44. Nikolai
Nikolai
I sit at the head of the table, with Sergei to my right, Maksim to my left, and Pasha beside me.
Andrei and Roman left town, dealing with issues in their own cities.
We’re in the conference room at my casino.
Across from us, Don Castellano and three of his men occupy their side like they’re sitting for a business meeting instead of negotiating the terms of their continued existence.
I haven’t slept. My body is running on pure adrenaline and the memory of Luke’s small body clutched against me. Kicking in the door of that room and finding Luke curled up in the corner on a dirty floor will haunt me for the rest of my days.
That memory is always followed by another. Gabby's face as I ran toward her with Luke in my arms. Terror giving way to relief.
My lioness.
“Let’s be clear about what happened,” Sergei says. “Your organization came into my brother’s territory. Kidnapped a child. Killed a federal agent. Attacked two women under Bratva protection.”
Don Castellano spreads his hands. “Matteo was acting alone here. The kidnapping and the attack on the women were not sanctioned by us.”
I lean forward. “And the federal agent?”
His expression hardens. “That came from New York.”
“I don’t give a fuck whether it came from Vegas or New York. Your people killed a federal agent because he was protecting Gabby.”
My jaw locks, and I plant both hands on the table as I lean in further. “And we’re done fucking with women and children. Your men have been sabotaging my property for months. The fire. The inspections. The delays. That ends too.”
“Nikolai.” Sergei’s voice is calm, but I hear the warning.
I force myself to sit back. My thumb and forefinger press together under the table.
“What my brother is saying,” Sergei’s tone returns to a dangerous calm, “is that we have reached a critical juncture. The Bratva has been patient. We’ve allowed certain... territorial disputes to resolve themselves through negotiation.”
He pauses, letting the silence stretch.
“That patience has ended.”
Castellano’s jaw tightens, but he says nothing.
“You have two choices,” Sergei says. “The first is simple. We establish clear boundaries. Your operations stay on your side. Ours stay on ours. No more interference. No more accidents. No more coincidences.”
One of them curses.
Sergei continues like there was no interruption. “The second option is equally simple. We destroy every operation you have. West Coast, East Coast, everything between. We burn it all down and salt the fucking earth.” His eyes don’t leave Castellano’s face. “Try me. Try my family. See what happens.”
I watch the don process this. He’s been in this life long enough to recognize a genuine threat. The full weight of the Sokolov empire isn’t something anyone survives.
Castellano looks at me. I see him weighing options. Coming to the only conclusion that keeps him breathing.
“Agreed.”
“Good.” Sergei stands, and the rest of us rise in unison. “You go your way; we go ours. If I have to come back to this fucking desert, I’ll kill you all slowly.”
Castellano sneers but knows when to shut up. His men file out behind him.
When the door closes, I exhale slowly.
“You handled that well,” Pasha says quietly.
“I wanted to kill him.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I’m proud of you,” Sergei says.
The words catch me off-guard.
“You built this without us. You proved what you needed to prove a long time ago, Nikolai.”
“Thank you.”
He turns to face me. “And you have a family now.”
“Yes.”
A smile touches his lips. “About damn time you found someone.”
I shrug.
“I’m happy for you. Both of you. The whole family situation.” He pauses. “Bring them to New York. Sofia wants to meet them. The boys would like Luke.”
“Soon,” I say.
“Good.” He grips my shoulder. “You deserve this, Nikolai. You deserve to be happy.”
I don’t know what to say. I’ve never thought about what I deserve. I’ve only thought about surviving the day.
The people who love me think I deserve it. That’s what matters. And I don’t intend to lose the two people who bring me happiness.
“Thank you for backing me.”
“You don’t have to thank me. That’s what family does.” He checks his watch. “I have to go. If they put one foot over the line, call me.”
“I will.”
“I have to get going, too,” Maksim says. “The new club’s opening this week, and I have the final walkthrough tomorrow.”
“Thanks for your help.”
He pats my shoulder. “I like her,” he says. “We’ll spend more time together soon.”
He leaves, and now, it’s just Pasha and me.
Pasha stands. “I’m going to get my mom and Mila. They’re anxious to get home. Take some time with your family. You need to be with them.”
I don’t know how not to work. But for the first time since I started this venture in Vegas, I don’t want to work. I want to be home. I want to play dinosaurs with Luke while Gabby smiles at us.
I don't know when Luke stopped being Gabby's son and became mine, too.
Maybe the first time he reached for me.
Maybe the first time I carried him. The “when” doesn’t matter. It’s forever now.
I'm going home.
To my family.