by Roxie Rivera
Slapping the phone back into Nikolai's hand, Sergei stormed toward the other man and kicked the chair right off the ground. The man grunted loudly as the chair slammed his bound wrists to the floor. Putting his boot against that ugly fucking tattoo on the man's chest, Sergei pressed down with some of his weight. "Why are you following my woman?"
The man coughed and wheezed so Sergei let up enough for him to draw in a breath. He moved the toe of his boot to the man's throat. "What do you want with Bianca?"
"Darren," he coughed the name. "Darren says she's the key. She has to pay."
He pushed down harder. "The key? To pay for what?"
Eyes bulging, Darren gagged, and Sergei let up. The younger man inhaled a shaky breath and started sobbing. "She should never have tried to kill Adam!"
Sergei's entire body went ice cold at the realization those white power freaks actually believed Bianca was behind the attack on Adam Blake.
"She didn't," Besian cut in loudly. "I know it and that devious fucking prick Darren Blake knows it, too."
James started to choke as Sergei's weight crushed his neck.
"Don't kill him yet, Sergei. He's still useful to us." Nikolai waved his hand in that imperious way of his.
Sergei removed his boot from James' throat and hefted the chair and the man tied to it back into position. He stood behind him and waited to see what the two bosses wanted.
"See, Sergei," Besian pulled a lighter and cigarettes from his pocket, "what young James there doesn't know, is that I've had a rat inside their gang since January. After they killed Afrim, my loan shark," he added. "The thing is, James, I know for a fact that Darren hired a man who used to run with my crew to kill his own brother. He was hoping the blowback would catch my outfit."
Besian retrieved a cigarette and tucked the pack back into his pocket. "Do you know why Darren really wanted to kill Adam?"
James shook his head. "N-no."
Besian lit up and inhaled a long drag. On his noisy exhale, he said, "That's the thing about brothers. They have a way of fucking up long-term plans." Smiling evilly, Besian gestured toward him. "Isn't that right, Sergei?"
Clenching his jaw, Sergei didn't answer.
"No?" The Albanian boss shrugged and pointed the bright red cherry of his cancer stick at the bound skinhead. "There's a story there, James. One that would interest you, but we don’t have time to convince Sergei to tell us about his big brother." He sucked on his cigarette again. "See, my guy inside the prison tells me that Adam Blake has been rethinking his racist ways. I hear that he's considering making a deal to join a RICO case against your gang."
"That's bullshit! Adam would never turn his back on us."
"That's for fairytales, kid." Nikolai's gaze slid to Besian's cigarette in a way that seemed almost longing. His stare landed on James again. "When the only thing that binds men together is hatred? There can be no loyalty."
As if to make his point, Nikolai pointed to Sergei. "Do you think that man left the love of his fucking life to come here and deal with this shit because he hates me? Because he's afraid of me? No." Meeting his gaze, Nikolai asked, "Why are you here, Sergei?"
Was it Sergei's imagination or did the boss sound genuinely uncertain? Was he aware of Sergei's doubts? Of Sergei's desire to get out and move on with his life?
"I'm here because you saved my life. I'm here because you saved my mother and my brother." He swallowed hard. "I'm here because I swore to serve you."
"You see, James? That's loyalty. That's why your bullshit gang will die out just as quickly as it flared right up. One—you have nothing binding your men together except hatred, and a foolish hatred at that. Two—your men lack brotherhood. You don't bleed or sacrifice for one another. And three? You're stupid and you take unnecessary risks…like following my wife home from church." Clicking his teeth, Nikolai advanced on the man. "That was incredibly stupid of you."
"They told me to follow the girls and figure out their Sunday routines. It's the only time they're both alone. When they're at church," James said, sobbing now. "I was only taking pictures!"
Crouching down in front of James, Nikolai held out his hand. Kostya placed one of his wicked looking knives on it. Dragging the sharp point down the white supremacist's chest, Nikolai asked a very simple question. "How far are you willing to go for your brothers, James?"
"Wh-what?" the younger man nervously stammered.
"Are you willing to bleed for them?" He dug the knife in just enough to make the other man hiss. "What if I said that I would let you go back to your crew right now and offer them peace with my men and his?" He gestured to Besian?" "What if I told you that you could warn them of the RICO case and the war I will bring to their door if they don't leave my family alone? All you have to do to earn that chance is to make a sacrifice. What do you do, James?"
He didn't answer. The cowardly bastard was actually thinking about it. Sergei's nose wrinkled with disgust. No matter how much he wanted out of this life, he would have given his last ounce of blood to save any member of this family.
"If I say no?" James asked quietly.
"We put you in a car and you drive to a safe house in San Antonio with two of Besian's men. They'll hold you there until our plans play out—and then you're free to go on with your life."
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
Sergei knew that tone of voice. Nikolai was absolutely serious. He would let this prick walk out of here and escape whatever wrath and hellfire were coming. Was it the baby that had brought on this newfound mercy? Marrying Vivian had softened the boss a little around the edges. Would becoming a father change him too? Something told Sergei the boss would even more ruthless in his dealings with others if it meant keeping his wife and child safe.
"I want the safe house."
With a deep sigh of disappointment, Nikolai rose to his feet. "Yes, I thought you would." Flicking his fingers, he said, "Come along, Sergei. We have business in Houston."
"Wait. Aren't you going to cut me loose?"
Nikolai considered the knife in his hand. "Besian, is the car gassed up?"
"Yes."
He slapped the knife against the other boss' chest. "Then make sure he can still drive when you're finished with him. There's no reason your men should tire themselves."
"Wait! No! You said I could leave untouched."
"He said you could leave untouched." Besian made the distinction. "You should have been paying more attention when my friend there gave his speech about being stupid…"
With Kostya hot on their heels, they left the ice house to the sounds of James screaming. Sergei didn’t want to imagine what the Albanian was doing to the guy. If he absolutely had to guess, he would put his money on Besian defacing James' tattoos.
"When this done, get started on the packages, yes?"
"Da."
"And make sure it's clean, Kostya." Nikolai scanned the area. "We'll have to sell this place soon and find a new spot."
"I'll start scouting real estate." Motioning back toward the ice house, he promised, "It will be perfect."
Nikolai clapped the other man's shoulder. "I know it will. Sergei? Let's go."
Sergei held up his hand. "I don't have my gun." At Nikolai's incredulous look, he explained, "I gave it to Bianca before I left."
"There's an extra in my car," Kostya offered. "It's clean. Take it."
"Thanks." Sergei found the weapon in question, checked it and carried it back to his SUV. He hadn't planned on driving the boss anywhere so being armed hadn't been a top priority. Thankful that Kostya was always prepared, he slid behind the wheel and glanced at Nikolai. He wanted to ask about the packages Kostya was preparing but didn't. Instead, he asked, "Where are we headed?"
"To see Alexei."
Because there were about fifty Alexeis they both knew, he quickly narrowed it down to the two most likely. "Alexei at the car wash or Alexei at the dealership?"
Nikolai smiled and fastened his seat belt. "Alexei Sarnov at the deal
ership."
"Right." Sergei backed out of his spot and turned onto the private road. "Are you picking up a Ferrari or a Bentley?"
The boss chuckled. "Neither. We're going there to get Alexei to return a favor he owes me."
Sergei wondered at the favor Nikolai hoped to extract. Alexei Sarnov's time in the family had been before his. In fact, he suspected the only reason Nikolai had brought him over and paid for his debts was because he had been down one big, strong man and Sergei had fit the bill. He had heard rumors of Alexei's departure from Nikolai's crew but no one seemed to know the truth. Maybe Ivan and Kostya but those two never gossiped.
What Sergei did know to be absolutely true was that Nikolai had helped Alexei buy his first luxury dealership. Now Alexei's company owned dealerships up and down the interstate that catered to Houston's elite. On top of that, he owned two trucking companies and had his hands in some other businesses around town. Like Ivan, Alexei had done extremely well for himself and was one of Sergei's role models.
Nikolai tugged out his lighter and rolled it back and forth between his palms. Had that cigarette of Besian's given him a craving?
"Do you know Kelly Connolly?"
The question took him by surprise. "Sort of. When I'm with Vivian, I run into him. He's a nice guy. Why?"
"His father owes half a million to Besian. I hear the old man is in deep with John Hagen for even more."
Sergei swore under his breath. "Does Kelly know?"
"He does now." Nikolai flicked the lighter open and closed. "Vee overheard me talking to Dimitri about it this morning. She's asked me to intervene on Kelly's behalf." The tightness in the boss' voice told Sergei he wasn't thrilled by the request. "Apparently, Besian made Kelly an offer he isn't likely to refuse."
Sergei had to hear this. "Yeah?"
"Paulie, his fighter, is still in hospital after that wreck. I hear Besian's second string fighter is absolute shit so he wants Kelly to replace Paulie in the tournament."
Sergei's gaze skipped from the roadway to his boss and back again. "No shit?"
"Yes. Did you ever see him fight?"
"Kelly?" He shook his head. "No. I heard that he did okay in some of the smaller matches. I'm not saying he doesn't have heart. He was a Marine, and you have to respect what he survived over there, but this? He's not up to this."
"I don't think he is either." Nikolai snapped the lighter shut and tucked it away in his pocket. "Vee will never let me hear the end of it if her friend gets hurt. I can't very well ask Ivan to train him because, obviously, I want you to win, and you need his full attention when he gets back from his honeymoon."
"So you're going to ask Alexei to train him?"
"Yes."
"Huh."
"I know." Nikolai wiped a hand down his face.
"He's a good trainer. I've seen him around the warehouse. If anyone can get Kelly into shape this fast, it's Alexei."
"For Kelly's sake, let's hope so." Nikolai adjusted the air conditioner vent to hit him with a blast of cold air. "I didn't fire Lidia, but if she pulls a stunt like that again?" Nikolai made a clipped sound and made a chucking motion with his thumb. "She's out on her ass and that kid of hers can learn what it's like to live off food stamps."
Sergei found the remark unnecessarily harsh. "I've never seen her like that."
"Of course you haven't," Nikolai said matter-of-factly. "You were the prize she wanted. She saw you as the answer to all of her problems. Before you? It was Arty."
"What? Three-Fingered Artyom?"
"Yes." Nikolai looked at him with surprise. "They dated all last spring and summer. Then you came sniffing around in the fall, and she dropped his ass. It was a cold move. Arty loved that woman. Hell, he still loves her."
Guilt gripped Sergei. "I never would have asked her out if I had known she was dating Arty."
"She kept it quiet. I always had the feeling she was keeping him around as her backup plan. Then your better offer came along—"
"I never made her an offer," Sergei interjected. "We dated. That was it."
"She talked around Samovar like you two were getting married—"
"No." He emphatically slashed his hand through the air. "That was never in the cards for us."
"But it is with, Bianca?"
Sergei grunted and shrugged. "We'll see."
They drove for another ten minutes or so without speaking. Finally, Sergei asked, "Nochniye volki?"
"I'm handling it."
"And me?"
"You take care of Vee during the day, protect Bianca at night, and train for the tournament. Paint some walls. Put up new tile. Go to Bianca's cousin's wedding on Saturday night. That's it. Nothing changes for you."
Surprised but simultaneously glad that Nikolai was cutting him out of the loop on this one, Sergei thought of those ominous photographs. "Do you think they're going to try to kidnap Bianca?"
"Yes." Nikolai didn't even try to lie. "Unfortunately for them, they aren't going to get the chance. In a few days?" The boss drew his line across his throat. "It's over."
Gripping the steering wheel, Sergei's stomach knotted as he imagined how much danger Bianca was in now. He prayed Nikolai was right and that this would all be over very soon.
Chapter Fourteen
"So, Sergei, Bianca told me that your mother is a seamstress. Is that right?"
Sitting in the second row of seats in his SUV, I inwardly cringed as my mother continued her interrogation of Sergei as we drove from the church where Lulu and Corey had just been married to the reception hall. She had finagled her way into the front passenger seat, probably to keep me from running interference.
Ever since he picked the two of us up at her apartment, Mama had been after him like the CIA. He had struggled with her odd inflection and delayed speech in the first few minutes but now he seemed to have her little quirks down pat. They were chatting away like two old friends. I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"Yes, she is." He flashed her one of the trademark smiles that Mama seemed to just eat right up. "I'm hoping that she'll be able to retire after she comes over here."
"Oh, that will be so nice. Is she coming soon?"
"I hope so."
Mama seemed to sense that was a touchy subject for him and backed off. "I hear you've been doing some work around Bianca's house. She showed me the pictures of the bathroom you two have been remodeling. The tile is gorgeous."
"Thank you. It's been quite a learning experience for both of us." He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. The hungry glint in his eyes made me blush. Oh, he'd definitely taught me a thing or two about using sawhorses for things other than holding up wood!
"That's nice," she said. "Real nice."
"Bianca and I were discussing the carriage house out back, actually," he remarked. "She's going to have some contractors come in to do some different bids than the last time. She's thinking of turning it into an apartment."
"Really? To rent out?"
"Maybe," I said, not wanting to commit one way or the other yet. "I have to check the zoning rules and see what my homeowner's association says about that sort of thing first."
"Well, just make sure you can make back that investment, sugar."
"I will, Mama."
I had warned Sergei that she wouldn't like the idea of me renovating the space with her in mind so I shot him a look that said to cool it with this topic. She liked her independence and wouldn't want to feel like a burden to me even though I would have loved to have her close.
When we reached the reception hall, I noticed the way Sergei got out of the SUV and scanned the area around us with his hawkish gaze. Ever since being called away on Sunday, he had seemed so tense any time we were out in public. He hadn't told me what had happened that day, and I sure as hell hadn't been brave enough to ask, but I got the feeling it had something to do with the those white supremacist nutjobs.
Twice, he had asked me to go with him to the shooting range, but I had nixed th
at idea. I had seen first-hand what guns could do and wanted no part of it. I got the feeling he thought I was being naïve and unsafe, but this was one issue where I refused to bend.
One thing I had been nosy about was this business with Kelly Connolly. I had known the former bodyguard and Marine for years. He and Perry had played baseball together in high school. We had run into each other a little more than a year ago and seemed to always be bumping into each other around the city's hot spots. Vivian liked him—as a friend and nothing more—so we always made sure to invite him out when he was in town and not on assignment with Dimitri's private security firm.
Vivian had let me know about this ongoing mess with his gambling addict and drunkard father. When she told me that Kelly might possibly have to fight Sergei in the upcoming tournament, I couldn't believe it. Sergei had been reluctant to tell me the details but he had confirmed that it was true.
I didn't like it at all. Somehow not knowing the identities of the men Sergei would fight made it more palatable. Thinking of my Russian hulk beating Kelly to a pulp was just too terrible to imagine, but I harbored no illusions that Kelly could beat Sergei. My man was simply too powerful and too ruthless to lose. I worried that Kelly might get in a few good shots that could really hurt Sergei. No matter how many times he promised that he would be fine, I didn't buy it.
Breaking me free from my troubling thoughts, Sergei opened my door first and helped me down. He didn't miss the chance to caress my bottom or give it a loving pat before kissing my cheek and heading to the cargo area of his SUV to grab Mama's walker. I had wanted her to bring her wheelchair, just in case, but she seemed to be doing very well with the aid of her walker and making use of available seating.
I stood back as Sergei used those burly arms of his to gently help Mama out of the SUV. He was exceedingly patient with her and looked ready to pounce at the first sign of wobbliness on her prosthetic leg. "Are you good?"
