Chapter 5
CHAPTER
FIVE
Maxim
My cell phone rang while striding across the threshold of my home office.
I answered quick. “Natan.”
“Is it done?” came a deep voice with a Russian accent.
He was straight to the point, always was.
“Of course.” I unbuttoned my shirt, taking a seat. I took a shower at work, but the labor in my limbs resisted.
The same went for my back. I needed a deep massage in the morning, which I already made arrangements for. Val actually did that for me, and she didn’t typically do bitch work.
She knew it was a rough night.
I tossed my jacket on my desk, listening for Natan. He must have been at some kind of club. Russian jazz music played in the background.
“I know tonight was hard for you. Betrayals are often difficult.” He breathed harshly into the phone. “I’m glad it’s done, and thank you.”
I pulled the scotch off the bar behind my desk and a tumbler. It was late—well, early—but I needed one.
“Not really,” I said, pouring more alcohol than I probably should at the hour. I plugged the bottle, and Natan laughed.
“My executioner. Always so cold. It’s always been just work for you.”
I said nothing, aware that calls about my job rarely came. I didn’t get calls because I didn’t need them. I always got the job done.
“Ilya mentioned a boy tonight,” I said, swirling the liquor. “What exactly did Ilya do to cross the Brotherhood?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Just curious.” I stole a drink, the burn shooting hard down my throat. Before I thought better, I poured myself another glass.
“I asked him to do a job and he didn’t,” Natan said, and I placed down my glass. “And I don’t believe I have to tell you why I do what I do. Even if you are like a son to me.”
I leaned across my desk. “You don’t, and I’m sorry for questioning.”
“Don’t be sorry. You know I don’t shed unnecessary blood. We are not the Novikovs, Maxim. You and I are not. I’m not.”
He spoke a name that had me downing the rest of my alcohol and, before I could do more damage, I pushed the bottle back. “We’re not, and again, I’m sorry for questioning.”
There was silence on his end, then movement. He was speaking to someone, but probably socially since he was at a jazz club. Important meetings were saved for bathhouses and other places where someone could speak candidly. A man couldn’t hide when there were visually no places to hide anything. He couldn’t hide when he was stripped bare.
“You’ve had a tough night, and I do know today wasn’t easy for you. I was more so referencing my goddaughter when I said that by the way. And how is Lettie? She get to school okay?”
“She did,” I said, trying not to think about that either. “She said to tell you she’d send pictures.”
Amongst other things. I was two seconds away from not letting her go to school at all with the shit she pulled yesterday. At breakfast, she’d mentioned seeing that asswipe boyfriend of hers, and about the only good thing coming from her going off to college and leaving me was that she’d also be leaving him. I only wanted the best for my daughter and some reject who did nothing but play video games all day wouldn’t be doing that. He couldn’t protect her, care for her.
“I’ll be expecting them then,” Natan continued. He had been in both my life and my kid’s life for so long. He was like a father to me, the only one I currently had. I had been so young when my father passed. “And you’d do right not to miss her so. She’ll be home for breaks soon enough and spending your money.”
I laughed a little. “You know her well.”
“I know you both well,” he said, and he did. He looked after both of us for many years when I’d been a snot-nosed kid who’d had a kid . The only reason Lettie turned out to be anything at all was because of him. He taught me how to be a good man, a good father.
Remembering that, I eased up a bit after our call but did sit there for quite a long time. I was thinking, stewing. I ended up getting another drink before checking on the surveillance of the house. Val ran security here at my home as well, but I often checked the monitors. It was less paranoia and more like this was my goddamn house. I checked all the cameras but stopped at one.
Sia Cam.
I had my people install that while I was at work. I may have let my daughter’s friend work in my home, but I wasn’t a fucking idiot.
I clicked around, sitting back. She was up and moving despite the late hour.
What are you doing, little one?
She had a towel in her hands, a bathrobe on. It seemed a late night shower was in order for my new dog trainer.
I clicked the next camera, following her into the steaming bathroom. She had the shower going and the anti-fog on the lens gave view to her stripping off her robe.
My eyes narrowed. Her ass was plump, round. I sat back as she stepped inside the shower. She closed the opaque door, cutting off my view.
I tapped a button, behind the glass with her now. It may have been obsessive, but I didn’t give a fuck. I didn’t know who the fuck this girl was, and if she was staying in my home, I was keeping an eye on her.
My fingers scratched the stubble on my jaw. Sia’s brown skin was sleek, flushed. She had a caramel-toned complexion that hinted at a myriad of races. She could have been one or two or several.
I zoomed in, the camera right behind her. She glided in and out of the water, the thick streams soaking her full curls. She wasn’t up to anything particularly intriguing so I started to close my laptop.
That was until her fingers found themselves between her legs.
A little more intrigued now, I watched, curious how she pleasured herself. She had quite a mouth on her that was for sure.
Little malyshka .
She could be trouble, this one, a handful. I zoomed in again, my head cocking when she turned around. She massaged her flushed tits with her hand and arm, her other hand between her legs. She toyed with her sex, her hand moving over the dark curls on her snatch while she tweaked her dark nipples.
I took a drink, swallowing. I quickly downed the rest, then closed out the footage before Sia finished. I found I didn’t care enough.
Especially since I had another call to make tonight.