Page 17 of Fractured Ties

“I need to find the deed for this place, or something valuable enough to hand over to Vadim for repayment of Ivan’s debts,” Kolya said. “I’ll come find you after.”

Then, he kicked the fucking door open.

• • •

“We’ve got a problem.”

Kolya shook his head and didn’t even bother to glance up from the papers he had pulled out of Ivan’s beaten and worn out filing cabinet. The guy did have a safe, but it wasn’t a very good one considering Kolya had been able to pry the goddamn thing open with a crowbar hidden under the desk.

“Are you even listening to me?” Konstantin asked. “I said we have a problem.”

“I don’t want to hear about your problems, Konstantin,” Kolya muttered.

He had enough of his own, starting with the fact he hadn’t been able to find even a hint of Maya anywhere in his search of the offices, or the rooms he’d been inside. Not a shirt, not a goddamn pair of shoes, and not even a feminine scent.

One of the exit doors on the side had been unlocked, so Kolya figured she’d probably slipped out, and beat it out of Dodge. Which would have been the fucking smart thing to do on her part, considering everything. Still, a part of him had been hoping.

Hoping for what, he didn’t know.

“No, this is a problem I need your opinion on,” Konstantin said.

Nope.

Not interested.

“Handle it yourself, Konstantin.”

He was not handling the animals, or anything to do with them. All he needed was the right fucking papers to go along with the other shit he’d found, and that was it, that was all.

He was almost done in this damn place, and then maybe he could salvage the rest of his night in some bar. Scowling in his way and drinking half his body weight in vodka until he was numb. Until he didn’t feel so pissed off.

Perpetually unhappy.

That was fucking Kolya Boykov.

“Could you … just not be you for five seconds, yeah? That’d be mighty fucking helpful, Kolya.”

Kolya’s gaze narrowed as he lifted his head. “Excuse you?”

Konstantin stood in the doorway of the office, not looking one bit bothered or frightened of his brother. Even with Kolya like he currently was—pissed the fuck off, covered in dried blood, and little too goddamn sober for his liking. No, his brother didn’t look like he was going to back down at all.

Sometimes, Kolya respected the hell out of Konstantin for his ability to do that with him. Other times, it made him want to snap his brother’s neck.

It was a very fine line.

“What is it, then?” Kolya snapped. “Spit it out, yeah?”

“It’s a … well, shit, Kolya. It’s—”

“Konstantin!”

“Fuck, it’s a bear, Kolya. A real, live motherfucking grizzly bear.”

Kolya blinked.

And then blinked again.

“Say what?”