17. Maxim
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
maxim
The doorbell rang, sharp and impatient, followed by Pike’s voice booming through the door. “You’re dragging your feet, Volkov. Get to it!”
I set my glass of vodka on the bar and walked to the entrance, already bracing myself. “Don’t break my door, Pike,” I called before swinging it open.
The moment the door to my townhouse opened, laughter spilled into the entryway. Dimitri’s deep chuckle was unmistakable as he strode in, his arm slung casually around Hollis’s shoulders. Natasha followed close behind, her eyes scanning the place with practiced precision. Pike looked like he’d stepped off the set of a crime drama, all leather, and swagger, while Ronnie trailed behind, dragging Eli by the hand.
“Come on in. Let me hug my cousins.”
Natasha and Ronnie were the ones I was closest to, even more than my brother. He’d left when he was fifteen, and while we had reestablished a relationship recently, the girls had been a steady presence in my life.
“You couldn’t have picked something bigger, Maxim?” Natasha teased as she surveyed the foyer. “It’s not like you’re on a budget.”
I smirked. “It’s New York. Space is at a premium, even for me.”
Pike whistled, glancing around. “Still swanky enough for the likes of us. Fancy digs,” Pike said, brushing past me. “Where’s the booze?”
“It’s a townhouse, not a bar,” I shot back.
“Same thing,” Dimitri added, smirking.
Ronnie rolled her eyes, plopping onto the sofa like she owned the place. “Swanky doesn’t even begin to cover it. This place looks nice. A little bit Bond and a little bit old-school librarian.”
“You can all make yourselves comfortable,” I told them, though my tone was more don’t touch anything expensive .
Natasha looked around, lingering on the high ceilings and carved wood. “This is beautiful, Maxim.”
“It’ll do,” I replied with a shrug.The townhome had been a find that I’d snapped up as soon as the realtor had shown it to me. Three stories of prime real estate that had been well-kept with private entrances, a basement, and a courtyard. After extensive renovations and additional safety measures, it would be an excellent home for us.
Ronnie nudged Eli as they stepped into the living room. “I bet you’re already picking apart the security.”
Eli’s lips barely twitched, his version of a smile. “Already did.”
“Well, if you think of anything I could improve,” I said. “Please let me know.” I would be foolish not to take Eli or Ronnie’s advice if they saw something missing.
Hollis laughed softly, leaning into Dimitri. “This is going to be fun .”
Dimitri raised an eyebrow. “Depends on your definition.”
Once everyone settled in, Pike immediately made a beeline for the bar in the corner. “Finally, something I can get behind,” he said, pouring himself a drink.“Flying doesn’t suit me.”
“You’re worse than my men,” I said, shaking my head.“And you had a private plane thanks to Eli.”
“Hey, I’m good comedic relief. You know you love me,” Pike shot back, raising his glass in a mock toast.
Well, I tolerated him because Natasha loved him, but I wouldn’t say so. I turned to Natasha, Ronnie, and Hollis, who had clustered near the sofa. Natasha gave me a knowing look. “You look tense.”
“Not every day I host a circus,” I replied dryly.
Eli remained quiet, his gaze sharp as he observed his surroundings. He was always sizing things up, even when there was no apparent threat. It was a trait I respected—and one I could never entirely trust.
Dimitri pulled Hollis to the bar, pouring her a glass of wine. “So, big brother, is the bride nervous yet?”
I shrugged, leaning against the edge of the counter. “She’s still at Conall’s. Probably sneaking around to avoid her security detail.”
Natasha frowned. “She’s sneaking around still ?”
I’d told Natasha about Cora’s little photography expeditions into the city. Natasha had been equal parts horrified and impressed.
“She’s stubborn,” I said, a hint of amusement in my voice. “And she hates being cooped up. She thinks I don’t know, but I’m aware of every time she slips out.”
“You let her?” Hollis asked, surprised.
“She’s alive, isn’t she?” I replied dryly. “I trust her to handle herself—mostly. I send men to trail her.”
“She’s got guts,” Pike said. “Sounds like my kind of woman.”
Natasha swatted his arm. “Watch it.”
“Relax,” Pike drawled. “I’m a happily married man.”
“Speaking of marriage,” Natasha said, settling onto the sofa. “Cora doesn’t have friends here, does she?”
“She doesn’t have friends anywhere,” I admitted. “She keeps to herself.”
It was something that I’d noticed about her — that edge of loneliness that she carried around her. I wasn’t sure that her brothers had picked up on the fact that Cora was desperate for connection.
Ronnie’s eyes lit up. “Well, that’s unacceptable. She’s getting a proper bachelorette party.”
“Agreed,” Natasha said firmly. “Hollis, you’re in, right?”
Hollis grinned. “Of course. Someone’s got to make sure you two don’t end up in jail.”
“And who will make sure you don’t?” Pike muttered.
“I heard that,” Hollis shot back, smirking.
I loved that Hollis was more comfortable in groups now. There had been a time that she hadn’t been, but it seemed like she had settled into the little family that Dimitri had created in Arizona for himself. If anyone knew what it was like to be alone it was Hollis.
The women were already plotting as they moved into the living room, leaving the rest of us standing around the bar. I glanced at Dimitri, who shrugged, his grin as wide as ever.
“Looks like we’re outnumbered,” he said.
“Not for long,” Pike chimed in. “If they’re having their night, we’re having ours.”
“Careful,” I warned. “You’re not on home turf here.”
Pike snorted. “Please. It’s New York, not another planet.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Dimitri said, his tone more serious now. “Maxim’s right. We need to keep our heads down. Too many eyes on us.”
The lighthearted mood shifted as we moved into my office. Once the door was shut, business took over. Dimitri leaned against the desk, arms crossed, his casual demeanor hiding the sharp mind that had become an asset to my operations on the West Coast.
“How are things running out there?” I asked him.
“Smooth,” Dimitri said. “The shipments are on time, and we have things under control. There’s been some chatter—small-time players thinking they can take a slice of the pie. I’m going to have Eli help me out with a few of those assholes.”
I glanced at the hulking brute, who was head over heels for my delicate cousin Ronnie. Eli was a former underground fighter and fight promoter who had also proven that he would take things to the next level.
“Alright. Handle it,” I said simply.
He nodded. “Already in motion.”
Pike leaned back in his chair, his boots resting on the edge of the desk. “What about here? Anything we need to know?”
Pike wasn’t overly involved in my business, but I was sure Dimitri had hauled him in on a few jobs since he and Dimitri’s MC were in business together. Pike was the president of an MC and had previously handled some gun smuggling for my bratva. He was competent and smart.
“Nothing you can’t already guess,” I said. “The takeover went fairly smoothly. No big problems. The main player had an unfortunate accident.”
Eli covered a chuckle. “I’ll just bet he did. Stumble on the blunt end of someone’s knife?”
“Something like that,” I said.
“I’ve got this fuck face from one of the Italian families. The Olivetos. That is stirring the pot. Dante Caruso. I’ll handle him. The biggest issue is someone took a shot at Cora the other day. I sent the picture to Ronnie.”
“She worked on it,” Eli confirmed. “We don’t know much more. She’s still trying to connect the hit — see if a contract was out on Cora.”
Ronnie was an excellent hacker, and I’d used her in the past for all sorts of bratva business. She’d come into my life roughly nine years ago. Our families hadn’t always been close, and Ronnie and Natasha’s mother had hidden from my father for years—for good reason. I’m not sure Sasha had known how vile my father was, but she was smart enough to keep the girls hidden. It wasn’t until Ronnie got sick that she came forward and asked for my help and protection to return to the family.
Ronnie’s illness had been the scariest thing I’d ever experienced. At first, I’d tried hard to keep her at arm’s length. She’d been so young, frail, and small when we first met but full of sunshine. It was hard not to admire her bravery in the face of everything. Just skin and bones as she lay on her sheets in the hospital.
Childhood leukemia.
I wasn’t prepared.
I was still terrified that she’d get sick again. Loving Ronnie and having her in my life made it much richer. I was so grateful for her, but the dichotomy of potentially losing her made me ache. I couldn’t imagine how Eli felt. She’d been in remission for years, but I knew life was fragile.
Natasha, her sister, once told me that I was a fool—a stupid one at that.
“Max,” she looked at me with love then. “Death waits for us all. You, more than anyone else, know that. We live with courage and love with courage. That’s all we can do now. Face each moment with dignity.”
The girls’ devotion to each other had inspired me for years. I’d been missing my brother when they came to me, and they filled my heart with joy in his absence. It seemed only right that when Dimitri finally called for help, I had sent Natasha to him. In the end, both Natasha and Ronnie had found their own love stories.
The room fell silent for a moment until Pike broke it with a grin. “All right, boys. Enough doom and gloom. Let’s figure out where we’re going tonight.”