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Nikolai answered calls during the drive back to his place. He sounded his usual self but by now Veronica could read him more easily. Nikolai was hiding it well but Yuri’s death had affected him badly. It felt like an eternity before they finally arrived home.
Two of Nikolai’s men waited for them in the parking lot. They escorted them back to the penthouse suit. This was Nikolai’s personal fortress, so Veronica was certain they would be safe here. A pang hit her chest. She wished they were back on that peaceful and worry-free island.
You’re back in the real world now, Veronica reminded herself. Nikolai didn’t marry a useless dead weight or an obedient wallflower. He chose her. Once inside the apartment, she gripped his arm. Nikolai met her eyes.
“Yuri died to protect us. We’ll make sure his sacrifice won’t be for nothing,” she said.
Nikolai nodded slowly. “I’ll find the bastard responsible for this. This ends soon, I promise you that, wife.”
Veronica kissed his cheek. She also brushed a hand over the bullet hole in his shoulder. Relieved there was no blood, she pulled away. “I won’t get in the way. I’m sure you’ll be busy. If you need me, just call,” she told him.
Before she parted from him, Nikolai grasped her hand and gave it a squeeze.“I’m lucky to have you,” Nikolai said, before letting her go.
****
“Find out who’s responsible for this,” Nikolai told Ivan.
His second had taken Yuri’s death hard. No surprise there, since both Ivan and Yuri had been working alongside him for over twenty years, ever since Nikolai’s father reigned as the Pakhan. Still, Nikolai knew he could count on Ivan to put his grief aside for the moment and get to the bottom of this.
“There’s a high possibility that this is the La Russa Familia’s handiwork,” his second answered.
“I considered that,” Nikolai said. “They have been strangely silent since they had Arturo assassinated. I should have anticipated this attack.”
He knew when the sniper failed to take him or Veronica out, the bastard focused on Yuri instead. Yuri’s death had been completely unavoidable. If Nikolai had only reacted faster… No, Nikolai refused to delve on his failures. That would get him nowhere, and right now Ivan and the others needed him to be strong, infallible, and decisive. It was time to show their enemies why the Baranov Bratva stood at the top of the food chain. Thanks to Paolo La Russa’s reckless actions, blood would be drawn.
“I will confirm who is responsible for this attack,” Ivan reassured him.“By today.”
“Once you do, we will act,” Nikolai said.“Now that I’m no longer distracted with my wedding and otherbusiness matters, we can finally focus on weeding out these pests.”
“Pests. That’s the perfect word to use for the La Russa Familia. They don’t have the resources or power to attack us in a full-on war, so they resort to underhanded means,” Ivan said with obvious disgust. Ivan excused himself.
Six hours later, Ivan returned with news. One of his men overheard a mid-level associate working for the La Russa Familia bragging, at a bar downtown, about killing Nikolai’s third. Ivan took the man captive and managed to wring more elaborate answers out of him.
Now that Nikolai had confirmation, he could finally formulate a plan. The last thing Nikolai wanted to do was accidentally go after the wrong enemy. Of course, it had to be the La Russa Familia. Nikolai should have dealt with them accordingly. He regretted being lenient with them. He initially sent a raid team to steal Paolo La Russo’s latest drug shipment.
Nikolai wasn’t content with that. He intended to toy with his prey a little longer but his patience had come to an end. Since they killed Yuri and had tried to kill his wife and had the audacity to try and assassinate Nikolai himself, it was only proper Nikolai took someone dear and near to Paolo La Russa.
It was time to show the other Don what happened when Nikolai Baranov stopped playing games.
Chapter Nine
Nikolai drummed his fingers impatiently on his lap as his driver stopped in front of a gorgeous two-story home in the glitziest neighborhood in the city. The enormous properties on this street, were built a sizable distance from each other, making his unpleasant task easy.
“This is the place?” Nikolai asked.
He gazed out his windows to stare at the tall golden gates. An ornate mansion designed to look like a mini-castle loomed beyond the gate. Normally, Nikolai wouldn’t approach an enemy’s stronghold so openly but he wanted today’s actions to be known publicly.
Vito La Russa, Paolo’s brother, owned this gaudy estate. Paolo La Russa had plenty of children and grandchildren but it was his younger brother he doted on. The Don had tried to take Nikolai’s treasure. It was only fair Nikolai would hit him where it hurt the most.
Besides, after learning what he could in a short amount of time about Vito La Russa, Nikolai decided the world would be a much better place without Vito. While Paolo ran the family business, he spoiled his only brother and allowed him his numerous vices.
According to the report given to Nikolai by one of his talented hackers, Vito dealt with the shadier aspects of the family business. That included human trafficking—a trade Nikolai would never touch.
Nikolai had done his despicable share of horrors to get where he was, but he had some standards. Vito was a pig, a glutton that needed to be culled. How convenient that by getting rid of him, it would also hurt Paolo’s reputation and his heart.
“The men have already mowed through most of the security,” Ivan informed him. His second sat in front with the driver. Ivan pulled out his gun, checking the clip.
“And Vito?” Nikolai asked,checking his own guns.
