Chapter 65
CHAPTER
SIXTY-FIVE
WRATH
Viktor finally snorts, releasing my hand, and I do the same to release his, pleased as goddamn punch that he didn’t just pull out a gun and shoot me in the face for calling him The Wolf.
“You can call me Viktor.”
“Viktor it is,” I murmur, trying not to sweat bullets but likely failing.
He smiles, lifting his hand and motioning for us. “Come. The rest of my men are waiting. We will all have a vodka and a nice chat.”
I’m not sure what kind of nice chat we can have, but I’m willing to try, since war isn’t something I really want to be involved in when it comes to this group.
Viktor walks us into a conference room that is much like our own, except one wall of glass overlooks the stage on the main floor, where women are completely naked and baring it all.
“Nice,” Two-Pump hisses under his breath.
“Have a seat,” Viktor murmurs. As soon as my ass hits the chair, he clears his throat and gets right down to fucking business. “So, I hear we have a little issue?”
I like how he thinks it’s a little issue, when to us it seems bigger than that. But whatever. It doesn’t take me long to explain the event center situation, whoever his man is who married that fucking cunt, and the long-game con.
“Well then,” Viktor says when I’m finished.
I’m not sure what that means, so I wait for him to continue. Thankfully, he doesn’t make me wait long. I can feel the other guys shifting in their seats in anticipation as well. This could blow the fuck up in our faces, and I’m on edge, ready to fight if that’s what I need to do.
“You brought this to us, because?” he asks.
I cannot read these fuckers at all, and I wish I fucking could so I could mentally and physically prepare for whatever the hell is about to slam into me. But I answer him truthfully. There’s no reason to lie. And the contact we killed had nothing to do with them at all anyway.
“The last thing we wanted to do was cause a rift between our groups. As soon as we found out who this woman was, who she was married to, and her game plan, we came to you with it.”
He dips his chin, his gaze staying on mine. When he speaks, he keeps eye contact, but he’s not talking to me. Instead, he calls out to the room. “Bring me Andrei.”
Andrei appears a few moments later. He’s closer to my age, gray at the temples, dressed nicely, and fit. But as the story is retold, his face reddens. He doesn’t react in any other way, though, just a reddened face and balled fists at his sides.
“How do you wish to proceed?” Viktor asks.
“She must die.”
Well then, that’s pretty much what I thought would be happening. And now I’m ready to get the hell out of here. Viktor flicks his gaze to meet mine, and he tilts his head to the side. I expect him to release us, but he doesn’t, at least not immediately.
He places his palms on the shiny black table, then pushes down as he stands, leaning over the table slightly, his focus still never leaving mine. His lips twitch into a smile before he speaks.
“We appreciate you bringing this matter to us so that we can handle it in-house,” he begins.
“No problem,” I mutter as I start to stand.
Viktor clears his throat and shakes his head as if he doesn’t want me to stand, so I sit my ass back down. We’re not only outnumbered, but we’re also outgunned, so I’m not going to ruffle any fucking feathers.
“As a thank-you, you may have one of our VIP rooms for the evening. All drinks on the house, along with a girl of your choosing,” he says.
I start to say, no thank you, because I’m ready to go, but that wouldn’t be fair to the other guys sitting with me. So instead, I thank him. Viktor smirks, then slaps his palm against the table.
“It’s a good day,” he announces. “Enjoy your evening. The Iron Flame and the Perov Bratva are working together. Who would have thought?”
As much as I want to tell him that he is wrong, because there’s no way in fuck we’re working together, especially since Dare’s woman is pregnant with one of their kids, I decide it’s not in my best interest to mention that… ever.
Standing, I reach out to shake his hand, my grasp not as hard this go-around, and I decide that I’m going to change the plan a little. “The guys are more than happy to take you up on your offer, but I was wondering if I could stay here for the rest of the meeting?”
His brows snap together, and then his lips slowly curve up into a smile that I can only describe as completely menacing.
Fuck me, but this guy is more than a little scary.
I can see now how he became the leader of this group.
I can feel not only the alpha but also the angry energy rolling off him in waves.
This guy isn’t to be fucked with, and that’s okay with me, because I don’t plan on fucking with him, especially when I’m completely unarmed.
“You like to see things through,” Viktor mutters. “I like that.”
And that is how I am a witness to the way the Perov Bratva deals with its traitors. It’s definitely more gruesome than the way we do it, but also, mad respect. I feel as if I’m in the presence of some bad motherfuckers who take no shit.
Not that we’re slouches, but we typically don’t use much violence unless we absolutely need to. And that’s when I realize for certain that I do not want to go to war with them at all whatsoever.
“Riley,” Viktor calls out.
He hasn’t even got a speck of blood on him, more content to give the orders and watch. Jerking my chin toward him, I slide my gaze from the bleeding, limp woman on the chair to him.
“I respect you and your people for this. I just wanted to let you know, you are welcome any time at the Zoloto Dollar.”
I don’t tell him that I have no desire to be at the Zoloto Dollar; that would be rude.
Instead, I give him a smirk and dip my head slightly.
Thanking him, I leave and make my way toward the VIP room, even if I don’t want to be there.
But I’m not walking out of this club without my brothers.
And tomorrow, I’ll be home and in my own bed, with my woman at my side, and that’s all I give a fuck about right now.
Coming out of this virtually unscathed was icing on the fucking cake of this situation. We didn’t make any money, but we’re untouched by the Perovs and by the situation at hand. Hopefully, we can stay on their good side, nobody any the wiser about Chassis.