Chapter Two
Viktor
I sit back in my office chair and stare at the ceiling. I am so annoyed, but there isn’t anything I can do about it now. Anger management? What a fucking joke. Kendra thought it was just fucking hilarious that she set me up for six days a week.
“Hey,” Carlo says as he walks into the room. I am in my home office because everyone knows I went to court today. I’ll have to explain that I am being forced into anger management, but it’s better than prison, I guess. It won’t stop the jokes about me being in therapy.
“Say one fucking word, and I’ll cut your fucking tongue out,” I warn him.
“Sounds like the anger management was a good call,” Carlo laughs. “Relax. It’s just therapy. Plus, the therapist is sexy, so that’s a bonus.”
I sit up and look at my computer screen, where the profile for the therapist is.
Ada Pavlov is twenty-nine, with gorgeous blonde hair and intense blue eyes.
She has a master’s in psychology and works with clients for anger management and sexual assault counseling.
She takes on other clients, but that is her specialty.
She is five feet five inches and the perfect definition of thick curves.
God, she is stunning. I am going to have that woman bent over her desk in a week.
Maybe this isn’t all bad if it means I get to be alone with her six days a week for the next year.
“Sir,” Ron says from the door. Ron is my keeper of sorts. He does a little of everything. His wife, Amy, is the housekeeper.
“Yeah?” I ask, glancing up at him.
“Andre DeLuca and Alan Barnes are here,” he says.
“Okay. Let them in,” I say.
“Awfully late for ol’ Alan to be out,” Carlo chuckles as he moves over to lean against the wall.
“I’ll say,” I agree. When Andre and Alan walk in, I stand and shake their hands.
“Gentlemen, what brings you here so late?” I ask as I motion for them to sit.
“I see you know about Ada,” Andre says, pointing to my screen.
“Mhmm. She is your son’s therapist, correct?” I ask Alan.
“Yeah,” Alan says. “That’s what we are actually here about.”
“Is she going to slit my throat or something?” I ask as I realize this isn’t for me. They’re protecting Ada. “Or are you?”
“Ada knew you were mafia right away,” Andre says. “She called me when she was notified of who her new client was.”
“Okay. Is she going to be an issue?”
“No, she cares about her clients. As long as you don’t hurt her, she doesn’t get involved,” Alan says. “Archer is able to speak freely with her, and we’ve never had an issue. Hell, I’ve been back six months, and I haven’t heard anyone say one bad thing about her.”
“Okay. So why are you here?” Carlo asks.
“I am going to be there tomorrow for her comfort. She knows your original charges and is hesitant about being alone with you. She will never admit or show that, though,” Andre says. “But understand, I don’t care if we are friends. If you hurt that girl…”
“I don’t hurt women,” I say with a frown.
“I don’t care,” Alan says. “She has no idea how her parents really died. She doesn’t know what she is connected to. There is no good way to explain it to her, so no one has. She has been and still is going through a lot.”
“Meaning?” I ask.
“Archer thinks someone is hurting her. He can’t figure out much because she doesn’t talk about her personal life when it comes to anything home-related,” Alan says.
“So an abusive boyfriend,” I remark.
“That’s what he thinks,” he says.
“I wonder if that’s why Judge Jackson has you with her so much,” Carlo suggests.
“We can do some digging and be discreet,” I say. “I’ll see what I can figure out.”
“Viktor,” Alan says.
“I know, Alan,” I sigh.
“Well, listen anyway,” Alan says. “You are a good man, but I will kill you myself if you even look at her the wrong way. Her parents were good people, and I promised them I’d look after her.”
“How is that working out with the abusive boyfriend?” I quip.
“Her parents died when she was fifteen, and she went to a foster home where she was raped by her foster father. The day after she reported it to her high school, the foster father was found hanging in his garage. The college guy who drugged and raped her, he lost his brakes and hit a tree going 120,” Alan says calmly.
You’d think we were chit-chatting about the weather right now.
“Every time someone has hurt that girl, I’ve been there to make sure they pay the price for it.
Her mother was my wife’s best friend from birth.
Her father was mine and Martin’s. They both were like family.
Ada… She is my family, but we are sparing her until we can’t anymore.
You can either be on the side where you get to continue breathing, or I’ll be sure to bring some carnations to your funeral. ”
“I understand,” I say. I’m not generally afraid of anyone but my mother, but Alan is so calm that it’s frightening.
“Good,” Alan says. “Maybe take the therapy seriously, too. She’s done so well with Archer that I started talking to her, too.”
“The big bad Alan in therapy,” Carlo remarks with a smile.
“There is no shame in taking care of yourself, son. Digging up the most vulnerable parts of yourself and learning what makes you tick is the strongest thing a man can do,” Alan says.
“She made me cry,” Andre laughs. “She might be too good at her job.”
“Trauma makes you observant,” I say.
“Broken recognizes broken,” Alan says.
“Indeed, it does.”
Sweet Ada. Where do you keep all your grave secrets hidden? I can’t wait to find them all.