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Dimitri doesn’t wait for an invitation to start. Instead, he paces the open space in front of my desk, his hands clenched. “Aleksandr Volkov came into the Bay View Hotel after we left yesterday and got the owner to sign a deal—an agreement saying he will no longer take counter offers. We’ve been shut out of negotiations. We’re dead in the water.”
I watch my brother with practiced calm, though it makes my blood boil to hear Aleksandr’s done it again. The greedy vulture swoops in and snipes our business acquisitions to stunt our growth and limit our hold on the city. He used to be a nobody casino owner on the outskirts of town that I wouldn’t have given a second thought to. But he’s made it perfectly clear that he wants our territory and he’s willing to play dirty to get it.
“It’s retaliation for the destruction we did to that casino of his last month. I’m sure of it,” Dimitri adds, slumping into the chair before me now that he’s unloaded his bad news.
I knew Frank Thompson would be a challenging fish to reel in. He’s too impulsive and all but has money signs for eyes. Still, it irritates me that he would shake my hand and turn to my enemy with an open palm within hours.
Sure, his hotel might be worth more than I’ve offered him so far, but from where I stand, he’s lucky we aren’t just taking it from him. We could, and I’m reaching that point with him now. If he doesn’t want to work with us, then there are other ways of acquiring his hotel.
“I’ll send some muscle. See if we can’t get that contract torn up. I’m sick of dancing with Frank. It’s time he understands the bottom line,” I state coldly.
When our father began building our empire, brick by brick, he had to be far more brutal than we have in years. My brothers and I have been lucky in that regard. He handed this business to us on a silver platter. But that doesn’t mean I failed to learn everything the old man had to teach.
“I’ll handle it,” I state, closing the discussion as my frustration turns my words curt. Jerking my chin toward the door, I silently excuse my brothers.
“Well, that was a fun pow-wow. We should do it more often,” Alexei mutters under his breath as he rises from his chair.
Dimitri only scowls at him, giving our youngest brother a light shove as they both exit my office. As soon as the door clicks shut behind them, I release a low growl. Good mood obliterated, I take up my phone to make the call, but my frustration constricts my throat, and the building tension in my chest gives me only a few seconds’ warning.
Slamming the office phone back into its cradle, I snatch the stress ball off my desk and launch it across the room. It hits the standing lamp in the far corner of the room with such force that the glass torchiere shade shatters, exploding in a burst of shards.
“Blyat,” I hiss under my breath, irritated that my temper has only created another mess for me to clean up.
But rather than do that—or make the call to show Frank we mean business—I pick up my cell phone and dial Heidi.
She answers on the third ring, her cheery hello instantly bringing me back to the seemingly unshakeable good mood I woke up in. It would seem she hasn’t had a heap of bad news dumped on her head just yet.
“I’m sending someone to pick you up tonight. Be ready at eleven,” I state. After the way my day is unfolding, I’m going to desperately need some stress relief.
“Well, good morning to you too. I slept fine, thanks for asking. Though it was a bit shorter than usual. Now that we’ve covered the basics of polite conversation, would you care to ask nicely if I’m available to come over tonight?” Her tone is mild, pleasant, laced with a teasing laughter that lets me know my bad mood won’t be welcome in her day.
And though I grumble a protest, like a brilliant ray of sunshine, her playfulness cuts right through the gloom of my frustration. “I’d like to send someone to pick you up tonight. Are you free to come over at eleven?” I ask, forcing my tone into a cordial, businesslike tone.
“I would love to. I’ll see you tonight,” she says, her smile carrying through the phone line.
And despite myself, I find my lips curving into a grin. “I look forward to it.”
As I hang up, I’m shocked to find how quickly Heidi can put me back in a good mood. Setting down my phone, I stare at it for a moment, impressed that any woman could have that kind of impact on my emotions.
That’s never been true before.
Pushing the thought aside, I collect myself, compartmentalizing my anticipation for tonight as I return my focus to the office phone. Picking it up, I dial Iosif Pachenko, theavtoriyetI send in to make a point. When it comes to intimidation, he knows just the right amount of pressure to apply.
“Gospodin,” Iosif greets respectfully.
“I need you to speak with a Frank Thompson today,” I say, falling into our native tongue. “Owner of the Bay View Hotel.” I give him the address where he’ll most likely find Frank. “He has a contract with Aleksandr Volkov that I would like you to watch him tear up.”
“Consider it done,” Iosif says.
“Call me as soon as you’re finished with him.”
“Yes,Gospodin.”
18
HEIDI
Bubbles of excitement fizzle in my chest as I glance toward my phone, sitting on the drafting table throughout the morning. I’m giddier than I should be about receiving a booty call, but I can’t seem to help myself.
