Chapter 10Damir
10
Damir
I tap my fingers against the dark polished wood of my desk, the steady rhythm matching the ticking of the antique clock on the wall. The morning sun filters through the bulletproof windows of my office as my attention shifts to the door when it opens without a knock. Only one person would dare enter without announcement.
Anton walks in with a slight stiffness, his arm still in a sling from Nikolai’s bullet. Despite his injury, he moves with purpose, his gray eyes sharp and alert. He drops into the chair across from me without ceremony, placing a thick manila folder on the desk between us. “Nikolai’s back,” he says, sliding the file across the table. “Moscow wasn’t just business. Like we figured, he’s rebuilding his empire.”
I stare at the folder for a moment before opening it. Inside are surveillance photos, phone records, and financial statements. Half of Nikolai’s empire should have been mine, but when our brotherhood fractured, loyal men had to pick a side. Some left but Anton stayed, which is why Nikolai put a bullet in him.
“He won’t stop until he takes everything,” mutters Anton, adjusting his sling. The fabric rustles against his suit jacket as he shifts in his seat.
“Then we take him out first.” My voice is cold and detached. I flip open the file and scan the next page. Casey’s name jumps out at me, and my fingers freeze on the paper. “And this?”
Anton smirks. “You said you wanted information.”
I lean back in my chair, studying the photos spread before me. They show Casey meeting with Sergei Orlov, one of Nikolai’s top lieutenants. The images are clear, taken at different times at a small diner on the outskirts of the city. In one photo, Casey passes an envelope to Sergei. In another, they’re hunched over documents.
“How long has this been going on?” I ask, my voice steady despite the rage building inside me.
Anton reaches for the file and pulls out a stack of phone records. “First contact we can trace was three years ago.”
Casey isn’t just Elena’s ex, who stole her money. He’s connected to my enemy. I study the records, noting the patterns and frequency. This isn’t new, but is it a coincidence? His time working with Nikolai clearly predates the time he started dating Elena. Wouldn’t it be a delicious irony if Nikolai shooting Anton is what led me to Elena, who has her own score to settle with Nikolai’s man?
“There’s more,” he says, pulling out another set of documents. “We traced some of Elena’s missing inheritance. Portions of it were laundered through Nikolai’s shell companies.”
I look up sharply. “That confirms Casey was working for Nikolai when he met Elena then.” Elena mentioned they’d been together two years, and Casey has been in Nikolai’s employment for at least three.
Anton nods, his expression grim. “Looks that way. We dug deeper into his background.” He pulls out several driver’s licenses with Casey’s face but different names. “He’s done this before. Twice that we know of, and both older women with substantial savings. He dated them, gained their trust, then cleaned them out and disappeared before the police could connect the dots.”
The room seems to grow colder as I process this information. Elena wasn’t randomly targeted. She was chosen by a con artist who had already perfected his routine. “Why Elena?” I ask, though I already suspect the answer.
“Her mother’s inheritance made her a prime target,” says Anton. “Plus, she was young, trusting, and isolated after her mother’s death. Not to mention, it seems his lack of ability to pay one of his gambling debts led him in the ER when she was still a second-year med student. According to his medical records, he reported being mugged, but I’d bet he ran into one of the local parlors’ collectors. That’s probably how she popped up on his radar. Perfect mark, but I don’t think his link to Elena has anything to do with Nikolai ordering him to target her. Strictly speaking, she was of no interest to anyone but a two-bit fraud like Harris before she married you.”
I stand and walk to the window, looking out at the city below. My city. The one Nikolai wants to take from me. “So, the gambling debts are real?”
“Very real. He’s been in deep for years, including to us at one time. That’s probably how Nikolai got his hooks in him initially. Offer to clear the debt in exchange for information or services.”
I turn back to face Anton. “How much did he owe my casino?”
“Ten thousand. Manager cut him off when he couldn’t pay. Three days later, he settled the debt in full. Timing is really interesting…”
“Let me guess, three days after he drained the last of Elena’s account?” I ask, though I’m sure I already know the answer.
Anton nods. “Most of her money went elsewhere—probably to Nikolai—but he kept enough to clear his immediate debts.”
I return to my desk, flipping through more photos. “What else?”
“He’s been living under the radar since he left Elena. Cheap apartment and cash jobs, including some collecting for Nikolai. Nothing that would attract attention.” Anton leans forward, wincing slightly from the movement. “Until recently. Suddenly, he’s been spending more freely again. New clothes and nice restaurants. Something’s changed.”
“Nikolai’s return,” I say.
“Exactly. Probably got promoted to a primary scumbag instead of feeding on the dregs. His spending spree lines up almost perfectly with when we took out Boris.”
I frown, thinking of Boris. When he and his brothers, Sergei and Yuri, first joined us back when I was still working with Nikolai, he had been young and fresh-faced. That innocence didn’t last long in our world. When the fracture came, he and his brothers sided with Nikolai. A few weeks ago, Boris tried to force Anton into a meeting with Nikolai, and Anton had to shoot him.
In the end, Nikolai had found Anton on his own and made him an offer my loyal friend dared to refuse. Knowing Anton, he probably took full credit for killing Boris, the traitor. That move nearly cost him his life when Nikolai retaliated.
Anton pulls out another document. “There’s something else you should know. The feds have intensified their investigation since Nikolai came back. They’re looking at both of you, trying to find leverage.”
I meet Anton’s gaze. “They’ll approach Elena.”
“It’s only a matter of time. They’ll try to turn her against you, use her as an informant.”
The thought of federal agents questioning Elena, pressuring her, makes my blood boil. Her shield of respectability is the reason I married her, so I shouldn’t be outraged at the idea of them approaching her, but I am. Our marriage started as a business arrangement, but things have changed. I’ve changed.
“She needs to know what she’s up against. All of it.”
Anton raises an eyebrow. “You trust her that much?”
“She’s my wife,” I say simply.
“A wife you’ve known for a few weeks. A wife who married you for money.”
I fix him with a cold stare. “A wife who’s kept her end of our bargain. A wife who deserves to know that her ex-boyfriend didn’t just steal her money. He was targeting her from the beginning and has done the same to other women.”
Anton studies me for a long moment, then nods. “Fair enough.”
I stand, decision made. “Find Harris. I want to know exactly what he’s planning, and I have some plans for him.”
He rises, tucking the file under his arm. “I have two men tracking Casey.”
“Good.” I walk around the desk, clapping him gently on his uninjured shoulder. “How’s the arm?”
“Hurts like hell,” he says with a wry smile. “Your wife’s a good surgeon though. She said I’m healing faster than expected.”
The mention of Elena brings a small smile to my face. “She’s good at what she does.”
Anton studies me with knowing eyes. “This is more than business now, isn’t it?”
I don’t answer immediately. The truth is complicated. When I first proposed our arrangement, it was purely practical. I needed an alibi, and she needed money. Simple. Clean. Yet nothing about Elena is simple. “She’s my wife,” I say finally. “That makes her family, and we protect family.”
He nods, accepting my non-answer. “I’ll keep digging. There might be more connections between Casey and Nikolai that we haven’t found yet.”
“Focus on recent activity. I want to know what they’re planning now, and if it has anything to do with Elena.”
“Will do, but I don’t think she’ll be targeted, except because she’s now your wife. I don’t think Nikolai knew anything about Casey’s side hustle of seducing and defrauding rich women, and he would have had no reason to order Casey to target Elena back then, before she came into your life.”
“Agreed.”
Anton moves toward the door, then pauses. “What are you going to tell Elena?”
I consider this for a moment. “Everything she needs to know to stay safe.”
“And about Casey? About how he targeted her specifically?”
The thought of telling Elena that her relationship with Casey was built on lies makes my stomach twist. She’s already been hurt enough, but she deserves to know everything. “I’ll tell her the truth. I’m sure she’d rather know than not.”
Anton nods and leaves, closing the door quietly behind him. I return to my desk and spread out the photos again, studying Casey’s face. The man who hurt Elena and works for my enemy. Gambler. Thief. Informant. The man who broke Elena’s heart just to steal her inheritance. The rage I’ve been controlling bubbles to the surface.
I gather the files and lock them in my desk drawer. Tonight, I’ll tell Elena everything. The clock on the wall chimes noon, and I turn back to the window. Six hours until Elena comes home.
I stare at the phone near my hand, Anton’s revelations pressing down on me. Six hours suddenly seems too long to wait. The federal agents could approach Elena at any moment, and she needs to be prepared. I press her contact and wait as the phone rings three times before she answers.
“Damir? Is everything okay?” Her voice carries that mix of concern and warmth that’s become familiar to me over these past weeks.
“Everything’s fine,” I say, keeping my tone casual despite the urgency I feel. “I wanted to check in. How’s your shift going?”
Papers rustle in the background, and I hear the distant sound of hospital announcements over the PA system. “Busy. Two traumas came in this morning that required emergency surgery, and I’ve been running between patients since.”
“Sounds like you’re in your element.”
She laughs softly. “I am though I could use about three more hours of sleep and a gallon of coffee.”
I move to the window of my office, looking out at the city below. My city. The one Nikolai wants to take from me. “Listen, there’s something you should know.”
The background noise on her end diminishes, and I picture her stepping into an empty room or hallway for privacy. “What is it?”
“The federal investigation I mentioned when we made our arrangement is heating up.” I keep my voice steady and matter-of-fact. “They’re looking for anything they can use against me, and that includes you.”
A pause. “Me? What could I possibly tell them?”
“Nothing. That’s the point.” I choose my words carefully. “They’ll try to pressure you and make you think you’re in trouble for associating with me. They might even threaten your medical license.”
Her sharp intake of breath tells me she understands the gravity of the situation. “When?”
“Soon. Possibly today.” I move back to my desk, sitting down in the leather chair. “If they approach you, remember what we discussed. We met at the hospital when Anton was injured. You treated him, I visited, and we connected. Our relationship progressed naturally from there. If they want an accounting of my whereabouts for a specific time, tell them you’ll have to check your calendar. You work so many hours, it’s hard to keep track.”
“No lie there.” She hesitates. “I remember the story,” she says, her voice quieter now. “What else should I know?”
“They’ll ask about my business, my associates, and my schedule. Stick to what you know, that I run legitimate investment companies and tech startups. You don’t know the details because you’re focused on your medical career.” I tap my fingers against the desk. “If they push, tell them to contact my lawyer. You’re not obligated to answer their questions.”
“Okay.” She takes a deep breath. “I can handle this.”
“I know you can.” I pause, considering how much more to tell her now versus tonight. “There’s more we need to discuss, but it can wait until you’re home.”
“More about the investigation?”
“Among other things.” I glance at the locked drawer containing Anton’s files. “It’s better discussed in person.”
Another pause, longer this time. “Damir, should I be worried?”
The question hangs between us. I could lie and tell her everything’s fine, but she deserves better than that. “You’re safe. I’ll make sure of it.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Smart woman, seeing through my deflections. “The situation is complicated, but nothing you can’t handle. We’ll talk tonight.”
She sighs, and I can picture her lips tightening in irritation. “All right. I should get back to my patients.”
“One more thing,” I add quickly. “If the agents approach you, call me immediately after they leave.”
“I will.” She pauses. “Thank you for the warning.”
“Of course.” I hesitate, then add, “Be careful, Elena.”
“Always am.” The smile returns to her voice. “See you tonight.”
The call ends, and I place the phone on my desk, staring at it for a long moment. She agreed so easily to lie to federal agents for me. The rational part of my brain reminds me that’s exactly what she signed up for when she accepted our arrangement—to be my alibi, my cover, but the irrational part wonders if she truly understands what she’s getting into.
I pick up the phone again and dial another number. Anton answers immediately.
“I need you to increase surveillance on the hospital,” I say without preamble. “If federal agents approach Elena, I want to know immediately.”
“Already done,” Anton says. “Valeriya’s with her, Fydor’s watching the parking garage, and I have two more men watching the entrances. If the feds show up, we’ll know.”
“Good.” I pause. “And Casey?”
“Still looking. He’s been moving around, staying in different motels, which makes him harder to track. One of Nikolai’s men probably gave him some advice on ghosting.”
I clench my jaw. “Find him. Today.”
“Working on it, boss.” Anton’s voice carries a hint of amusement. “You’re really worried about her, aren’t you?”
I don’t answer directly. “She’s my wife. That makes her a target and my responsibility.”
“Right.” Anton doesn’t sound convinced. “Just your responsibility.”
“Focus on finding Casey,” I say, ignoring his inference. “I want to know what he’s planning.”
“Will do.” He hangs up, and I’m left alone with my thoughts again.
Elena agreed to lie to federal agents without hesitation. She’s keeping her end of our bargain, but will she still stand by me when she realizes just how dangerous my world really is?
I pour some vodka and swallow it. The drink doesn’t answer my questions, but it dulls the edge of my concern. I return to my desk and pull out the files again, spreading them across the surface. Photos of Casey meeting with Nikolai’s men. Bank statements showing the movement of Elena’s stolen money. Phone records documenting years of contact.
I study each piece of evidence methodically, looking for patterns, connections, or anything that might reveal Nikolai’s next move. Time passes, and I lose myself in the work, making notes, cross-referencing dates, and building a timeline of Casey’s involvement with Nikolai.
My phone buzzes with a text from Valeriya: “All clear at hospital. Elena finishing rounds. No sign of feds.”
I send back a simple acknowledgment and check the time. Three hours since I called Elena. Three more until she’s home. I gather the files and return them to the drawer, locking it securely.
For now, Elena is safe. The federal agents haven’t approached her yet, but it’s only a matter of time. I pick up the phone again and dial my lawyer. “Mikhail? I need your attention on the federal investigation. I suspect they’ll be approaching my wife any time.”
Mikhail’s voice is calm, professional. “I’ll have the team ready. What’s our approach?”
“Full cooperation on the legitimate businesses. No comment on anything else, and Elena is off-limits. She knows nothing about my other operations.”
“Understood. I’ll draft the necessary documents and have them ready by tomorrow. Call me if they approach her sooner, and I’ll handle it personally.”
“Good.” I hang up and settle back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
Elena agreed to lie to federal agents for me. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t question. She simply accepted it as part of our arrangement, but there’s a difference between agreeing to something in theory and actually doing it when the moment comes. Will she still stand by our deal when federal agents are questioning her, pressuring her, threatening her career? Will she maintain our cover story when they show her evidence of my connections to the bratva ? Will she protect me when they tell her what I’ve done, who I’ve hurt, and of what I’m capable?
The rational part of my brain says no. She’s a doctor, dedicated to saving lives. She has a strong moral compass, a sense of right and wrong that doesn’t bend easily. When faced with the reality of who I am, she’ll do what any sensible person would do. She’ll run.
But another part of me, a part I’ve learned to trust over the years, says she might surprise me. Elena isn’t like other women I’ve known. She’s survived betrayal, loss, and hardship, and there’s something between us now that goes beyond our arrangement. I see it in the way she looks at me, the way she responds to my touch, and the way she lets down her guard when we’re alone. It’s not love—we’re both too practical for that—but it’s something real. Something worth protecting.