Total pages in book: 172
Estimated words: 155984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“They’ll have to get in line,” Mitya said, his voice grim.
“Unfortunately, if Franco disappears now, the cops will look at Sevastyan first. He’s already gone to your house, Sevastyan, and he hit your woman.”
“She didn’t report it,” Mitya said when Sevastyan didn’t so much as stir in the shadows. “And she isn’t going to.”
“That will still come out if Franco disappears,” Drake said. “You can bet there’s footage of Franco assaulting her. His people would have taken it. They can twist these things to their advantage. That footage would be produced and questions would be asked. Sevastyan would be looked at long and hard. Their side would have video of Franco pounding on the front door and Sevastyan spraying him with water. These things look bad when a body has disappeared. Already, the Amurov family is under suspicion of being mobsters.”
“That’s because we are,” Mitya said, leaning forward. “I’m so sick of having to let these pricks hurt our women and stomp on us because we want to look good for the cops. The cops come into our homes and put listening devices in our living rooms. It’s bullshit, Jake. We’re trying to be the good guys and they’re acting worse than we ever did. Why aren’t they going after Matherson? I’ll tell you why. He’s fucking bribing them. That’s why.”
“We can’t bribe them,” Fyodor pointed out. He glared at Drake. “Because we’re somehow supposed to be the good guys. But we’re still the bad guys. Makes perfect sense to me. Especially now when we’ve got some psycho trying to kill Sevastyan so he can steal his woman.”
“Let me find out who the cops are that are backing Matherson,” Jake said. “Eli can help me. He was in law enforcement and he’s still got friends there. Give me a few days. Meantime, Sevastyan, keep Flambé close to you.” He put his hands on the tabletop and pushed up. “I’m heading home. If there’s anything else I can do for you, let me know.”
Sevastyan didn’t say a word. He was a bodyguard, not one of the men running one of the territories. Jake didn’t run any territory. He was as clean as they came, but he shut down companies for them, took them apart or put them together, depending on what was most beneficial. He could tell within minutes of learning about a company how best to utilize it. How best to make money from it. Whether to keep it running and revamp it, or to sell it off piece by piece.
Drake Donovan stood up to go as well. He was the most trusted man of all of them. He ran the international security agency that had brought them all together, and he had been the one to conceive of the idea of removing the worst of the mobsters, especially shifters running the crime syndicates, and replacing them, hoping to slow down or even stop the worst of the traffickers. At the moment, those in the room were feeling very discouraged. It seemed that as fast as they removed one head, another took its place.
They were always in danger. Worse, their families were always in danger. No matter what they did to protect them, the women, and now their children, had to live surrounded by guards day and night. There was no way out for them. If they left the protection of their family, they wouldn’t last alone and all of them knew it.
Sevastyan knew he would be bringing Flambé into that world. He didn’t like it. He didn’t want that for her. On the other hand, he could protect her from the Mathersons of the world, the ones who thought they were above both human and shifter law. He waited until Drake and Jake and their bodyguards had left Mitya’s home before he moved out of the shadows and toed a chair around to sit at the table with his cousins. Gorya and Timur, two more cousins, joined them.
“What’s the plan?” Fyodor asked.
“The plan is, you and Mitya stay in your homes with your wives where you’re supposed to be,” Sevastyan said. “That’s the plan.”
“Don’t be an ass,” Mitya hissed. “I want to know what the hell you’re up to, Sevastyan.”
“What I’m up to is getting my woman home and putting her to bed before she falls asleep on her feet. She’s nervous and uncertain. I want to reassure her. I hope tomorrow I can introduce her to Evangeline and Ashe. Get her feeling comfortable with our side of the family. She can start work on the property. Her crew is going to come in with the supplies she needs in a couple of days. I want to make certain it’s safe for them before she brings them in.”
He was careful not to give out too much information, because Mitya would never buy it if he talked too much. He wasn’t a talker. His family knew that. He had to say something. Put them off as if he were going to listen to Drake. Everyone listened to Drake. Ultimately, he called the shots in the roller coaster and dangerous game they played. Unfortunately for Drake, Sevastyan wasn’t part of his crew. He wasn’t a vor. He wasn’t a don. He wasn’t a territory holder. He wasn’t anything at all but a bodyguard who loved his cousin. His sole loyalty belonged to his family.