28. CHAPTER 28
28
IVAN
When I get home, I go straight to the office to meet Dima, Lev and Jules. The atmosphere in here is tense as fuck, and its understandable. Its not a pleasant thing to find out your employees are fucking traitors.
I take a seat next to Lev, as Jules stands at the back of the office, leaning against the wall, and Dima sits in his spot behind his desk. He looks exhausted.
“I can’t fucking believe this. You sure it was Kane, the new guy?” Lev says, and I take out my phone and show him the picture.
“I can’t wait to get my hands on him,” Lev says, clasping his hands behind his head in an effort to hold himself back from tearing out of here to find the bastard.
“Where is he now, Jules?” Dima asks.
“I checked in with Leo’s crew and he said he was there. I told him not to send him out on any collections and to keep him there, without being obvious of course.”
“Good. I want you to get Leo and a couple of the guys to bring him over here as soon as possible so we can lock him up in the holding pen tonight while we find out what the fuck is going on. I don’t want to risk him disappearing.”
“On it,” Jules says, his phone already against his ear as he leaves the office.
“I’ve heard from Simon, he’s on campus and will contact us when he comes into contact with Callie. We need to get things moving with Tim. The sooner the better, otherwise my hair is gonna fall out with the fucking stress,” Dima says as he stands.
“Let's get ready to meet our new guest,” Dima says to me and Lev. We both rise up and follow Dima out of the office, and walk down to the holding pen, where Jules is waiting outside.
“Leo said they’ll have him here in the next thirty minutes,” Jules says.
“Okay, go wait out front for them and bring them straight down here.”
Jules nods and goes to wait at the front of the house, while we enter the holding pen. My body buzzes with electric tension, excited to be back in this room.
“I want in on this, you can’t keep him to yourself, Lev,” I say, pointing at him in warning.
“Don’t worry, you can have your turn,” he says, and we both chuckle.
“Neither of you are doing anything tonight. Save it for tomorrow. Aren’t you meeting your future brother-in-law?” Dima says.
“Are you talking to me?”
“I’m hardly gonna ask Lev that, am I?” Dima says, his tone dripping in sarcasm.
“Yeah I am. He flies in tonight and I’m meeting them at the bar.”
“Just to warn you, Aaron found out about this visit. I’m pretty sure he and Kai will be there to watch,” Lev says.
“I’m fine with that,” I say, unbothered if all of the family turn up.
“I’m not thinking about you, but the brother. Maybe you should warn Tyler,” Lev says on a big yawn.
“No, I think surprise is the best way forward. Tyler is very…expressive. I don't have the energy to work out another emotion.”
Dima cracks up laughing, and Lev sniggers.
“What? Why are you laughing?”
“Because you are totally unaware of basic human emotion, like it's abnormal,” Dima says.
“You’re one to talk. I haven’t seen much emotion from you two in all the years we’ve known each other.”
“Yeah, but I’m smug now that I have Seb.”
“You mean dick whipped,” Lev retorts.
“Oh and you’re not obsessed with the doe?” Dima argues. The two hardmen of this family now sound like ten year old boys.
“Yes, but a reasonable and appropriate amount. I don’t love bomb him everyday,” Lev defends.
“Are you saying I’m soft?”
“That's one way to put it. I’m more of an alpha,” Lev teases, and I can’t help but chuckle.
“You two need to stop before the guys get here,” I say, trying to diffuse the situation before it intensifies. As it normally does.
“I’ll go wait with Jules,” Lev says and he leaves the room.
“So, are you and Tyler together?” Dima asks.
“Yeah.”
“I mean, does he know you’re together and is in agreement?”
“I told him we were together and he hasn’t protested. Too much. I think maybe I should move him in here with me until the house is finished, if that's okay with you?”
“Moving in together? Isn’t it a bit soon?”
“No sooner than when you moved Seb in here when you stole him off the street.”
“I didn’t steal him, but I take your point.”
“I don’t know how to keep him though, you know, in case he tries to run off.”
“Do you think he’ll try to run?”
“I don’t know. If you'd asked me a week ago, I would've said yes. But this week he’s been more touchy, clingy.”
“You should be okay. He sounds like he’s in love with you, and that is the key.”
“Love? Really?”
“Don’t ask me, I’m just guessing. But that's how Seb was with me when he admitted it.”
“Huh. Good to know. Do I need to say it back?”
Dima looks at me with a flat face, no reaction. But I feel a wave of judgement in his aura or whatever you call it.
“Are you fucking with me or is that a serious question?
“I wouldn't ask if it was a joke.”
“Of course you tell him, I mean, do you love him?”
“What’s the checklist for being in love?”
Dima shakes his head and groans in frustration. I don’t know why he's so annoyed.
“I’m not qualified for this, Ivan. Maybe talk to Seb or Kai. This is not in my payscale.”
“You’re the boss, you don’t have a payscale.”
“You’re right. I am the boss and I’m telling you to talk to someone else about this. You’re giving me a migraine.”
The heavy black door to the pen opens and in walks Jules and Lev, followed by three dudes and a cuffed Kane. What kind of fucking name is Kane? I watch as they bring him over to the center of the room and use cable ties to tie him to the chair that awaits him. Kane doesn’t appear bothered though, with a stupid grin on his face like this is a game.
“Thanks boys. You can leave,” Dima says, and they nod in return and walk out of the pen. No questions asked, as it should be.
“Oooh, I’m tied to a chair. You know how pathetic this looks, right? Old wannabe gangsters,” Kane spews, before Lev blows a hard hit across his face.
“Who the fuck you calling old? Little shit.”
Kane wiggles his jaw before looking directly up at Lev.
“You know you don’t need to be doing all this, all you have to do is ask? I ain’t loyal to anyone but myself.”
Dima and Lev look at each other, having one of their weird voiceless chats.
“Okay. Answer me this, why have you been following our architect?” Dima says, and Kane turns to face him, his cut lip bleeds a little as his lower lip shows signs of swelling.
“I was paid to. By a cop. Tim.”
“Tim? How the fuck do you know him and what did he want?” Lev asks.
“I know him from back home, he’s arrested me a few times for possession. I had nowhere to go, so he offered me money if I followed the pretty boy and tried to get some evidence of him with you guys. Leverage, he said. That's all I know.”
“Did you get any evidence?” I ask, and he grins at me. The arrogant little fuck needs putting in his place.
“Yeah. You and him. I’m straight, but I have to admit you look pretty hot together.”
“When?”
“In the gym. I managed to blend in as one of the workmen here and snuck in through the back, but after I got the footage, Tim said he also wanted footage of you together outside of the house, so I stalked his work, hoping you'd turn up there.”
“I’m gonna kill that fucking Timmy,” I say to Lev, ready to end this fucker.
“We’ll deal with him, but in time. Patience, Ivan,” Dima says.
“I don’t have the fucking patience to play games, D. You can’t let him continue this plot against us.”
“And we won’t. We’ve already got the ball rolling tonight with his daughter and Simon. You won’t have to wait long. I’m just as pissed and eager for revenge as you, Ivan. We all are.”
I walk over to the smug asshole in the chair and punch him in the stomach as hard as I can, and the chair rocks back, nearly taking him with it. He wheezes and coughs from the hit, but it’ll have to do for now.
I grab his skanky blond hair until his neck strains, looking up at me.
“Tomorrow, I’m gonna take my time with you. I’m gonna open your body up and remove every disgusting part of your insides while you're alive. I promise.”
Kane is still sputtering from the hit, but I mean what I say. He and Tim are dead. Come for me, yes. But coming for my family and dragging Ty into this…that's a hardline that nobody will cross alive.