“And if they come here directly? The Chernykhs are strong people with a lot of contacts. I am sure they will have your location soon enough,” Viktor asked.
“Then they can come here directly for all I care.”
Viktor’s eyes darkened slightly.
“You’re prepared for fallout.”
“Yes.”
“And her?”
I didn’t answer immediately; a part of me didn't know what to say. The bratva strategist inside me was prepared for anything at all times, but I was more than just a bratva strategist when it came to Elisse. I did not want her to go against me, even though I knew she already was against me, and I didn’t blame her for it.
“She is not a variable,” I said finally while Viktor studied me.
“Yes, she is. She is the biggest variable in this whole situation, and you know that damned well, Romanov.”
“No,” I corrected. “She is the constant. She won’t be going anywhere.”
The room absorbed that, and Mikhail cleared his throat. It was rather strange how everyone knew the most intimate details about my marriage, but that was what happened when you forced a woman to marry you and stay in your penthouse as your hostage. Of course, everyone could see she didn’t want to be here. Even Anya knew.
“We also noticed an activity spike near the marina last night,” Mikhail said. “This could be seen as Iosif’s signature move.”
Of course it was. Iosif Chernykh did not do subtle, and he would do anything to get his sister back. The moment he got confirmation that she was with a Romanov, and more importantly, she was married to a Romanov, he would lose all sense of propriety and patience and go all out. That was exactly what I was waiting for as well.
“Let him circle,” I said. “They won’t strike until they gain further clarity about the matter.”
My men exchanged glances at my words, nodding. We had only been in Miami for a few months, but my team and I had done ample research on every powerful bratva family present in the area. I knew exactly how each one of them operated, what assets they possessed, and what lengths they could go to.
“In that case, I believe we’re anticipating escalation within seventy-two hours,” Mikhail said.
“Sounds good.”
“Should we relocate?”
“No.”
Viktor’s brows lowered slightly. “You’re inviting confrontation inside your own house, and I am not sure that is exactly a good idea, Fyodor.”
“I’m controlling the battlefield.”
There was a difference, and I knew they saw it. Relocation implied fear, and fear invited aggression. I was not going to let either of those things rule my decisions when it came to this matter. I had to be careful about everything.
“You married her,” Viktor said bluntly. “That wasn’t tactical protocol in the first place, and now you are giving the Chernykhs proof and reasoning to come after you. What if Kliment counters this?”
“He won’t.”
“You’re certain?”
“Yes.”
I knew this because I knew Kliment. He would never publicly oppose it without admitting a fracture, and he knew that a fracture between brothers implied weakness to both your own men and the enemy. Kliment was smarter than that, and he would not go against me in front of anyone.
The meeting continued for another hour as we discussed routes, fail-safes, contingency planning, and evacuation corridors that would never be used unless everything collapsed. When it ended, the men filed out one by one except Viktor, who lingered at the back as if he wanted to say something before taking off. Viktor had been attached to the Romanovs for years now and was one of our most loyal people.
“You seem very calm for someone who has staked a great deal of everything into this,” he said.
“I am.”
