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“Are you waiting for a call?” Viktor flicks the end of my cellphone with his finger as he approaches me at a Romanov warehouse on the Hudson.
“No.” I tuck the phone into my back pocket and survey the area to be sure no one who doesn’t need to hear us can.
“I have a question for you,” I say.
“Ask.” He checks his watch. “I have to pick up Charlotte.” Viktor has many duties, but lately he’s been tasked with driving the wife of Nikolai, the youngest Romanov brother.
“Is she well? I’ve been caught up in other things and haven’t seen Nikolai since Yogi’s wedding.”
He nods. “She’s very pregnant. It’s making Nikolai more protective than ever. She’s having a massage, one of those special pregnant things they do. It’s not far from the house, but Nikolai wants someone with her at all times. Yogi’s with her, and his wife. He brought her to have one too. I just need to get there to bring Charlie home.”
“Yogi’s wife is pregnant?” I haven’t kept up with as much as I thought within our little family.
“They just found out, but he spoils her.” Viktor folds his arms over his chest. “What question do you have for me?”
“Months back, when Nikolai was looking for the leak in the distribution line, he picked up a kid who was selling Romanov product. Percy was his real name, but his street name is Viper. Nikolai sent him to get cleaned up so he could question him. What happened when the kid got out?” I pause for a beat. “Is he still alive?”
Viktor looks thoughtful for a minute then lifts a shoulder. “I’m not sure. Yogi and Boris dealt with that situation. I know Yogi went up to the rehab place to question the kid after he detoxed, but I’m not sure what happened when he finished the program.”
“But he did finish the program?” Getting the kid to sober up for questions is one thing but letting him chase down sobriety meant Nikolai wasn’t looking to take him out.
Viktor shrugs. “I think so. Nikolai or Yogi would know better. Boris too, but he went to Russia to help get Ivan settled. Why do you want to know this?” He raises his brows.
“Someone’s looking for him.” I pull my phone out and check it again. Still nothing from Mandy. We’re going to have to have a talk about ignoring me. It’s late afternoon already; she shouldn’t be asleep this long unless something’s wrong.
“Who?”
“His sister.” I type out one more message, reminding her of what happened this morning. Because if I get to her apartment and find out she’s been out when I told her to stay put, she’s going to be sorry.
“Ah.” Viktor chuckles. “A girl.”
My gaze snaps up to meet his. “It’s not like that.”
He puts his hands up. “Sure it’s not.” He nods. “It wasn’t like that for Nikolai, or for Arman, and I even hear it isn’t like that for Luka either.” He splays his hands wide. “Yet, all three of them fell like dead trees in a forest.”
“You talk like an old woman.” I grip my phone while hitting the call button for Yogi. “Maybe we should call you babushka.”
He drops the levity, and a fierceness comes over him. “Try it, old friend, and see if the girl wants you after I’m done with you.”
I grunt in response. It would be a fair fight, but I have no desire to break his pretty nose today.
“Yogi’s not answering his phone.” I glare at the device as though it bears some responsibility for no one responding to me the way they should today.
“I’ll tell him you’re looking for him,” he offers.
“Have him call me when you see him.” As I’m shoving my phone into my back pocket it goes off, so I pull it back out and answer the call.
“Maxim.” Tension fills Arman’s tone.
“Arman. What’s wrong?” I press the phone tighter against my ear.
Viktor stops in his step and waits. If there’s an emergency, he might be needed.
“I need you here. Now.” Annoyance runs through his words.
“Where are you?”
“My place,” he answers tersely.
