I are meeting with someone who’s interested in doing business with us, and there’s no guarantee it’ll go okay. There never is. The type of men we deal with aren’t people I’d ever allow around Yelena. We all work very hard to make sure this part of our lives never touches the women we love, and I understand that now more than ever, because it’s no longer just Yelena that I’ll be protecting. We have a baby on the way, and I’ll do anything and everything to keep them safe.

When I step into the apartment, the last thing I’m expecting is to see my Uncle Matvey. My first thought is that they’ve finally realized what’s been going on under their noses for years, but there’s no anger in my uncle’s dark eyes, and my dad is busy laughing at something he’s just said.

“Hey, Val.” My dad smacks my shoulder as I walk by to get a drink from the fridge. “Change of plans for tonight. Matvey and Sasha are coming with us.”

I raise a brow at the news, wondering why the extra backup is needed. “I thought it was just a quick meeting.”

My dad shrugs. “I don’t trust him, and he specifically asked to meet at Pink.”

I bite back a groan. The last place I want to go to is the strip club my family owns. “You must be expecting trouble if you’ve invited Sasha.”

I love my cousin, but there’s something off with my Uncle Lev’s son. Sasha jumped into Bratva work way earlier than the rest of us and with way more gusto. Max, Luka, and I do the work because it’s what we were trained to do. It’s our responsibility, and we’d all taken the vow when we turned eighteen and have the tattoo to prove it, but I’ve seen Luka and Max kill, and they don’t revel in it. They do what needs to be done, and then they get the fuck out, the same as I do, but Sasha enjoys it. He savors every second of the kill, and it hasn’t escaped my notice that he likes to toy with his prey. Anyone unlucky enough to be at the receiving end of Sasha’s knife is in for a slow, painful death.

“We’re not expecting trouble,” my Uncle Matvey says. “We’re just preparing for it if it happens.”

“That’s how we’ve stayed alive so long,” my dad says with a grin.

We all turn when we hear the elevator, and a few seconds later, Sasha comes strolling in. He gives a lazy grin, nudging my shoulder in a friendly hello as he walks past to grab a coke from the fridge.

“Hey, Uncle Matvey, Uncle Vitaly,” he says, nodding towards them before resting his hip against the counter and taking a drink. “What’s the plan for tonight?”

“To not kill anyone,” my dad says, raising a brow at his nephew. “And you’re not showing up in your mask.”

Sasha laughs at the mention of the skull mask he loves so much. He’s spent a lot of time breaking it in, and it’s covered in enough blood splatter to ensure it scares the hell out of anyone who sees it.

“Yeah, the last thing we need is a stampede of half-naked strippers because you’ve scared the shit out of all of them,” my Uncle Matvey says. “It’s bad enough we have to go there at all.”

“They know the drill,” my dad says. “We’ll be in a corner table, and I’ve already called ahead to make sure the dancers stay away.”

The men in my family are a lot of things, but a cheater isn’t one of them. None of them spend time in strip clubs. Hell, they won’t even smile or flirt with other women, and I’ve always been grateful for that. I’d hate to have to watch my dad cheat on my mom and then pretend like it’s normal. I wouldn’t be able to do it, and I’d lose all respect for my dad.

“So tell me about the guy we’re meeting,” Sasha says.

My Uncle Matvey leans back in the barstool and holds up his phone, letting us see the picture of a middle-aged man with not enough hair and way too much jewelry. The deep v-neck of his shirt that shows off a gold chain nestled in an unsettling amount of chest hair is a nice touch.

“His name is Martin Young, and I know it’s hard to tell based on the fact that he looks like a giant jackass,” my dad says, “but he’s supposedly making a name for himself as a drug runner. He wants permission to cross through our territory.”

“Just cross through it?” I ask, disbelief coloring my words.

“That’s what we’re going to find out,” my Uncle Matvey says.

Sasha grins. “You want me to scare him?”

“No,” my dad says. “You’re just going to sit there and listen.”

Sasha thinks for a second. “So be myself or not?”

I laugh because we all know what he’s asking. Does he wear the mask that makes him appear normal, or is he supposed to let it slip a little?

“Trust your gut,” my dad says.

Uncle Matvey quickly adds, “But no spilling blood tonight unless he strikes first.”

Sasha sighs. “Don’t worry. I’ll play nice as long as he does.”

I can tell he isn’t thrilled about it, but we all know Sasha won’t ever do anything that could hurt the Bratva. If he says he’ll behave, then he will, whether he likes it or not.

When my mom walks in, we seamlessly switch topics as my dad pulls my mom in for a hug and kisses her until she’s laughing and blushing and I’m trying my best to ignore the fact that my parents are making out in the kitchen. I meet my Uncle Matvey’s dark eyes, and when he gives an exaggerated eye roll, I laugh and toss my empty bottle in the recycle bin.

“So you’re all off to Pink?” my mom asks when my dad finally lets her up for air.

“Unfortunately, yes,” my dad says while my Uncle Matvey groans and Sasha scrolls on his phone.

My mom smiles and pats his cheek. “Don’t worry. I trust you.”

My dad smacks her ass and laughs. “You better, ptichka . You know me well enough to know I could never look at another woman.” He kisses her again, and because he can’t help himself, he adds, “You know my body only stands at attention for you, wife.”

“Jesus, Dad,” I groan. Sveta’s not here to groan along with me, but I send her a quick text to let her know what she’s missed and then laugh at her one-word response.

Twin:

Gross.

“I love your mom,” he tells me, not looking even slightly apologetic about his erection comment.

My mom smiles and returns his kiss before saying, “Be careful. I’ll save you some dessert.”

He winks at her. “You better.”

For my own sanity, I pretend I have no idea what they’re talking about and put my focus on Sasha instead. “You riding with me or taking your bike?”

“I’m taking the bike.”

“Aren’t you freezing on that thing?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Better than being trapped in a car.”

“You’re crazy, man,” I tell him.

His light blue eyes meet mine. “I think you’ve known that for a while now, haven’t you?”

I laugh and smack his shoulder. “I always suspected, but the last few years have proven it.”

He grins, not even slightly offended, and shoves his phone in his back pocket. “My dad said to text if we need him, and Uncle Danil and Niki will be keeping an eye on the security cameras.”

The hackers of the family, those two can handle any and all situations, and knowing they’ll be keeping a close eye on things is something we all expected, but it’s still nice to hear. While the others get ready, I head to my room. Not bothering with a suit, because I don’t feel like going all out for some drug pusher in a strip club, I throw on a black hoodie instead and then send a text to Yelena, telling her I love her and that I’m about to leave.

Yelena:

Be careful, Val! I love you too.

I smile at her response as I send her a kissy face emoji and return to the kitchen where everyone is waiting and ready to go.

“You driving, or you want me to?” my dad asks on our way to the elevator.

“I’ll drive,” I tell him, and he smiles because he knows I’ll use any excuse to drive my car.

“I’m driving separate, so I can go straight home afterwards,” my Uncle Matvey says. He glances over at me. “Alina said you dropped Yelena off. Did she seem okay to you? She wasn’t feeling all that great this morning.”

I resist the urge to look away when I lie to him and say, “She’s fine, Uncle Matvey. She ate lunch with Sveta and Vitya, and she said she was feeling better.”

“Good,” he says, and I can hear the relief in his voice. “I was worried she was getting sick.”

Breaking eye contact, I turn my head in time to see Sasha raising a dark brow at me. He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t need to. He rarely misses anything, and hearing that Yelena was sick this morning has the wheels turning in that psychotic brain of his. I ignore him and watch the numbers countdown until we reach the parking garage and the doors open.

As he walks off to his motorcycle, he gives me another curious look before grinning and pulling his black helmet on. When he turns his head, I see the Grim Reaper design on the back. The skeleton’s wicked grin looks a lot like the one that Sasha’s probably wearing beneath the helmet. He’s a crazy-ass motherfucker, but I know he’ll always have my back. I may question a lot of things about my cousin, but loyalty isn’t one of them. He raises his hand in a quick wave before he revs the engine and disappears around the corner.

“That kid is crazy,” my Uncle Matvey says with laugh.

“Fuck yeah he is,” my dad agrees. “He’s just like his dad.”

“Lev wasn’t quite that crazy,” my Uncle Matvey says, opening the door to his Camaro.

Before my dad gets in my Jaguar, he says, “Our brother got his dick pierced ten times. If that’s not fucking insane, then I don’t know what is.”

I cringe at the thought of all that metal in such tender skin while my Uncle Matvey laughs and says, “What makes you think his son hasn’t done the same thing?”

“Jesus, I don’t even want to know,” my dad mutters before getting into the passenger seat.

I get in and shut my door, and when I start the car, I say, “I could’ve gone my whole life without knowing my Uncle Lev’s dick is pierced. You are the world’s worst over-sharer, Dad.”

He just laughs and turns on the heat. “We’re a family. It’s our job to spill each other’s secrets.”

“I’ll remember that when it’s your secrets I’m spilling.”

He smiles over at me. “I’m an open book, Son. I have no secrets. I tell my brothers everything unless it has to do with your mom. They don’t need to know how kinky she is.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather ride with Uncle Matvey?”

He laughs and smacks my shoulder. “And miss this bonding moment with my son? I think not.”

I follow my Uncle Matvey’s black Camaro to Pink while my dad messes with all my vent angles and then insists on playing Russian bands from the ‘90s so he can sing along.

“That’s going to fuck up my entire algorithm, Dad. It’s constantly going to recommend that to me now.”

My dad turns his head and manages to stop singing for a few precious seconds while he says, “I know. You’re welcome.”

When I can’t hide my smile, he laughs and goes back to singing. By the time we pull into Pink’s parking lot, I’m singing along with my dad, and he’s looking way too pleased with himself.

Shutting off the music, he looks at the huge building in front of us and the long line of men outside. “I haven’t been inside this place in years. You should’ve seen the shithole it was before I transformed it into the classy establishment you see before you.”

“Wait. Do you mean to tell me that someone had the nerve to make a sleazy strip club?”

“I hear your sarcasm, and I’m choosing to ignore it. Yes, it was a very sleazy-looking strip club, complete with fake, neon tits on the outside of the building and some very lackluster, down-on-their-luck strippers.”

“Well, it definitely looks nicer now, Dad, but I hope I don’t hurt your feelings by saying I have no desire to have a business meeting here.”

“Yeah, me either. Your mom’s the only woman I want to see naked.”

“That’s really sweet, but it also makes me cringe.” I look over at his smiling face, the one that’s so similar to mine. “I’m really glad you don’t cheat on Mom. You’re way too open about your love life,” I hurry up and add, “but I’m really glad you don’t cheat.”

“I could never cheat on your mom, Val. I love her too goddamn much to do that. She’s ruined me for every other woman. I don’t even have any desire to look at anyone else.” He looks back at the building and laughs. “When I was younger, I would’ve thought owning a strip club would be a dream come true. God, I was such a dumbass.”

My dad and I are more alike than he realizes, because I’ve felt that way about Yelena my entire life. We’re about to walk into a club filled with strippers, and instead of salivating like the line of men in front of us, I’m actively dreading it.

My uncle pulls in beside us, and we all get out, walking to the entrance where Sasha is already talking to the bouncer on duty. Our lower-level enforcers take turns as bouncers at the club, and the man working tonight is checking IDs and cutting nervous looks at Sasha. My cousin has a well-earned reputation for being someone you absolutely don’t want to fuck with. It puts people on edge, and when I see the slight tremor in the man’s hands, I stifle a laugh and push past him and into the club.

The loud, sultry beat hits me full force, and before I’ve even fully entered the room, there’s a blonde, topless woman smiling before me.

“Want a dance, honey?” she asks with a big smile on her face.

“No,” I say, turning my back on her without a second thought. I have no desire to have her anywhere near me, and just being in this place makes me feel guilty as hell. I silently apologize to Yelena and look over to see my dad staring at me. He doesn’t say anything, but I can tell he’s wondering why in the hell I’m not at least a little bit happy to be here. I’m not married, and a place like this should be any young man’s dream. It’s not mine, though, and when the stripper behind me sees my dad, she quickly says in Russian, “I’m sorry, Mr. Melnikov. I didn’t recognize your son,” before scurrying off to find someone else to proposition.

“Let’s get the fuck upstairs,” my Uncle Matvey growls, storming past me and heading straight for the stairs. I notice all the dancers give him a wide berth as he walks past, and he doesn’t spare them a single glance. My dad follows while Sasha and I take up the rear.

“I don’t get it,” Sasha mutters, looking around the large room, taking in the three stages and stripper poles that are placed throughout so every man is close to at least one pair of tits and ass. I look over at his bored expression. He scratches his jaw and shakes his head. “What’s the point of all this?”

“The point is that guys like to look at naked women.”

“Why?”

I stop and meet his eyes, half expecting him to laugh or tell me he’s joking, but he looks genuinely confused.

“You know why I don’t like this place,” I say, and he nods.

“Because you only want Yelena.”

He keeps his voice low so it can’t be heard over the music, but I still glance around to make sure my dad and uncle are too far away to hear. They’re already at the staircase, so I turn back to Sasha and nod.

“Yeah. I don’t want any of these women, but most men do.” I’m not sure how far I should push this, and I don’t to make him uncomfortable, so I hesitantly ask, “Do you feel anything for any of these women?”

He gives the room another slow scan, and for a second, the mask he always wears drops, and I see the dead stare that I usually only catch sight of when he’s killing someone.

“Nope,” he finally says, bringing that dead stare back to me. “Not a single dick twinge.”

“I can’t believe I’m about to ask this, but do you ever get hard?”

The corner of his mouth lifts up in an unsettling smirk. “You sure you want me to answer that?”

“Fuck no I don’t,” I quickly say before turning and heading for the stairs. The last thing I want to do is stand in the middle of a strip club and hear about how my cousin gets hard when he kills. I hear his laughter behind me as he follows me to the VIP section where a table is already set up for us. The entire section has been roped off, and none of the dancers are anywhere near us. My dad motions for Sasha and me to take a seat.

My Uncle Matvey checks his watch. “This asshole has five minutes to get here or he can fuck off.”

“Agreed,” my dad says, but then his phone dings, and when he checks the message he says, “He’s here. Danil said he came alone, and there’s no signs of anyone following him.”

There’s a bottle of vodka on the table for us, and my dad pours himself a shot while we wait for Martin to make his way inside and up to our table. When I see him, I let out a soft laugh while my dad mutters in Russian, “Jesus Christ, I hope Danil’s recording this.”

Martin Young walks over with a big cheesy grin on his face and enough gold jewelry to make himself sparkle under the lights. His combover looks even worse in person, and his flower-print shirt is unbuttoned enough to show off that massive patch of chest hair he’s obviously very proud of. A pair of white loafers completes the look, and when we introduce ourselves and he shakes my hand, I feel the thick gold rings he’s wearing on every finger.

It takes everything I have to not laugh, and I force myself to not look at my dad, because I know if I see amusement in his eyes, I’ll lose the fight and ruin this deal before we’ve even had a chance to decide if we want in on it or not.

“So Martin,” my uncle starts to say, but Martin smiles and says, “Call me Marty.”

“Marty,” my uncle tries again, and I can tell he’s fighting a laugh and trying like hell to take this all seriously. “What is it you want from us?”

Marty gets comfortable in his chair and takes the shot of vodka my dad offers him. He glances around and asks, “Can we get some dancers over here?”

“No.” My dad leans closer. “We’re talking business, Marty. You can have as many strippers in your lap as you can afford when we’re done talking. Now, answer my brother.”

Marty straightens at my dad’s tone and gets down to business. Shedding the I’m just a harmless douche act like a snake shedding its skin. “I want to run product through your territory.”

“What kind of product?” I ask.

He turns his brown eyes to mine. “Does it matter?”

“Answer my son. We’re all curious as to what in the fuck you’re planning on bringing into Melnikov territory,” my dad says.

Marty looks between the four of us, and when he meets Sasha’s eyes, he quickly looks away. I don’t need to look at my cousin to know he’s dropped his mask. Poor Marty better start talking before Sasha gets really pissed off.

“Cocaine,” he quickly says while my uncle gives a harsh laugh.

“And what the fuck do we get out of it?” My uncle motions towards our side of the table. “You’re bringing it through, but we’re risking everything. Better make it worth our while, Marty.”

“Five percent of the profit,” Marty says, making us all laugh.

“Fuck off,” my dad says, pointing towards the staircase he’d just walked up less than twenty minutes ago.

“Ten percent,” Marty quickly says.

I watch him, hating the man more with each passing second. Something is off about this fucker. “Who are you running it for?”

He turns to me and says, “It’s my operation.”

I don’t believe him, so I press him harder and say, “Perfect, then you’re the one who can offer us a better deal.”

“We want fifty percent,” Sasha says, and when Marty lets out a harsh laugh, Sasha’s voice hardens. “Something funny?”

Marty visibly pales. “You want half my profit? I can’t do that.”

“We’re the ones taking all the risk,” my uncle reminds him.

“Yeah,” my dad agrees, and then just to fuck with him, he says, “Better make it sixty percent.”

It’s not so much that our family finds it morally wrong to allow cocaine to be transported through our territory, but more that this asshole is clearly up to something and can’t be trusted. This type of partnership involves a lot of trust, and Marty doesn’t give off the you can trust me vibe.

“Sixty percent is insane,” Marty hisses out, finally finding a small piece of his backbone. “If you don’t want in on this, I’ll have to take my business to someone else.”

“Go for it,” my dad says, “but if we see even a hint of you within our borders, you’re a fucking dead man, Marty.”

“That’s the only warning you’re going to get,” my Uncle Matvey warns, his deep, gravelly voice making it sound even more ominous.

“The Alessi Mafia runs part of this city. Maybe their don will be more reasonable than your family,” Marty says.

We laugh while my dad says, “Yeah, I doubt that, but when you see him, tell him we said hi and we’re looking forward to the next family dinner.”

The disbelief is obvious in Marty’s voice when he asks, “You’re working with the Italians?”

My dad just gives a noncommittal shrug. “I think we’re done here.”

“And we changed our minds about letting you get a lap dance,” my Uncle Matvey says.

Marty looks devastated for a second before he decides he’d rather be pissed. “I’ll remember how disrespectful you’ve been.”

My dad leans forward. “Careful, Marty, that sounded a lot like a threat.”

“It did,” Sasha agrees. “Are you threatening my family?”

Marty swallows and holds up his hands. “No, I’m not. I just mean I won’t come to you with any more business offers.”

“I hope the fuck not,” my dad says, “because you’re a shit businessman, and you’ve wasted our time tonight.”

“That’s your cue to get the fuck out,” my Uncle Matvey says in case there was any confusion about whether or not the meeting has ended.

Marty huffs out a breath, but he’s not suicidal, so he keeps his mouth shut as he stands and makes a quick dash for the stairs. He’s nothing but a flash of floral, white loafers, and a combover that’s lost its will to stick. It’s a sad sight to watch, especially when he hits the bottom level and gives a wistful look at the closest stripper. I think he’s more upset about the lack of pussy than he is about the deal going to shit.

“Marty is a very sad man,” my Uncle Matvey says, watching the lower level to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid on his way out.

“That he is,” my dad agrees, “but you have to admit that was an impressive combover. I kept waiting for it to fall down, but he must’ve really greased it up for tonight because it wasn’t until he ran off like a scared little pussy that it started to lose its grip.”

“Should I follow him?”

We all turn at Sasha’s question. My dad gives a soft laugh while Uncle Matvey shakes his head and says, “Absolutely not. Danil’s on it. He’ll keep an eye on him.”

Sasha’s disappointment is obvious, and I nudge his shoulder so he’ll look at me. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m fairly confident you made him shit himself a little bit.”

His lips quirk up in a small smile. “It does make me feel better. Thanks.”

“Let’s get out of here,” my dad says, and then with a laugh, he adds, “I have dessert waiting for me at home.”

When I groan, he says, “Your mom made pie, Val. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

I laugh and look over at my uncle. “Has he always been like this?”

My Uncle Matvey laughs. “Yes, since birth.”

They laugh while Sasha and I follow them back out of the club. Once we’re free of the bass-heavy music and overly stimulated men, I breathe in a lungful of fresh air and say a quick goodbye to my cousin and uncle before getting in my car. My mind is already drifting back to Yelena, just like it always does, when my dad breaks the silence by letting out a heavy sigh and saying, “I’m hungry.”

Without a word, I reach over and open the glovebox, digging around until I find a bag of fruit snacks. Both my dad and twin tend to get irritable when hungry, so I’ve gotten into the habit of stashing snacks in strategic locations. Vitya learned early on to do the same, and now every time I see him, I know that there’s at least one package of fruit snacks hidden away in one of his pockets.

When I toss the bag on my dad’s lap, I swear his eyes light up. He rips it open and tosses a few in his mouth, staring out the window while he chews. It’s unusual for him to be so quiet, and when he starts to talk, my whole body stills.

“I couldn’t help but notice your reaction to the topless woman who approached you in there.”

I don’t say anything, and after a few painfully quiet minutes, he finishes off his snack and says, “You know your mom and I love you no matter what, right?”

“Yeah.” My answer is slow and hesitant because I have no idea where he’s going with this.

“I mean, we don’t give a flying fuck about your sexuality, so if there’s anything you want to tell us, you can.”

I laugh. It’s the last thing I ever expected him to say, and relief washes over me when I realize he’s not about to confront me about Yelena.

“I’m not gay, Dad.”

“You didn’t even look at any of the strippers, Val.”

“Sasha didn’t seem like he was enjoying the show either,” I remind him.

He laughs and says, “That’s because they weren’t covered in blood and running for their lives. If one of them had screamed and made a run for it, I’m guessing he would’ve perked right up.”

“Well, that’s just completely fucked up.”

I see him shrug from the corner of my eye. “That’s just Sasha. He’ll figure it out. He always does.”

“I’m not gay,” I say again, “and I don’t want them covered in blood and running for their lives. I just wasn’t interested. I don’t want some strange woman to shake her tits in my face while a roomful of strangers watch. It’s not my thing, Dad.”

“You’re a smart kid, Val, way smarter than I was at your age, but what I said still stands. Your mom and I will love you no matter what, and you can always talk to me about anything.”

I look over at him when we hit a red light. “Thanks, Dad. I may put that to the test one day.”

He lifts a brow but doesn’t say anything. Instead, he gives a soft nod before the light turns green and I’m forced to look away. He knows something is up, but he still has no idea what. I’m grateful he’s decided to not press the issue. It’s a miracle in a way. My dad is not known for being able to hold his tongue, and I know it won’t last forever.

Yelena and I are on borrowed time, and the clock is most definitely ticking.