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“Being patient doesn’t suit me,” I muse.
Ron slowly pushes himself to standing. He steadies himself on the table and looks at me. “You’ll get used to it. As soon as you realize all is not lost.”
I snort. “As far as I can tell, the board has stolen my reputation and my company. What else is there?”
“That woman of yours really thinks the world of you.” Ron smiles. “Ask her what I mean.”
He wobbles towards the door. By the time he reaches it, I realize I don’t need to ask Piper.
I already know.
33
TIMOFEY
As I walk the halls, checking conference rooms and break rooms for Piper, I message my lieutenants and organize a Bratva meeting.
Hopefully, that one will go better than the board meeting just did.
Kreshnik needs to be neutralized. When all is said and done, I don’t want to look back and realize I didn’t use all of the power I had at my advantage. Perhaps my men will have an idea I haven’t considered yet.
Affirmative messages start rolling in, but I pocket my phone and ignore them.
My office is up ahead. The door is cracked. I should have known that’s where she’d go.
I open the door to see Piper curled up on the sofa. The muted city light casts the room in pale blues and yellows. Her head is pillowed on her jacket, a hand thrown protectively over her stomach even in sleep.
All is not lost.
How has Piper come to mean so much to me in such a short amount of time? And how did Ron see it so clearly before I did?
I shrug out of my jacket and creep towards the sofa. She needs the sleep, and I have other things to do. So I gently lay my jacket over her. But I can’t help brushing a strand of auburn hair out of her face.
“You stood in front of those men, looked me in the eyes, and said I was the best of them.” I snort quietly. “How in the fuck did I convince you of something like that?”
Her brow furrows in sleep for just a second. I pause until it smooths out once more.
Then I lower my voice and back away. “I’m not entirely sure, but I know that I don’t want to ever give you a reason to doubt it ever again. You can count on that.”
Then I slip out of the office and close and lock the door. I text the code to Akim and tell him to come watch Piper.
I have a Bratva meeting to attend.
* * *
I wait until I see Akim’s car pull into the parking garage before I leave for the meeting. By the time I get back across town to the mansion, everyone else is already there. I make my way down the empty halls towards the muted sound of conversation and chatter seeping through the double doors.
I’ve stood in front of my lieutenants enough times to know this assembly will go better than the board meeting. Unlike the idiots of the Viktorov Industries board, my men know the full scope of what I have to offer.
That confidence wanes, however, when I walk into the room and hear an all-too familiar voice.
“I’m just glad you all gave me the opportunity to explain my side of things. It’s been hard to be away from all of you.”
I stop in the doorway, icy rage freezing me to the spot.
Sergey.
My adopted father is standing at the front of the room.
