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"Good work,tovarishch." Sasha gives me a questioning look, and I reply with a thumbs-up. "Where's David?"
"Fuck knows. I left him a message. He'll show up."
"Yeah, he can take care of himself. Now get off the line and send me the deets. I need to fucking shout at someone."
I leave Sasha to finish his workout and head back to the suite. Morgana is in the shower, and I shed my clothes, jumping in with her.
"Vladi!" she says, laughing. "Shut the door. It's freezing!"
"I'll warm you up." I pull her to me, enjoying her smooth skin on mine. "You've lived your self-love fantasy. Now it's my turn."
* * *
When I call Ira Trusov's office the following morning, someone puts me straight through to him. He must have been expecting to hear from me.
He wasn't expecting what I just told him.
"I knew nothing of this, Vladimir." I wonder how old he is. The strain in his voice suggests he's ancient or smokes like a chimney. "If I had, I would never—"
"Let me make this absolutely clear," I say. "Cassius Jackson may have been useful. Maybe he was loyal, reliable, whatever. But none of that matters. He hurt my wife, so now he's a corpse-in-waiting and a tremendous liability foryou. Do you understand?"
"I will call him off. Bring him back to Chicago and not further trouble you or your wife."
"So youdon'tfucking understand."
David, Sasha, and Arman all stare at me as I speak. It might be rude of me to call a business meeting over breakfast, but I need them to hear this.
"I'm troubled by Cassius's existence, Ira," I say. "I don't like that he breathes the same air as me. You say you didn't know his connection to my wife, and I believe you, but I still want him dead. At my hands, ideally. Deliver him to me."
"I didn't want to fight over Hektor, not with you. Cassius is not taking my calls. He isn't that stupid. He knows damn well I will not go to war for him."
"Hektor threatened my wife and tried to coerce her into prostitution." I let the enormity of the offense sink in.
"Bozhe moy." Ira heaves a sigh. "I understand why you killed him. I am at your disposal. If Cassius shows his face here in Chicago, I will have him brought to you. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes. You're a wise man, Ira. Let's talk again in better circumstances."
Ira's relief is palpable, even over the phone. “Da, Vladimir Sergeyovich Kislev. Good morning."
"Dobroye utro." I hang up and address my family. "Trusov guarantees Cassius will not be given quarter on his home turf, so get the word out. Anyone who shelters Cassius Jackson risks death at my hands. I'll pay ten million dollars for his corpse, twenty million for him alive. I'll address no bratva business until this cunt is in our custody."
Sasha almost chokes on his coffee. "Brat, that's insane. You're the new pakhan, and our associates expect you to show them favor. Cement old friendships, strengthen boundaries, reassure our allies that you have your eye on the ball."
I fix him with a glare. "So you'd better deal with this quickly, yes?"
"Don't give Vladi that shit, Sasha," David says. "It's not your place. It matters to him, so it matters to all of us."
My uncle is finally in my corner.About time.
Avel nods. "Fucking right."
I raise an eyebrow at him. "You keep out of it,malchik. I need no boy soldiers on the front lines." I stand, tossing my serviette on the table. "Everyone else—you know what to do."
We leave the kitchen, my brothers and David heading out to start the day's hunting. I go upstairs, intending to wake Morgana and give her an update, but she's nowhere to be found.
She went out without me? She knows what could happen. For all I know, Cassius has her right now.
A cold feeling of dread creeps up my spine.Where the fuck is my wife?
