Sinful Promise (Koslov Bratva #6)

4. Danil

4

DANIL

I used to think there was nothing more depressing than being in a bar during daylight hours. But that was back when I used to spend my nights drinking and partying, rather than working.

How times have changed.

Despite not getting home from Espionage until after three in the morning, I’m back in only five hours later to count the stock.

I know Anton asked me to complete such a mundane task to test my commitment, especially knowing I was here late last night.

So, just to prove a point, I rocked up at eight on the dot, wearing a freshly ironed black suit, with a huge smile on my face at the prospect of counting bottles of liquor.

Anton isn’t even here, not that I expected him to be. Ever since Lilya was born, he’s cut back on a lot of his hours at the bar to help support Nina now that she’s back at dance school. So, I can’t be annoyed about picking up the slack when he’s using his free time to be with his family.

I never thought I would ever get to the stage where I would want a family, but being the only one out of my brothers that doesn’t have a wife or child is starting to make me crave it. Especially seeing how happy and fulfilled they all are.

My thoughts instantly turn to Emily, and the weight on my chest grows heavier.

I’ve thought about it a lot. What it would be like to marry her, to build a life with her. When I picture it, it’s like I’m watching a fairy tale play out in my mind.

But life doesn’t work that way.

I should fucking know.

Pushing thoughts of Emily out of my mind, I turn my attention back to counting the bottles of spirits on the shelf in front of me.

I’ve barely made it through the enormous quantity of bourbon that Anton insists on keeping on hand when my phone buzzes in my pocket with a text.

Dimitri

I need you to come over to the penthouse ASAP.

Despite the urgent sounding message, I roll my eyes.

Knowing Dimitri, he’s lined up some other mundane task for me to complete, which isn’t urgent at all.

But being the youngest in the family means that not only am I the brunt of most of the jokes, I also end up being the lackey to all my older siblings. Even though I’m in my late twenties, I’m still seen as the baby, and I’m often treated as such.

Even at Espionage , where I’ve proven myself to be reliable and hardworking, Anton still double checks everything I do down to the stock orders for the toilet paper.

It’s fucking ridiculous.

Though if he found out I left Luca in charge while I walked Emily home, he would literally cut off my dick with a carving knife.

But I don’t care.

Seeing Emily in that dress was worth any punishment Anton throws my way when he finds out. Which he will because nothing gets past a Koslov.

But it felt good to make a damn decision on my own for once.

Me

I’ll be there once I’ve finished doing stock.

Dimitri replies immediately, and I grind my teeth at his message.

Dimitri

It needs to be NOW, Danil.

“It’s not like this is my job, or anything.” I roll my eyes, shutting off my phone and heading out into the main bar area where Luca is deep-cleaning the fridges. “Luca, I’ll be back in an hour!”

Luca’s answering grunt has me chuckling to myself as I head toward the back exit.

In true Luca fashion, he finished his shift with a few shots and ended up going home with all three girls he was flirting with.

The guy has game, I’ll give him that.

I, on the other hand, went to bed dreaming of Emily Mullens in a skintight, red dress, which means I woke up with a throbbing cock that couldn’t be satiated even after taking myself in my hand… twice .

She’s got me in a choke hold, and she has no idea.

I park beside Dimitri’s BMW in the underground parking lot of their apartment building on the Upper East Side and kill the engine. I hope whatever urgent matter Dimitri needs to discuss with me won’t take long. I really want to get the stock finished before noon, so I can then spend the afternoon getting ahead on some of the expenses for the month, if only to see the look on Anton’s face when I email them over early.

Though when the elevator doors open onto the main living space of Zara and Dimitri’s immaculate penthouse to reveal a visibly upset Zara sitting on the couch, my stomach sinks.

I step out of the elevator. “What’s going on? Are the twins okay?”

Usually, Sasha and Ben come barreling over to me the moment they hear the elevator, but there’s no sign of them. The place is eerily quiet, which doesn’t bode well.

Zara offers me a small smile, though I don’t miss the way her eyes are watering. “They’re fine. They’re with Bianca.”

I cross the vast living space and take a seat beside her on the couch. “Okay… Then why are you so upset?”

Zara wipes her cheek with the back of her hand before glancing over her shoulder.

That’s when I notice Dimitri standing in the kitchen.

The one thing I love about this penthouse is the open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows that cover the entire north side. It makes it easy to have a conversation with someone even if you’re on the couch, and they’re cooking dinner.

I wonder if Emily likes that too…

I push the thought aside and focus on the fact that my sister-in-law is clearly upset about something that somehow involves me.

Dimitri walks over from the kitchen carrying a mug of tea, which he hands over to Zara. “There’s something you should know, brat .”

“Okay…” I glance nervously at my brother as he sits in the cream armchair adjacent to us.

His face is deadly serious, which puts me on edge.

Even in the most serious situations, Dimitri can always find the humor in it. I’m the same, which often drives Alexei and Mikhail up the wall when we’re trying to have business meetings. So, to see Dimitri being serious makes me anxious to know what he’s about to tell me.

He leans forward to rest his forearms on his knees. “Some guy is stalking Emily.”

It takes a second for his words to register.

“I’m sorry, what?” I glance at Zara, and the way her eyes well with tears confirms I didn’t mishear what Dimitri said.

“Emily has a fucking stalker.”

Zara nods. “He broke into her apartment last night.”

“Are you serious right now? Some guy broke into her apartment last night ?”

My pulse spikes.

Dimitri nods.

I run a hand over my face. “Fuck. I knew I should have walked her to her door. I should go?—”

I make to stand up, but Dimitri holds up a hand to stop me.

“Sit down, Danil.”

Has my older brother completely lost his mind? Does he seriously expect me to sit around and discuss the fact that some guy broke into Emily’s apartment over a cup of tea?

“They were gone by the time she got home.”

“Wait, so how does she know someone broke in?”

Zara sniffs. “Someone has been leaving her gifts in her apartment. There was one waiting for her last night.”

“What kind of gifts?” My teeth are gritted so hard I can barely get the words out.

“There was lingerie with a note asking her to wear it to bed.”

“I’m going to fucking kill this guy?—”

“If you can’t keep a level head about this, Danil, then I can ask Mikhail to help instead. I can’t have you making a stupid mistake because you’re too emotionally invested.”

“Emotionally invested? Of course, I’m fucking emotionally invested! This is Zara’s sister, my best friend, we’re talking about!”

“I’m aware.”

“I just… Fuck, just let me process this, will you?”

“You can process it without biting our fucking heads off.”

I turn to Zara. “Wait, when did you find out about this?”

“Emily called me last night.”

“But I walked her home. I could have been there in a matter of minutes. This doesn’t make any sense.”

Why the hell didn’t she call me?

I can’t deny the fact that I’m hurt that Emily felt she couldn’t call me.

“She didn’t want anyone to know, but I insisted on having Dimitri set her up with a new security system. He made me tell him why.”

“And this isn’t the first time this has happened?” I’m feeling sick to my stomach.

“No.”

My temper flares, but I bite back a retort.

It isn’t Zara’s fault that Emily didn’t tell me.

I thought she seemed a little quieter than usual, but I thought perhaps she was just ruminating on the comment that her friend made about us fucking. But maybe it was because she was worried about this creep breaking into her apartment…

Selfishly, I hope it’s the former because I sure as hell haven’t been able to stop thinking about the comment Jana made.

I know Emily thinks I didn’t hear the interaction, but I did.

I heard every fucking word. They are ingrained in my soul.

When are you just going to bite the bullet and fuck Danil? It’s clear you want to, seeing as he’s all you ever talk about.

The only thing that stopped me from storming over to their table and demanding she come home with me was that I wasn’t sure if Jana was just saying that to stir the pot.

I don’t know her particularly well, and I didn’t want to risk acting on her words when there might not be any truth to them.

Because someone as sexy and perfect as Emily Mullens can have any man she wants.

Why would she ever go for a guy like me?

I hate that I feel this way, but how can I not? When you grow up with three tough, attractive older brothers who girls always choose over you, your self-esteem takes a significant hit.

“So, brat , I want you to shadow her to make sure she’s safe. From what Zara has said, it’s clear she doesn’t want anyone to know about this, so she’s unlikely to agree to having an actual bodyguard.”

“She should.”

Zara sighs. “I agree with you both, but Emily is stubborn.”

“Oh, I’m aware.” I shake my head. “Well, I’m more than happy to keep an eye on her.”

Dimitri nods. “Good, and I’m having the new security system installed in her apartment as we speak. Hopefully, we can catch this guy if he tries anything again.”

“What do we know about him?”

I don’t miss the way Zara glances anxiously at Dimitri.

I frown. “Zara?”

“Dimitri, do you mind giving us a minute?” She reaches out to squeeze his leg affectionately.

“Why can’t he know?”

Dimitri grunts. “I think I should stay. We could track this guy down quicker if more of us have the relevant information.”

“I’m well aware, but I promised Emily I wouldn’t tell anyone about any of this. I’m already breaking that promise by telling you and Danil that someone is after her.”

My eyes are taking in every single twitch she makes. “But you have an idea of who this guy is?”

“Yes, but I only want to tell you , seeing as you’re good friends. It’s likely she’ll be less angry if she learned I told you rather than Dimitri.”

Clearly, we’re not that good of friends, seeing as this has been going on for a while, and she didn’t want me to know.

Zara sighs when he makes no move to leave. “Dimitri, please.”

My brother turns his attention to me, and I’m sitting up straighter as he regards me with an unusual amount of scrutiny.

Dimitri gets to his feet. “If anything slips through the cracks, it’s on you, Danil. Emily’s life is in your hands.”

My blood turns cold as his words ring in the air between us.

What the hell has Emily gotten herself caught up in?