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“He was, but his oldest son wasn’t.”
Yuri leaned back, looking sheepish. “Guess it isn’t Sokolov after all. I’m glad, you know, since he’s our ally and all.”
I glared at him. “The next time you threaten another pakhan out loud, I will break your leg.”
He nodded, contrite.
“We don’t threaten people out loud,” I added, and looked at him questioningly.
“No,” he said with a sigh. “Weact, we don’t just talk.”
It made for bad business when people overheard you say stuff and you didn’t follow through. Actions, and words, should have consequences.
I turned back to Damon. “Give me the score.”
“According to Onyx, she pinpointed one SUV with two men in it. There could be a second one because her map showed another vehicle following that one at a distance. I’ve arranged for two vans. The other one is led by Viking. He’s driving ahead of us.”
Good. With Viking on the scene there usually was carnage. And I felt like painting the streets with blood tonight. The big guy might have softened somewhat when he discovered he was a father of a teenager and then had a baby soon after, but that softness was only toward his kids and wife. To everyone else he was still the same old ornery bastard, who always had my back.
My phone rang, and I almost didn’t pick up until I saw it was another unknown caller. Hoping it was Onyx with extra intel, I picked up.
“This is Kristoff.”
“Kristoff…”
It was Katya. My heart lurched in my chest. For a second it pulled me back into the past, when some Bulgarians had kidnapped her and then made her call me.
“Ekaterina. You okay?”
There was only Katya’s breathing and silence in the background.
“Of course I’m not okay,” she snapped. “I’m getting shot at because of you.”
It was because of her father, but right now that distinction was neither here nor there. Relief poured over me. If she had the spunk to sound pissed, it meant she was okay, for now.
“I’m on my way.”
“You better be,” she grumbled.
I heard her pump a shotgun.
“Tell me what’s going on there.” I was relieved she wasn’t in the middle of a shooting, but that usually meant it was the calm before the storm.
Damon held up two fingers, indicating our ETA was two minutes.
“I think they are regrouping,” Katya said. “I’m inside a gas station with a clerk who I stashed behind the counter, because what else was I supposed to do? The kid has no Rambo skills whatsoever. I don’t know how many men there are outside. I’ve barricaded the door, and I think I shot someone on the other side of it.”
“Fierce,” Damon said, nodding in approval.
“Is that Damon?” Katya asked hopefully, warmth filling her voice.
For a split-second irrational jealousy burned through my veins. She didn’t sound like that when speaking to me. My inner demon railed at the thought she would trust another man to have her back more than me.
“I’m here, little cat,” Damon said, grabbing a pair of grenades.
“Me too!” Yuri said while putting on a Kevlar vest.
I pushed back the burn in my throat. They were her people. It was only natural that she wanted them there in her darkest moment.
