10. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Nikolai Volkov
T atiana is going to kill me.
The look on her face said it all. She was fuming . Enraged.
Actually, if there was an emotion worse than enraged, she was about three levels above that.
Outwardly, though, she showed no reaction to my sudden arrival.
She was very good at only letting you see what she wanted you to.
But I knew her better than anyone. I knew what that crinkle at the edge of her lips meant, what the slight crease in her brows represented.
It meant she was focusing all her strength on not cussing me out in front of everyone.
It meant violence, pain—mine, specifically.
She was dressed impeccably, as Tatiana always was.
Her hair was straight instead of her usual curls, flowing down her back in a beautiful, golden waterfall.
Her posture was perfect, strong. She vibrated complete and total confidence.
She didn’t give a shit what anyone else thought of her, because she believed in herself and what she was capable of.
That was all she needed. Even though she’d chosen not to be involved in the life, she was completely in her element.
Like she was made for this. Made for me.
I’d been standing outside of Arturo’s office from the moment she walked in.
I’d overheard everything that had been said between them.
Pride filled my chest at how amazing she was, at how easily she passed those ridiculous tests Arturo was insistent on putting her through.
I’d told him it would be a waste of time.
That Tatiana was better than any of his soldiers, and there was no way he’d best her or catch her off guard.
She was just too good.
Tatiana’s angry eyes tracked me as I made my way to her side, like a predator watching its prey. My heart was racing, pounding in my ears. How was it that, after all those years, after everything that happened between us, my insides still turned to mush around her?
I was a thirty-two year old man, but around her I felt like a sixteen year old boy trying to find the confidence to speak to his crush.
“Nikolai, welcome,” Arturo greeted, getting to his feet. He moved out from behind his desk and offered me his hand.
I shook it. “Thank you for allowing me to be here.” As much as it annoyed me, we had to run it by Arturo first. I couldn’t guard Tatiana while she was conducting Cosa Nostra business without asking for his permission.
He’d then told me he was planning to put two guards on her while she was here, so I simply suggested that I take one of their places.
“Of course. Illayana’s family is always welcome. Well, except for one.”
It wasn’t hard to guess which one he was referring to. There was only one person who had the power to piss someone off that much.
“Right. Lukyan has that effect on people.”
“Understatement of the century. Aleksandr mentioned that you’ll be checking out some prospective clients while you’re here?”
“Yes.”
“If you need any further information on them, let me know. I can have our tech guy, Renzo, help you.”
I nodded once. “Appreciate it.”
He looked at Tatiana. “Your apartment is ready. I’ll have a car made available for you to use while you’re here. There is a slight issue that I feel I should mention.”
“Issue?” Tatiana frowned.
“Your apartment was the last one available in the building, so it means the two of you will have to share. It’s a two-bedroom, so there’s plenty of space. Will that be a problem?”
Tatiana said “Yes” at the same time that I said “No.”
Arturo’s gaze darted between the two of us.
“Right. Well, I’ll let you two sort it out then.
Here are the keys.” He pulled out a set of keys and handed them to Tatiana.
“The car is waiting out front for you and I’ve had your luggage loaded inside.
You can spend the day getting situated and we can reconvene tomorrow to figure out the first step. ”
“There’s no need. I’m ready to go now. I’ll just drop off my stuff and come right back,” Tatiana said, pocketing the keys.
She was always one to get right to the point.
“I need a list of anyone who was at the cash and distribution houses that Franco raided and torched, as well as a list of anyone who had access to them. Is there any video surveillance?”
“No. Cameras and drug houses don’t really mix.”
“Fair point. The fact that Franco keeps finding out the locations of your houses does suggest a leak within your organisation. If you’re sure it’s not coming from one of your men, it could be as simple as someone tagging one of your vehicles.”
“Tagging?”
“With a tracker. It’s what I’d do. What better way to find out the coming and going of my enemy’s business than to track the vehicles their soldiers use?
It would tell me everything I need to know: where they go, how long they were there for, if they stick to a schedule.
I suggest doing a sweep of all your cars.
Possibly all your belongings too—yours and your men.
It's possible to place a tracking device in anything these days.”
She had no idea how right she was on that one.
“That is actually a very good point.” He glanced at his brother. “Make it happen. Have all the men report to the house for a screening.”
“Aye, aye boss man.” Vincenzo pushed off the desk, sauntering towards Tatiana with a hungry look in his eyes that pissed me the fuck off. “Just one question, Pretty. How did you know that gun wasn’t loaded?”
“The weight was off,” Tatiana shrugged, like it was the simplest of answers. “A standard Glock 19 weighs roughly 1.7 pounds, fully loaded. It was too light.”
That hungry look grew, swallowing his eyes whole. “You. Me. A bottle of scotch and a can of whipped cream. Need I say more?”
I growled, stepping forward to place myself between them. It forced Vincenzo back a step, that stupid boyish smirk on his lips that he was well known for still on his face.
“So you are seeing someone. That’s cool. I can take a hint.”
“No, you can’t,” Arturo scoffed.
“You’re right,” Vincenzo snickered. His head darted around me to look at Tatiana. “What’d ya say, Pretty? You ever had someone lick whipped cream off your entire body?”
Before I knew what I was doing, my hand was around his throat and I was forcing him back, his body bending over the desk. I growled again, this time right in his face, my teeth bared like a fucking animal.
At that point, I felt like one. My emotions were running high. I hated it when anyone flirted with Tatiana. Even more so when I could see it with my own fucking eyes.
Vincenzo was everything I wasn’t: fun, light-hearted, charming. He could make Tatiana smile. I wanted to kill him.
There was a click and then I felt the barrel of a gun pressing against my temple.
“I kindly ask that you release my brother.” Arturo spoke calmly, rationally. Yet I could still hear the underlying threat in his tone.
Movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. I glimpsed Tatiana, her own gun pointed directly at Arturo’s head, a dark look in her eyes that said she was willing to blow his head off to protect me.
I ignored Arturo, focusing entirely on Vincenzo, staring deeply into his eyes so he could see how serious I was.
“You make one more inappropriate comment or suggestion towards her again, and I’ll kill you.”
A tiny bit of the humor vanished from his eyes, replaced by fear. He had more than enough air to breathe. I wasn’t completely cutting off circulation. But he was definitely struggling, gasping for breath. It would be so very easy for me to snap his neck and be done with it.
Arturo cocked his gun. “I will not ask again.”
“It makes no difference to me how many times you ask it. I’m not letting him go until he understands,” I replied coldly, my gaze still locked on Vincenzo’s. “Do you? Understand?”
He wheezed. “Got it.”
I leant forward, lowering my voice to barely above a whisper so only he could hear me.
“She’s mine . You hear me? You hit on her again and I’ll cut you up into a thousand tiny pieces and spread them across New York, so you can never be buried whole.
So your soul can never find peace. Have I made myself clear? ”
“Crystal,” he gasped.
“Good.” I released him, taking three steps back.
Arturo tucked his gun away and ran to his brother's side, helping him back to his feet. His gaze snapped to Tatiana, who was still pointing her weapon at him.
She chuckled awkwardly, a tense smile on her face as she lowered her gun.
“Well, that escalated quickly.” She aimed an accusatory glare my way.
It was the first time she’d really acknowledged my presence since I’d entered the room.
The moment we were alone, though, that would change.
She was going to let me have it. I was sure of it.
Vincenzo had one hand to his throat, breathing heavily as Arturo whispered harshly in his ear. Hand to his shoulder, he guided Vincenzo out of the room and then turned to face me.
“You do something like that again and I’ll kill you. I don’t care if you’re Illayana’s brother. Now get the fuck out of my office.” He held the door open, the message clear.
I arched an eyebrow. He sounded completely sincere but I highly doubted he’d go through with it. Illayana would never forgive him for killing one of her brothers.
Family was something we’d grown up valuing over anything else.
Sure, we loved to beat on each other sometimes (okay, most of the time).
But there was also nothing we wouldn't do to protect one another. It was one of the reasons why, no matter what Arturo said or did, he was safe from me. Harming him meant harming Illayana. For as long as my sister loved him, I wouldn’t hurt him.
The same couldn’t be said for his annoying little brother though.
“I’d apologise for his behaviour,” Tatiana began, walking towards the door. “But it’s your own fault for bringing him here.”