Chapter 21
Sasha
“What is it, Bernie?”
The man was fidgety, standing in the doorway of the office in the house as if invading my privacy. “I’m sorry to bother you, sir.”
“You’re not bothering me and you can call me Sasha. I’m not an ogre. Although if you ask my daughter, she might disagree with me.”
At least my admittance seemed to break the ice and he walked inside. Still fidgeting. “I adore your daughter. Such a nice kid.” He opened his eyes wide as if he’d disrespected her.
I threw out my arm. “Please, relax around me. I think I know why you’re here.”
“You do?”
Nodding, I moved to the desk, sitting on the edge. “You were ordered back to Los Angeles, your work with Lainey completed.”
“How did you know?”
I pointed to my forehead just to tease him. “I know everything.” When he didn’t buy the act, I laughed. “She told me she was released from her contract. Apart from desiring to break a few heads, you don’t need to worry. Unless you would prefer heading back to your old life.”
“Old life. My life was centered around Lainey. She’s been like family to me. In case you haven’t figured it out, she’s a great lady.”
Grinning, I tried to keep my thoughts clean even though my hunger to hold her naked body against mine had only increased throughout the day. “I think I know exactly what you’re talking about.”
“She’s so sweet, like an angel and those men were using her.
They were fucking using her. That piece of shit Damien acted like she belonged to him.
Do you have any idea how much she boosted his career?
He’s a has-been and doesn’t deserve to be considered a hot anything.
I should have beaten him to a pulp a couple years ago. ”
My grin widened. “You’re hired.”
He started to rant about something else involving Damien then figured out what I’d said. “I’m sorry?”
“It’s your choice, Bernie. You can go back to Los Angeles and maybe they’ll pair you with another celebrity you enjoy working with or you can stay right here. With us. Then you’ll return to Las Vegas where you’ll have a job and a new home.”
He was genuinely shocked. “You’re serious.”
“I’m serious. I’ll have my attorney prepare what I think will be an employment contract you can appreciate. Don’t worry. I’ll pay the tab for your time spent with us. Any family of Lainey’s is my family.”
The smile on his face was one of shock and appreciation. “You’re a good man, Mr. Dmitriyev. I mean Sasha. She adores you and I can see why. Thank you very much.”
“You’re very welcome.” I watched him walk out and laughed. At least I’d done something good for the day.
Still smiling, I yanked out my phone and dialed my brother. I was certain my Pakhan was tired of hearing from me.
“You need to learn to relax, brother,” Vissarian clipped.
“And hello to you too. It’s been several days, Vissarian. You know I’m not the most patient man.” I didn’t know a single Russian who was.
And they said men of Latin blood were hot. Not a chance.
I glared out the window at the ocean, so completely unnerved that I was shocked.
“You’re in paradise, brother, with a beautiful woman, I might add. What in the hell are you complaining about?”
“I don’t like feeling as if I’m waiting for something to happen.
What exactly is going on? What have you found?
” My mind drifted to the emblem on the party assassin’s body.
It nagged at me. The limited research I’d done on the internet had proven futile.
Yet I’d seen it before. I was positive of it.
“Nothing substantial. The man refused to talk. Except for one thing. He admitted a war is coming.”
Snorting, I resisted bursting into laughter. “No shit.”
“Yeah, well, evidently someone is trying to muscle in on the property we helped the O’Learys purchase.”
“How so?”
Vissarian grumbled. “By contacting the county commissioner’s office and spreading lies. Classic doxing scenario.”
“I don’t care which criminal organization is behind this, they had to know that we have influence with every city and county office and doxing and hacking will be discovered.”
“Exactly.”
“They’re using smokescreens.”
“Mikhail thinks they’re just buying time, testing our weaknesses and trying to push it so our guard is down. The security on our systems is tighter than ever, but the O’Learys are somewhat vulnerable.”
“What did Liam do with our mutual friend?”
“Trust me. He took matters into his own hands, but he suspects the man was working for O’Shaughnessy just by what he’s heard. He’s pulling every favor he has to try and discover if that’s the truth.”
I gritted my teeth, my jaw aching from how many times I’d done that in the last two days. I’d tried to leave the situation in their hands, but in truth, I felt like a goddamn sitting duck. “Every favor. Does he not understand what is at stake?”
“Trust me. He does,” my brother insisted.
“Forgive me if I find that hard to believe. There’s a hit out on me and possibly my entire family.”
“Of which I’m a part!” Vissarian rarely got angry. When he did, the man was explosive. “Just calm down. I know you care about Lainey and Nina. I get it. You’re safe there. We’re checking the dark web daily for any chatter. There is none. Okay?”
If he thought that would make me feel any better, he was dead wrong.
I didn’t like feeling like a caged animal no matter the surroundings or the company I was enjoying being with.
Yes, I’d been allowed in the five days we’d been together to enjoy something that had escaped me for years.
Relaxation. Or as Lainey had referred to it, being in the moment. Sadly, the more time went on, the antsier I became.
The feeling of doom was like a shot of adrenaline.
“What about good ole Uncle Yuri and his clan?”
“Pops learned through old connections Yuri is ill. Terminal cancer. He hasn’t been in control of the family business in over a year.”
“Are you trying to suggest one or all of his sons could behind another attack on our family, specifically on me for some unknown godforsaken reason?”
“We can’t speculate right now. There’s no real activity inside Moscow.”
“According to sources that can’t be trusted.”
Vissarian sighed. “We’re doing our own research.”
“Then maybe so should I.”
“Did you ever think that maybe Selena wants you to find some peace? Do you think possibly she’d be happy about the fact you finally found someone?”
I had no idea what he wanted me to say. I heard laughter coming from Nina’s room and suddenly, there was a sharp squeeze on my heart. I’d kept us in a lockdown since we’d been here. All my promises about taking them on adventures while we were here had been bullshit.
Yes, we’d enjoyed the beach and grilled out on the deck. We’d watched a couple of movies and played tropical music until I was at the point that if I heard another Jimmy Buffett song I might turn violent. That wasn’t the same. Both my girls felt pent up as if I’d caged them.
I had.
It suddenly dawned on me that I’d called them both my girls. While being with her was the closest thing I’d felt to happiness in a long time and I’d claimed Lainey both in actions and in words more times than I could count, I couldn’t keep her against her will.
At least not forever.
“Don’t try and tell me how to live my life, Viss. I’m not in the mood.”
“You never are, brother. I’m so sorry about your continued pain, but it is time to move on.
You have a chance to regain your life back after having it ripped out from under you.
From what I can tell, Lainey is the best thing that’s happened to you in a very long time.
Since the birth of Nina. Why don’t you just take a step back from the family business and worries about someone chasing you to enjoy life. ”
As usual, I’d lashed out, which had been my typical response any time a single member of my family had tried to intervene. “Yeah, you might be right.”
“Don’t you know I’m always right?” He laughed. “I thought I’d mention one aspect of business you’ll eventually need to deal with.”
“Do I want to know?”
“Probably not. Lainey’s attorney, Jackson Winfield has filed a lawsuit against Dmitriyev Enterprises and you personally.”
“For what?” Another wave of anger hit me hard. I was sitting on rocket fuel at this point.
“Get this. Alienation of affection.”
“Oh, for the love of fuck. I could kill the motherfucker and his manager. And the goddamn record producer who wanted to control her life. They tried to turn her into a machine and they certainly didn’t give a shit about her when her fake fiancé beat her to the point she had to disappear from public for a couple of months.
That’s why she backed out of the residency in the first place.
I should have killed the motherfucker when I had him in my clutches.
Maybe I will when I get back to the States.
” Huffing, I raked my hand through my hair.
I couldn’t remember being this angry. Vissarian was quiet.
“How fucking dare they. I assume you contacted our attorneys. I want a counter suit. Now. We’re not going to wait. ”
My blood pressure was through the roof.
Vissarian was still silent.
Until I heard a short laugh.
“You motherfucker. You made that shit up. Didn’t you?”
His chuckle continued. “Most of it, although there was a heated conversation between the two attorneys, but you know ours. He’s a shark and shot down Jackson in a heartbeat.
What it did show me was exactly what I was hoping for.
You’re hooked, buddy. You might as well admit it to Lainey if not to yourself. You’re in luv.”
“Fuck you.” He’d teased me relentlessly as a young kid, always managing to get one over on me and I fell for it every time.
“Go tell her that. Try and relax, bro. We got your back and your front and whatever other parts you aren’t giving to that girl you act like you’re not in love with.”
At least now I was smiling. “Like I said. Fuck you.”
“One serious piece of good news. Damien was kicked off the project.”
“You’re kidding me.”