Page 26 of Bratva Brother’s Bride

“Then you’ll appreciate knowing the chef there now is Kenji Matsuda,” I say. “He does a seven-course tasting menu that’s worth the trip. The uni is some of the best in the city.”

She turns to look at me. “How do you know I like uni?”

Well, wouldn’t she love to know. “Oksana mentioned it.”

“Oksana told you what I like to eat?”

“She was helping me plan the dinner. Making sure the menu would suit your tastes.”

Vera’s eyes narrow. She’s not buying it. I can see her mind working, turning over the information and looking for the lie.

“You’re a good liar,” she tells me then. “But I know better.”

She walks away from me across the garden path, her back straight and her steps quick.

So she’s starting to figure me out? It’s a shame, because I was rather enjoying this game of ours. Still, it’s not as if Vera can get away. Not for ninety days at least, and I already have a contingency plan.

I sit on the bench for another minute, watching the koi swim their endless circles. The sun is warm on my face.

When I go back inside, Oksana is in the kitchen directing the staff. She looks up when I enter and her eyes ask a question she doesn’t voice.

“Vera and I are having dinner out tonight,” I say. “We’ll be back late.”

“Very good, sir. Should I prepare anything for when you return?”

“No. We won’t need anything.”

She nods and returns to her work. I head for my office to finish reviewing the financial records we found. There’s something in them I’m missing, some pattern that will lead me to the ledger.

Except my mind keeps drifting to the garden. I need to be more careful about what I reveal.

The car ride to Kuro-Tetsu is silent. Vera sits beside me in the back of the Mercedes, her hands folded in her lap. She’s wearing a sleek black dress I haven’t seen before. It has a low neckline that shows just enough to make my jaw tight. She’s gorgeous.

Artyom sits in the driver’s seat up front, separated from us by the privacy partition. He’s been with the family for fifteen years, ever since my father pulled him out of a bad situation in Brighton Beach.

“You look lovely,” I say.

She doesn’t look at me. “Oksana helped me pick it out.”

“Oksana has good taste.”

“Oksana knows what’s expected.” There’s an edge to her voice. “The widow playing her part.”

I let the comment slide. Vera can mouth off all she likes; it matters little.

Kuro-Tetsu is on Rush Street, tucked between a boutique hotel and an art gallery. The entrance is unmarked, just a black door with a small brass plaque. You have to know it’s there to find it.

Artyom pulls into the valet stand and a young man in a crisp uniform appears to open Vera’s door. I exit from my side and walk around to meet her. She’s standing on the sidewalk, looking up at the building.

“It hasn’t changed,” she says.

“You said Dmitri brought you here once?”

“For our anniversary.” She smooths down her dress. “I remember thinking it was beautiful. Everything was perfect except the company.”

“Tonight the company will be better.”

She gives me a look that says she’s reserving judgment on that.