13. NIKOLAI #2
I leaned forward and murmured, “We need ears on that table.”
Lucian didn’t hesitate, and motioned to Slade, catching his attention. He pointed toward a brunette waitress behind the bar and then lifted two fingers and flicked them toward our table, silently summoning them.
Slade took the cue immediately, moving to the waitress’s side and murmuring something to her. She listened, nodded once, and reached for her tray as though she was going to deliver a round of drinks.
Within seconds, the two approached our booth. The waitress was tall and composed, dressed in the standard black Xyst uniform and heels.
“She trustworthy?” I asked under my breath.
Lucian nodded. “Ashe has been here for years. Knows when not to ask questions.”
As soon as Ashe and Slade stopped at our table, Lucian leaned toward her. “We need a listening device placed—subtle and quick. The center poker table between Hayes and his unexpected guest.”
Ashe didn’t flinch. She gave a small smile and a flick of her eyes toward Slade to confirm she understood the plan.
Slade leaned down, murmured something to her, then turned to walk her back toward the bar.
I shifted in my seat and angled for a better view.
Moments later, Ashe was moving with confidence through the casino. Her tray was balanced on one hand, a fresh round of drinks ready. As she approached the poker table, her smile widened—welcoming, professional, just flirtatious enough.
“These are compliments of the ladies at the bar,” she said smoothly, glancing toward a group of women in that vicinity and setting the drinks down without being asked.
As their eyes shifted toward the bar, Ashe leaned in and set a pair of leather coasters on the table—one in front of each man—before placing the drinks down. The motion was smooth, invisible in its intent. Just a waitress doing her job.
“The bugs are embedded in the coasters,” Lucian said quietly, smirking.
Smart. No one questioned coasters.
Ashe returned to our table with a couple of earpieces and a round of shots—whiskey for the guys, vodka for me. I picked up one of the earpieces and slid it into place.
“Let’s see what our new friend has to say,” I said, shifting in my seat and knocking back my drink.
For the next ten minutes, we sat in silence, listening.
Castillo and Hayes made light conversation, focusing mostly on the game at hand.
Castillo laughed too loudly, slapped Jarvis Hayes on the back, and bragged about some offshore bank accounts in Belize.
Just typical parasite-with-a-wallet bullshit.
Then the conversation shifted.
“You know,” Castillo said to Hayes, his voice tinged with amusement, “Delgado’s been eyeing this place.
Word is, there was a little incident with the Sixth Precinct a while back—some underage prick got hammered here and picked a fight with a cop.
Delgado thinks your brother could use that to shut this place down, and then he could buy it for a song. ”
Hayes ran his hand over his mouth nervously. Surely he knew that this kind of talk, here of all places, would ignite a firestorm. The others at the table fidgeted, seeming uncomfortable with Castillo’s comments. A couple sitting close enough to hear the men clearly folded, got up, and left.
Lucian’s spine straightened. “Over my dead fucking body.”
“Sit back,” I murmured. “That’s not happening.”
He shot me a look.
“Delgado clearly doesn’t know Luca Genovese,” I added. “Or how many NYPD precincts he holds on his leash. He controls the city’s law enforcement. You think a bar scuffle is going to scare him?”
Lucian muttered something under his breath, relaxed a fraction, and looked back at the table.
“This is how it starts,” I said softly. “They send a mouthpiece, poke their nose where it doesn’t belong, run recon on your business, and try to shake something loose.”
He gave a tight nod. “War drums?”
“Louder every day.”
I tapped the edge of my glass.
“I’ll have DarkMatter install permanent coverage on all casino tables and the third-floor VIP lounges. If Delgado is sending Palabreros, this isn’t a visit. It’s a message.”
Gabriel uncrossed his arms and leaned in. “What kind of message?”
“They’re telling us they’re here,” I said. “Delgado’s sniffing around our territory. And he’s buying influence with Manhattan’s elite. I wonder what he’s got on Jarvis, and if his brother, our honorable mayor Andrew Hayes, knows he’s about to get played?”
Julian snorted. “Fucking perfect.”
Lucian’s jaw clenched. “So we let them drink? Laugh it up without reacting?”
“Yes.” I met his eyes. “We watch. We record. We build the case. This isn’t a street war—it’s a syndicate war. And we don’t make noise until we’re ready.”
Lachlan glanced up. “You want us to share any of this with the mayor’s people?”
“No. Not tonight. Castillo and Jarvis will be dealt with through official channels. Right now, we build our ranks. The first battle will only be the beginning of this war, gentlemen. You’d better be ready for the spark that ignites it.”
Lucian hit his fists on the table. “Well, fucking hell.”
I pulled the earpiece out, dropped it onto the table, and smiled tightly. “I’m calling it a night. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
We all stood.
Lucian’s gaze drifted to the center table again. “Ana’s lucky she got out.”
“She didn’t get out,” I grimaced. “She’s just…protected.”
Lachlan nodded. “Still seems surreal. I mean—an arranged marriage, assassinations at the altar, a priest’s throat exploding. We’ve seen some shit. But I guess that’s nothing compared to what’s coming?”
“Ana’s happy now,” I replied. “And she deserves to stay that way. That’s why I’m remaining in the city.”
Lucian looked away, his mouth forming into a thin line, but he didn’t say anything more.
In the back of my mind, I wondered if Delgado knew I had been at The Sacrifice, and if this was his way of returning the favor.
I stepped back from the booth. “Keep eyes and ears on them. If he says anything that matters, I want to know.”
Lucian nodded. “Copy that.”
I turned and headed for the rear hallway and took the stairs up two at a time.
The service corridor behind Xyst was narrow and dim, a straight shot to the exit. I moved quickly past the storage room and pushed through the back door.
Cool night air hit my face as I stepped out into the alley. The hum of the city was distant here, muted by the thick brick walls of the nearby buildings. Rory idled at the curb in the SUV. I didn’t stop for a smoke but slid immediately into the passenger seat, shutting the door behind me.
Taking out my phone, I hit the call button.
“Volkov,” Luca said in a raspy voice. “It’s late.”
“We had a visitor at Xyst tonight,” I said. “Raul Castillo. El Pastor.”
There was a long pause.
“Delgado sent a Palabrero into my territory? A business under my protection?” Luca’s voice never rose, but I could hear the heat simmering underneath.
“He sat at a poker table with Jarvis Hayes like he owned the place. They were drinking and laughing like old friends. Didn’t say much, but it was enough to let us know this wasn’t a courtesy call.”
“What did he say?”
“That Delgado’s been looking at Xyst. Something about a kid from the Sixth Precinct getting into a scuffle. Thinks he can get the place shut down and buy it cheap. Jarvis didn’t push back. Just sat there, nodding like a puppet.”
Luca’s inhale was quiet, deadly.
“He’s obviously buying influence,” I added. “Jarvis is just one piece.”
“This isn’t a warning,” Luca said finally. “It’s a threat. A calculated one. Delgado’s testing the boundaries, and if we don’t push back soon with fire, he’ll keep moving forward.”
“I’m having DarkMatter install permanent surveillance on Xyst—listening devices throughout the casino floor and VIP lounges.” I rubbed the creases on my forehead. “We’ll know who walks through the door, where they sit, and who they whisper to.”
“Good,” Luca said, his tone icy. “But you don’t have time to play defense. I need you building a brigade, Nikolai. Now. You’re supposed to be anchoring the East Coast, not frequenting strip clubs and brooding over a girl.”
I didn’t respond.
Luca’s tone shifted, becoming even colder. “Get your head straight. Delgado’s not going to wait while you chase distractions. Start making arms deals for yourself. Get your people outfitted. Because once we hit back, there won’t be time for second chances.”
“I hear you.”
“Do you?” A pause. “You’re smart, Nik. Smarter than most. But if you lose focus now, if you let a little pussy cloud your vision, Delgado’s not the only one who’ll bleed.”
The line went dead.
I leaned back and let the silence settle.
Rory said nothing, just kept driving.
Looking back at my phone, I pulled up the surveillance feed of Lyla’s apartment.
She was asleep.
Curled on her side, with one hand tucked beneath her cheek, she lay half-uncovered. The sheet was tangled low around her hips. Her skin glowed softly in the pale light. Her hair fanned across the pillow in loose curls, and her lips were parted in sleep. No fear. No fire. Just unguarded innocence.
My thumb drifted across the screen, brushing over the image of her.
She looked…touchable.
Like something sweet and good that didn’t belong in a world like mine.
And yet, here she was.
I watched her chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm, taking in the slow flutter of her lashes.
She had no idea what was coming.
No idea who I really was.
Or what I would become to her.
This was the calm.
The moment before the storm hit.
And when it did?
Nothing in her world would ever be the same.
I closed the app.
And didn’t say a word for the rest of the ride.