In her little time with me, she’d crossed lines that no one dared to, broken rules punishable by death. Yet she was still breathing. Considering the gravity of her situation, she was supposed to be dead already.
Knowing the Bratva, it was only a matter of time before they asked for her head on a plate.
“Nial….” A voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
It was Demyen, one of the oldest men in the council of elders. Short. Portly. Gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard.
“Are you still with us, son?” He met my gaze, his expression as blank as always.
I paused, looking right at him before giving a subtle nod.
“I was asking about the girl,” he added, “the reporter you captured.”
“Lawyer,” I corrected him.
“She can be the Queen of England for all I care,” Ivan chipped in, his voice thick with a Russian accent. “She was caught investigating our business. Why is she still alive?”
I frowned at his tone. “Because I allowed it.”
His brows furrowed together, displeased by my response.
Ivan had always liked to challenge my authority because he believed he was better than me. However, I was in no competition with anyone, and I never backed down from a fight.
“Tell me, Ivan.” I met his gaze. “Do you have a problem with the girl breathing God’s air?”
“I have a problem with a man who knows what to do and refuses to do it.”
Silence.
The tension in the air was growing heavier by the second. It was as though the walls held their breath in anticipation of what might happen next.
“Knock it off, you two,” Demyen said, his intervention calming the rising storm. He turned to me and asked, “How much does she know about the operation?”
I looked at him. “She’s a contained asset. Not an active threat.”
“It still doesn’t change the fact that she stuck her fuckin’ nose into our business,” Ivan added, his tone laced with disdain. “We shouldn’t even be having this conversation because she should’ve been dead already.”
“If you’re so keen on killing her, why don’t you invade my compound and get it over with? See what happens,” I replied, leaning back in my chair.
He locked his jaw. “Are you threatening me, Tarasov?” His hand shifted toward the pistol in his holster.
“I’m merely challenging you to man up and spring into action,” I said, staring right at him. “Boris, as soon as his hand touches that gun, puts a bullet in his head.”
Standing behind me, Boris’s response was a low growl.
The room fell silent, and Ivan couldn’t speak another word. Everyone knew how fast and deadly the One-Eyed Demon was—and not even Ivan’s lieutenant was stupid enough to react. One wrong move and he’d be waking up in hell. He and his boss.
“That, my friend,” I said to the prick, “is a threat.”
He swallowed hard, both hands slowly sliding onto the table.
Now that I had their attention, I sat up, my gaze sweeping across their faces. “Killing the girl is wasteful and unnecessary. Letting her go is not an option either.”
Silence.
I continued, “Therefore, starting now, she’s officiallymybusiness. I’ll handle her myself.”
My decision didn’t sit well with them, and I could see the irritation in their faces. But they knew better than to oppose me.
