Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rodion
Rushing back through the front door, the sun beats down on my face as Zahkar bounds after me, his footsteps quickening on the grass. I dart across the lawn, ignoring the woman jogging past with her tiny dog, my heart pounding as I scan the street. Z’s hand lands firmly on my back, steadying me.
“Look over there,” he says, his voice low and steady, directing my attention to a white van parked one house up.
The driver sits inside, idling the engine, the window reflecting the sunlight and hiding his appearance from us as he watches our every move.
Without thinking, I take off running toward the van, adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Just as I reach the road, the driver slams the accelerator, and the van lurches forward, kicking up a cloud of dirt and gravel as he speeds past us, barely missing me.
“Motherfucker! Do you think he knows about Alyona?” I shout, glancing back at Z, my mind racing
“No, he followed Vika though, so he knows who she is. It’s only a matter of time. I got the plate number,” Z says, hurrying back inside and grabbing his phone.
Following him, I bark out orders, “Pack a bag Alyona. You can’t stay here.”
“Who was it?” Alyona asks with a tremble in her voice. She’s standing guard at Roza’s door sweeping her gaze between us and the unconscious man at her feet. “It’s them, isn’t it?”
“Who is them?” Vika asks, poking her head between the blinds to look out of the window.
“Vika, you’re going to need to lay low for a few days.” I tell her, grabbing the feet of Adam’s lackey, dragging him toward the garage.
Her head whips around, mouth twisted into a sneer. “That’s not my name.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I growl. “Just do as you’re told.”
“You may not care, but I do. I’m getting married in a month, Rodion. I can’t have anyone making a mistake in front of the wrong person. I won’t let anyone ruin this for me.”
Sighing out in frustration, I kick the guy to make sure he’s still out and step over him. “Do what the fuck you want. You’re lucky I’m not throttling the life from you after coming here knowing someone was following you. You put Alyona and Roza at risk like that.”
“What about my safety?” she demands with a gasp, acting offended. “And, I was already coming over here when I noticed I was being followed.”
She’s a selfish little fucking brat who, despite the southern local accent she’s acquired and prude attire, hasn’t changed. Gripping her upper arm, I drag her away from the window.
“Who is it?” Her eyes bore into me, imploring immediate answers.
“It’s a spy sent by your daddy,” I spit out, enjoying tormenting her a bit. It works too because her body tenses in my grip. Her attention flits to Zahkar, who is talking to Viktor, reeling off the plate number.
“Why is he calling my brother?”
“Why were you coming over here anyway?” Alyona asks, moving around the room and filling a diaper bag with Roza’s stuff.
“I was coming,” Vika bites out, yanking her arms from my grip and straightening the sleeve of her blouse, “because everyone is talking about what’s going on with Adam and Jeremiah.
For some reason, people associate you with me, and I’m getting a million questions from my soon-to-be in-laws.
They’re worried how this will look with you being my maid-of-honor at the wedding. ”
Pausing her packing, Alyona looks bewildered by this conversation, and I’m bored to death of Vika’s bullshit. I’d rather put hot pokers in my ears than have to listen to her voice any longer. I don’t think Vas would care now if we just killed her.
“Why am I your maid-of-honor and when were you going to tell me?”
Vika pulls a mirror from her purse and begins applying fucking lipstick. “Who else would I choose, silly?”
God, I need a drink or three.
“Anyone else. Literally anyone else,” Alyona says, stunned. “Maddox has sisters.”
Z ends his call and slips his phone into his pocket. “Viktor’s getting his contacts to look into the plate number.” He then gestures between Alyona and Vika. “What’s going on?”
“Vika has lost her mind and thinks she needs more lipstick right now instead of going into hiding,” I growl, rolling my neck over my shoulders to release the tension, “until we sort out the problem her fucking father is causing us all.”
Vika’s face turns red and she hurls her lipstick at me. “My damn name is Amelia.” It strikes my chest and clatters to the floor, the cap popping off and rolling away.
“You little bitch,” I snap, reaching out for her and wrapping her hair around my fist. I move her like a puppet down toward the lipstick. “Pick it up.”
Thrashing like a fish out of water, she stomps her feet and wails, “Get off me! I swear to God!”
Shoving her away, she stumbles toward Alyona, who stops her from falling.
Wide, fiery eyes ignite from Vika, her mouth gaping. “How dare you.”
It’s a threat and I can’t help but laugh.
“What are you going to do, Vika? Get someone to kill me like you did our baby cousin?” I may have done Vas a favor getting Vika out of Russia, but that doesn’t mean I forgive and forget her scheming little witchy ways getting Niko killed.
She is toxic, and I don’t want her anywhere near Alyona or us.
“That’s a low blow, Rodion, and in the past. It’s not who I am anymore.” She turns her glassy eyes from me, sniffling.
That’s good. Tears I can deal with. Her mouth and threats I cannot. “It’s who you’ll always be,” I say simply. “Just find a hole and crawl into it for a while or I’ll dig you one and put you in it permanently."
She gasps and narrows her eyes at me. “Fine.”
“What are we going to do about him?” Alyona asks, zipping her bag and pulling on a sweater gingerly, taking a deep breath when lifting her arms up.
“Eww, Ally, you can’t wear that,” Vika hisses, dragging her finger up and down Alyona’s body. “And you need to do something with that hair.”
Alyona’s blonde locks are pulled up into a lopsided pile on top of her head with strands falling free around her face. She looks hot as fuck even ill and not trying. It’s annoying because I don’t want to want her but it’s all I fucking want.
Ignoring Vika, Alyona goes to collect more of Roza’s belongings, while Z and I move the sleeping henchmen to the front lawn.
He’s a heavy cunt and I drop him as soon as we hit the grass.
“Do you think it’s wise to leave him breathing?” I ask, checking our surroundings for any runners who might find it odd that there’s a giant asshole out cold on Alyona’s lawn.
“I think another body showing up will cast doubt on Adam murdering the nun and will also confirm Adam’s suspicions about Alyona,” Z reasons with a frown. “Let’s deal with the Yuri spy problem first and then deal with Adam.”
“Adam was already supposed to be dealt with,” I grumble, wiping sweat off of my brow.
It’s too fucking hot here to be dragging bodies around while dressed in Armani suits. We were supposed to be enjoying renovating our club and instead we’re chasing shadows and fighting people so beneath us it’s making my skin itch.
Eyeing me skeptically, the side of Z’s mouth kicks up as he says, “We both know men with fragile egos don’t like going down without a fight.”
Rolling the sleeves of my shirt, I crack my neck and smirk.
Then a fight he’ll have because that’s what we do best.