by Brook Wilder
“Think they’re working with someone else? Was it Vlad?”
“No, he was their fall guy. Might be Lev. Do we have eyes on him?”
“We can.”
“Do it. Keep Hogan here on ice, might get some more intel out of him. And hold Jeremiah here, too. I trust you to speak with him and see if he’s involved.”
“And if he isn’t?” Lukas asks.
I nod. “I’ll see it gets taken care of. I have a dinner tomorrow night with Nadia and the rotten bastards. Text me when you’re finished with both men and I’ll come by to take care of what’s left.”
“Won’t Stella be with you?”
I head for the door and open it. “She will be. See it done, Lukas. I’ll be back tomorrow.” I ignore his confused look. I’ll wash the blood off my hands here and change clothes. I might be willing to let Stella know what I’m doing, but seeing me with another man’s blood on my hands is not part of the deal.
Then why are you bringing her tomorrow night?
I pause at the question rushing through my mind. “Because,” I tell myself as I reach the main floor of the facility, standing in the dimly lit room all alone, “she needs to see who I really am. And I need to see if she can handle it.”
Chapter 9
Danya
The light that reappeared in Stella’s eyes after our late-night talk in bed a night ago has vanished. She picks at her food, not participating at all in the conversation occurring between Nadia, the twins, their new wives, and myself. Uncle Lev was apparently unable to attend, which is fine by me. The less I see of that man, the better.
I rest my hand on Stella’s thigh beneath the table and give it a gentle squeeze. Her lips barely twitch in a smile and she sets down her fork. Her complexion is even paler than before. She’s hardly eaten anything and hasn’t touched her wine. All our fighting over having a baby or not has me wondering if there’s something she’s not telling me. She woke up in the middle of the night and I followed her to find her standing in the middle of the kitchen, crying. Something stopped me from going to her. I watched from the shadows until she finally wiped the tears from her eyes and turned back for bed. I barely made it back before her, and she curled against my back and fell right back to sleep.
I whisper her name and she subtly shakes her head. I sense eyes on me and glance toward the head of the table to find Nadia eyeing us curiously. When her gaze flicks to Stella, it switches to contempt that borders on outright disgust.
“Yes, Mother?” I ask stiffly.
“Nothing, you’re just awfully quiet tonight. Both of you. Something going on I should know about?”
All sets of eyes are turned to me and I shrug. “Perhaps you should be asking your other sons.”
“And what exactly do you mean?”
“I mean, aren’t you a tad upset at their elopements? Did you even know they were planning to wed Camilla and Elena? I certainly didn’t, and neither did our father.” I smile as Andrei and Aleksandr glare right back at me.
I do find it odd that Nadia isn’t the tiniest bit upset about their choice in wives. After all, we have never been true allies with the De Luca family, and now two of Nadia’s sons are hitched to his daughters.
“Yes, well, at least their marriages will be beneficial to the family,” she says, and Stella stiffens in her seat. “It’s a shame about the Russo family being so thoroughly wiped out.”
“Yes, it is. Such a shame they turned out to be traitors,” Andrei chimes in.
“And yet we just attempted to assassinate your father,” I say bluntly.
Camilla and Elena flinch, but they don’t shy away from my heated gaze either. “It is true our father held some animosity against your father for his actions,” Camilla speaks first, I assume because she’s the older of the two. “But after your brothers came to him under a banner of truce, it was decided our families would do better off agreeing to be allies than going to war with each other.”
“Quite profitable,” Nadia adds and lifts her wineglass in a toast to the two women. “I’m sure we can all agree more wealth can heal most wounds.”
The twins laugh quietly at her words, but I don’t. Stella merely turns paler.
“Then I trust our businesses will become reliant on each other being successful,” I say. “Neither of us wants to do anything to jeopardize the stability of the other.”
“Honestly, Danya, what has gotten into you this evening?” Nadia scolds.
“Sorry, Mother. I guess I’m just not as accepting as you are.”
“Which is odd considering who your wife is.”
Stella stands abruptly and excuses herself to use the restroom. I almost go after her, but I’m not finished with my family, not just yet. Nadia glares at her back until she’s out of sight.
“Mikhail was wrong to target your father,” she says as she pours herself more wine.
I frown, uncertain what she’s talking about. I knew damn well why Mikhail was targeting De Luca, and it was not just to gain control over the other families. That damn legislation had the Ivanov family on edge. If it had gone through, we would’ve been at a distinct disadvantage. It was the De Lucas’ way of forcing us out of their territory. We had every right to go after them for such a targeted attack. I might not have agreed with Mikhail’s methods for solving the issue, but I understood a dying man’s fears of losing his empire.
The twins and Nadia continue to discuss how much better business will be in the months to come, tearing apart Mikhail’s last few weeks of life. I half listen, more interested in Nadia’s interactions with the twins and mostly to stop myself from starting an argument I’m not in the mood to have. Our mother has always been closer to them than me and not for the first time in my life, I feel as though I’m on the outside of this family. As the oldest, I should be the one stepping into Mikhail’s position and yet, from the way Nadia’s talking, it almost sounds as though she is working with Lev to ensure business is being run as usual.
“Any new leads on the documentary?” Andrei asks, pulling me from my tangled web of thoughts.
“Not yet, no,” I reply simply.
“Let us know when you do find out who it is,” Aleksandr says, leaning back in his chair. “I’d very much like to be the one who tortures them then kills them for thinking they can bring down the families.” He clinks his glass against Andrei’s as they laugh together.
Camilla seems to be more than fine with their behavior. Elena, on the other hand, shifts uncomfortably in her chair, avoiding looking at anything but the tablecloth.
Stella returns, but she looks about ready to fall over. She takes back her chair and I immediately take hold of her hand beneath the table. She squeezes mine but says nothing. Just as I’m about to tell Nadia we’re leaving, Aleksandr stands and raises his glass. Shit, what the hell is he doing now?
“I am quite happy we had this dinner tonight because I have some very good news.” He reaches for Elena’s hand and after a tense moment, she takes it and stands with him. “My lovely wife is pregnant.”
Silence falls over the room. Stella looks like she’s ready to pass out. Andrei has gone completely still. Nadia, on the other hand, smiles widely and lifts her glass in a toast. After a second, Andrei stands and clinks his glass against his brother’s. Everyone turns to me expectantly and I, too, lift my glass as I smile as coldly as possible at my brother.
“May you have many lovely daughters.” I drain my glass of wine then help Stella stand. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re heading home now.”
“Shame. I thought you’d want to celebrate with us,” Andrei says.
“Not tonight, I’m afraid. Some of us have work to do in Father’s absence.” I take Stella’s hand and guide her out of the dining room. Nadia calls after me that she’ll be in touch next week, and I wave at her words.
Once we’re outside on the drive, Stella lets out a breath like she’s been holding it this whole time. “Danya, she’s pregnant.”
“I know.”
/> “What … what do we do?”
I kiss the top of her head and hold her. “We stick to our plan. We weed out the traitors, all of them, and take them down no matter who they are.” I told her that I had new information linking the death of Mikhail to the twins but didn’t give her the specifics. I plan to do that tonight. “Are you up for stopping one place on our way home?”
“Yeah, of course. What is it?”
“What I promised you. I’m bringing you into the fold,” I tell her as we walk toward my jeep. I check my cell before I leave to find a text from Lukas saying he’s ready for me. I start the engine and just as I’m about to ask Stella if she’s sure about this, she takes my hand and kisses the back of it.
“I’m ready.”
Her tone still sounds off to me, but there’s no turning back now. If I want to change the way our world works, I have to start with Stella and me. I have to change how I do things with her. I back out of the drive and we make our way across the city to the training facility.
Chapter 10
Stella
“What is this place?”
Danya puts the jeep in park and shuts it off. “Training facility. Think of it as my office.”
The warehouse-style building on the waterfront looms before us, blocking out the night sky and the full moon behind it. “Why are we here?”
“This is the stop we have to make. Come on. I don’t want this taking all night.”
I climb out the passenger side door but don’t follow him right away. During the drive over here, Danya calmly told me all he learned so far about who is behind Mikhail’s death. The second he mentioned the twins, I had to stop myself from placing my hands protectively over my stomach. I never liked the twins even before I became a part of this family. Now that we know they’re behind this mess, and that one of their wives is pregnant, the stakes to this game of life and death have just been raised even more. If they find out I’m pregnant, too, I have no doubt they’ll find a way to kill me or make it so my baby is never born.
It surprised me when Danya started explaining the conspiracy to bring down the Ivanov family. He told me before that he would keep me in the loop and not treat me as other husbands do their wives. For him to actually do it says he trusts me more than I’ve been willing to believe. Guilt and regret for picking fights with him this last week only compound the guilt I already feel over not telling him the truth about what I’m going through.
“Stella?”
I jump and try to recover by coughing a few times. Danya’s at my side in an instant. “I’m fine, really.”
“You don’t look fine. You look like you’re about to be sick.”
“Might be something I ate.”
“Or you’re still having nightmares.” He smooths the hair back from my forehead that came loose from the bun. “Maybe I should just take you home.”
“No, I said I wanted to know everything. If this is part of everything, then I want to be a part of it. I’ll be all right, swear it.”
“Remember what you told me,” he whispers in my ear then kisses my cheek.
I’m not sure what exactly he’s referring to but squeeze his hand in reassurance. I know exactly who Danya is and what kind of man he can become. His father might’ve trained him to be a brute, but he’ll never be a mindless killer or a man without a conscience. I won’t let him. I take a deep breath, let it out, and nod again.
Danya leads me to a heavy metal door and knocks. A guard opens it from the inside and we step into a large hallway. It’s short, and two men guard a double set of doors. They’re opened for us, too, and then we’re inside a large, open room. There’s a catwalk high overhead with balconies and ropes hanging from it. Some of them appear to be part of an obstacle course, but only a few lights are on, highlighting Lukas, five standing guards, and two men sitting in metal chairs. None of them seem upset to see that I’ve tagged along, so there’s that.
Danya stops me and motions to Lukas to join us. His second-in-command takes his place. Danya kisses my forehead, lingering for a long moment, then finally pulls away. He shrugs out of his suit jacket and tosses it on a nearby table. The second he steps toward the two seated men, the guards form a circle around them. I take a half step closer on instinct as if I can do anything to protect Danya.
“Don’t,” Lukas whispers and gently takes hold of my arm. “You don’t have to worry about him.”
“What if they hurt him?”
“They won’t.”
I hear the words, but one of the men, his face covered in violet-colored bruises coated with dried blood, glowers at Danya like he wants to gouge out his eyes. The second man, however, has a cool, collected expression on his face as if he’s not intimidated at all. As Danya rolls up the sleeves of his dark green dress shirt, he shifts, and I see the pistol tucked in a holster at his lower back. My mouth drops open. The way Danya acted as he drove here. What he’s doing now. The way those two men are seated. Him not wanting me to be here.
An image of the tattoo marking his body flashes in front of my eyes, followed immediately by the nightmare of him holding our baby in bloody hands.
“Stella?” Lukas’ grip on my arm tightens, but I can’t respond. All I can do is watch as Danya stands in front of those two men. A predator before his prey.
“Hogan’s been telling me some interesting information,” Danya says.
“I’m sure he has,” the other man replies.
“Information pertaining to the death of Mikhail, Jeremiah. Lukas tells me you have nothing to say on the matter.”
“It’s true. I don’t.”
Danya steps closer and both men flinch, as if waiting to be struck. The temperature in the room drops, and goose bumps break out on my arms from the icy look in Danya’s eyes. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“It’s the truth. This rat is lying about me. I had nothing to do with Mikhail’s death or the twins.”
“He’s lying now!” Hogan shouts. “He’s the one I reported to when the deed was done.”
“Be quiet,” Jeremiah hisses, glaring at the other man.
“No. It’s too late to be quiet. Too damn late.”
“Only because you opened your fucking mouth,” Jeremiah snarls and looks ready to attack the man, but the circle of guards moves in another step. He settles back in the chair, turning his glare to me briefly until Danya moves, blocking me from view. “What would your father think? Bringing your wife here to witness business being carried out?”
“Mikhail is dead. I no longer care what he thinks. I care about his empire and the safety of my family.”
Jeremiah leers, then spits at Danya. “That’s what I think of you and your family, if that’s what you want to call the bitch. Not like you’ll be in power long.”
“I know my brothers plan to kill me,” Danya says. “They’ll never get the chance. Lev will not be handing over power to them.”
He hadn’t told me that part. I glance at Lukas, whose darkening frown confirms Danya’s words. Shit, shit! What the hell is going on right now? What did I just walk into?
“According to your father’s will, the first son to have a legitimate heir takes over,” Jeremiah says with a shrug. “From what I hear, you’re behind. Your brother’s wife is already with child. I have faith it’ll be a son and his ticket to inheriting this empire your father nearly destroyed in his attempt to keep it.”
“How long have you been bought out by the De Lucas?” Danya asks, not sounding surprised at all by what Jeremiah is telling him. I, on the other hand, am reeling from discovering one of Mikhail’s men was not as loyal as he appeared. How did the great Mikhail miss this traitor?
“We both know you’re not going to do anything to me,” Jeremiah says as he crosses his arms. “You need me alive for information on your brothers. You can kill the rat, though. He can’t tell you anything else.”
“You shut the fuck up!” Hogan yells.
Jeremiah scoffs. “Or what? You dug your grave. I’m not about
to dig mine. You want to know what I know? You make me a deal, Danya Ivanov. That’s how this game is going to work. You’re already losing thanks to the bargaining chip growing in that bitch’s womb.”
I catch myself raising my hands to my own stomach, but he’s not talking about me. Lukas gives me a curious look, but then Jeremiah’s talking again.
“Well? What’s it going to be, Danya?”
“I do need intel on the twins,” Danya says slowly, but there’s an edge to his words that wasn’t there earlier.
“Good, then what’s your offer going to be?”
Danya glances over his shoulder and looks right at me. I gasp at how different he appears and how cold his eyes are. For a horrible instant, it’s not Danya I’m seeing, but Mikhail. Hell, or the twins. His face is completely blank, but his eyes promise death. I blink, and then the pistol is in Danya’s hand. He pulls the trigger twice, the gunshots echoing through the warehouse as both men crumple in their chairs. The bullet holes in their foreheads bleed as Danya walks closer. He nudges one, then the other, and the thuds of their bodies hitting the floor jerk me out of my stunned silence. I clap a hand over my mouth as a cross between a curse and yell escapes.
