Page 103 of The Lazarov Bratva

With her, I could get much more than the North docks, Seamus continues.

The phone creaks in my hand as I pace in front of the bay windows overlooking the garden.

“Are you threatening our deal?”

No, Seamus replies in a tone I scarcely trust. But Kristof, no one knows of our arrangement. I’d be a fool not to follow this up.

“Bit strange, though,” I mutter, “that this just falls into your lap like this.”

I’m not the only one that’s tired of Russian overlords. Seamus scoffs. I have to look into this. I’m doing you a courtesy by letting you know.

“Three days later.” It’s tough keeping the anger from my voice. Seamus, to his credit, doesn’t react.

My mind flips into overdrive. Who could have found out? We’ve kept the Alena situation on lockdown, which means someone talked. The problem is, who did they talk to? The Italians?

They’ve been quiet during the ongoing war between us and the Irish, and they’d be the only family that would stand to gain anything regardless of who won. Or they’d gain all of it if we both lost. The Italians have been weak for a while now, unable to settle on a Don due to far too much internal conflict, but that doesn’t stop them from being sneaky.

There’s something else, Seamus says.

My heart drops a notch further, and tension pulses behind my temple.

“Lay it on me,” I mutter as the door to the study opens. Alarm jumps across my shoulders, half expecting Alena, but it’s Andrev who walks through the door.

Aleksander has requested a meeting. A ceasefire.

My heart stops and the world turns cold.

“What?”

He sent an envoy. He wants to talk. Says there’s too much bloodshed on either side and feels that if we’re not careful, we’ll drive each other into early graves.

“You said no, right?” I ask tightly, my gaze locked on Andrev, who balances on the edge of the desk.

I have to respect the meeting, you know that, Seamus replies. It came directly from the Pakhan, and I will not allow my reputation to be sullied by refusing.

Anger surges. I want to tell him to refuse, that he’s a fool for following such ancient traditions, but I can’t. Those traditions have been the foundation between the Three Families for longer than anyone can recall. If one leader requests a meeting with another during a time of conflict, then that request must be met and held on neutral ground.

Nothing I can say will sway Seamus from this.

“Thank you for letting me know,” I say tightly.

Seamus grunts. I’ll keep you updated.

The call ends and a deafening silence falls. I was so sure that I was closing in on the end, and now here I stand, with someone else letting slip that Alena is missing and Aleksander finally making a smart move for the first time in a decade.

Something’s changed. There’s something I’m not seeing.

“Aleksander’s called for a ceasefire,” I say slowly, turning on the spot to face Andrev. “Called for a meeting.”

“Seamus is going?”

I nod.

“Are you certain he won’t just hand you over to Aleksander? If they reach an agreement, how confident are you that he won’t shop you in?”

I turn my phone slowly in my hand, replaying the conversation in my head. “He won’t.” My inner turmoil lacks the confidence in my words.

“You never told me how you got him on board in the first place.” Andrev flexes one arm, tilting his head as he rolls his neck. I resume my pacing by the window, chewing slightly on the inside of my cheek.

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