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I hadn’t lied to her. I’d done nothing but dream of her, dream of all the ways to kill her as painlessly as I could—as my family owed her. Protecting Milos, my family, meant she had to die. There was no talking sense into her—the hate in her eyes was too intense.
The hate changed everything. I appeared as though I didn’t take her seriously. It was a lie. I did it because it angered her—in an attempt to knock her off balance, so she would let something slip I could use to identify her.
It wasn’t easy not to use the cop to detain her. However, I didn’t want to draw attention to her and risk her going public with her accusations. This time Boris was adamant he wouldn’t lose her, then he fucking lost her.
Two weeks have passed since that day. My mind is consumed with her. How can neither Valdez nor Peter find her in the last few weeks?
“I cannot believe Valdez has not found her. He’s always come through.” Milos puts my thoughts into words.
“You get this means it’s best not to go to Celia’s graduation.” The words pain me to speak. He would be more pained if his presence threatened his woman.
His sigh is loud. “I’m aware. The last thing I want is anyone seeing Celia as a target. I’ll settle for pictures and video from Sergei. I take it you haven’t thought further on what we talked about?”
Chuckling, I shake my head. “I’ve thought of it. There isn’t a single woman who interests me enough to marry. I can’t help but wonder if there’s something we’re missing for Grigori to think we’d fold. He has to know he can only take over by violence. That much violence will not go unnoticed. Is the girl a part of it? She wants us to pay, did she use them to do it?”
“The girl hasn’t appeared anywhere near them, so her going to them isn’t a factor—at least not that we can tell. Grigori is desperate, he feels the noose tightening. Marriages should have happened sooner. A wife and children means we’re regular citizens, we need to look the part. I hadn’t wanted to push anyone into marriage. However, the time has come.” Milos refills his glass.
“You found your woman so long ago, and you still want her. It’s different for the rest of us,” I remind him.
“It isn’t so bad. I’m quite looking forward to marriage and children with Celia. I’ll feel better knowing you aren’t alone.”
“The last thing I want is someone there all the time, someone who needs attention, who wants me to love them.” The shudder that runs through me is something I can’t hide.
“Love…” He shakes his head. “I promise it isn’t as scary as it seems.”
“Considering your woman is beautiful, intelligent, and already in love with you, there’s a difference. I’ll think on it and pick someone by the time of your wedding.”
“One last thing I wanted to discuss.”
Milos hesitant is something I’ve never seen before. It scares the shit out of me. “What? Are you okay?”
“In case, just in case. I need you to promise me not only will you take over aspakhan, you will take over protecting my woman. Whether I make it to our wedding day or not. It does not matter if I am able to claim her as mine. She’s been my woman for four years, I will not rest easy unless I am assured.”
Ice slides down my spine and into a puddle, turning the world beneath my feet wet and slippery. Milos isn’t paranoid, nor is he an alarmist. He’s as pragmatic and careful as can be. Which means blood will spill before this is all over, the question will be whose? Theirs or ours?
“Of course. She will want for nothing. I’ll build her the biggest damn cat shelter or whatever the hell it is she wants and kill every man who looks at her with longing.”
His smile warms me. “I knew you would get it.” He shakes his head. “Her best friend as well, Sergei. Keep him safe.”
I nod. “Maybe I’ll stick him with David and they can fall for each other and David will give up on his crush twenty years too old.”
“I thought he was finally in a relationship?”
“He is. I don’t understand it. Five years and he still…” I shake my head. “I can’t help wondering if he isn’t better off dead.” In all mafia homosexuality wasn’t a sin—it was a death sentence. I didn’t view it as the cancer that needed to be cut from our family the way others did. Milos felt it was up to me since David hid it well. If, however, there came a time when he didn’t, either I or Milos would have to kill him.
“I’m aware it would be hard for you. I’ll handle it if you—”
“No, he is my problem. If it comes down to it, I’ll be the one to do it.”
* * *
Phoenix
The third week Don sends me with Presley to the gun range in the basement. I think they’ve run out of cases to keep me busy. I’ve never held a gun before. I hate it. Presley doesn’t give me a choice, for two hours every day we empty magazine after magazine of everything from a .22 to an AR-15. By the end of the week Presley is impressed by what a good shot I am.
I’m proud of how well I can shoot. I’m even more proud of myself for how I no longer run home the moment work ends. I started small by stopping into the sandwich place I loved for something for dinner on the way home. It seemed silly to call in for delivery when it was on my way. Then I started getting off the bus further away, near places I’d always wanted to try, and either stopping to eat or getting something before walking home. By the third weekend I leave home to get my own takeout from the place a block over.
While I’m proud of myself for getting out of the house, I’m frustrated I still haven’t been able to get time away from Presley to go search the file room. Normally, I would hack into the webcam of the user’s laptop and watch to see when they left the room, but Presley had a regular flat-screen monitor without a built-in camera. With her being outside my office, I didn’t know when she was and wasn’t there. And if I dared to step out of my office and she was there, she got even more watchful.
