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Mikhail reached the Red Velvet Room, took a deep breath, and opened the door to see a pudgy man in his forties squirming on the bed. He was wriggling like a worm, wearing only his tighty-whities, his hands bound with pink fuzzy handcuffs and a ball gag in his mouth. He began grunting and flailing when Mikhail closed the door behind him.
The tall dark man cracked his knuckles as he knelt down in front of the bed, looking at the troublemaker at eye level. Mikhail growled, “Pavel, we’ve been over this before.”
The man whimpered. Mikhail lifted him by the collar.
“We’re way past the point of apologies. In fact, there’s nothing left for you to say now. So you’re just going to listen,” he rumbled. “You’ve been a made man for how long? Five, six years? I thought we had a good thing going. We could’ve killed you a long time ago, Pavel, but my father thought you had potential. I’d hate to see you prove him wrong.”
The man’s face was bright red, his eyes darting to the door, but he was held tight in Mikhail’s grasp. “I know why you stole from the brothel. But did you really think a couple of vintage trinkets could get you enough cash to pay off those gambling debts?” he sighed. “Don’t be stupid, Pav. You know I’ve got eyes everywhere, including that pawn shop you go to.”
The captive began to cry. Mikhail snickered.
“Caught between a rock and a hard place, I see. If you don’t pay your debts, the sharks will break your fingers. But if you steal from me to pay them, I will break much more than your fingers. I mean, the girls here are skilled, but there won’t be much they can do with you after that. You get my drift?” he threatened.
The man nodded fervently. Mikhail ripped the ball gag from his mouth and the man started effusively apologizing. “I’m sorry! It was stupid, I’ll never do it again!”
Mikhail threw him down on the bed, making sure the man cracked his skull on the headboard in the process. He stood over him and leered into his face. “No. You won’t. You’re very lucky, you know. My father thought well of you, and I was able to get those pawned items back. The next time you fuck up, you’ll pay with your life, and I will personally make sure you die as slowly as possible. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!” the man cried, curled into the fetal position on the scarlet bedsheets.
“Good. And remember to tip your fucking sex worker,” Mikhail added coldly.
He stepped out of the room, casually straightened his jacket, and strolled back to the living room. Mama Katja and Annika were chatting over a pot of tea while several of the girls watched from the opposite hallway. They giggled and scattered back to their rooms when they saw Mikhail.
“Finished already?” Mama Katja said.
Mikhail nodded. “He’s scared shitless. You might have to change the sheets.”
She chuckled and got to her feet, busily clearing the coffee table. “I’ll throw them in the laundry. Thank you for coming by, Mikhail. It’s always good to see you. And Annika, it was an honor to meet you, love. The girls around here think of me as a mother. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me.”
Annika thanked her and hurried after Mikhail into the dusky parking lot. She looked totally stunned as she slid into the passenger seat. “What did you do back there?” she asked.
Mikhail fired up the engine and pulled out of the lot onto the highway, his entourage a short distance behind. “Just fixing a leak,” he answered. “Did you enjoy your visit with Katja?”
“She’s actually really sweet,” Annika said. “I like her. She’s way nicer than my mom.”
Mikhail glanced over at her, trying not to smile. What was this warm feeling coming over him when he looked at her?
“Next time, I’ll let you sit in on the action,” he said.
“Oh, I don’t know if that’s necessary,” she replied nervously.
He smirked at her in the fading light. “The wife of a Pakhan should get more comfortable with blood and suffering. You’re going to see it whether you like it or not.”
He was about to continue on when something distracted him in his peripheral vision. There was something moving across the desert toward them… fast. When he glanced to the other side of the road, he saw movement there too. He glanced in the rearview and didn’t see his security.Where the fuck are they?Within seconds, he could hear the rumble of car engines and the squeal of tires.
“Put on your seatbelt,” he ordered Annika.
“It’s on,” she said. “Why?”
“We’ve got company,” Mikhail growled, and floored the gas pedal.
CHAPTER10
ANNIKA
“Wait, what’s going on?”Annika squeaked.
“Hold on,” he hissed.
