Page 123 of Jump on Three

Marco was waiting for me outside his office. He didn’t look happy. A couple months ago, that wouldn’t have been out of the ordinary, but after my father’s visit, things had changed between us. We’d become more allies than unwilling colleagues.

“What’s up?” I asked as he approached.

“Your brother’s here. Care to tell me why I wasn’t informed he was coming tonight?”

“Vladimir?”

He lowered his chin, giving me a hard stare. “Yes. He’s a younger version of your father.”

“Not as bad.”

Marco didn’t speak. He kept that stare going until I gave in and sighed.

“All right. I can see why you would not enjoy his presence. And I did not tell you he was coming because I did not know. He’s supposed to be going to Miami this week. There was no mention of him stopping off in LA first.”

Shit. Fuck. Evelyn was with me like she almost always was. I’d left her out front with the bouncers since she wanted to work the door. She was having fun being a menace to Jay and the boys, proclaiming they owed it to her after not letting her in the first night she was here.

As long as she stayed out there until I could get Vladimir to leave, we’d be golden. But this was Evelyn. She’d either be out there all night or wander off after five minutes when she got bored.

Marco ran his hand over his cropped hair. “Not surprised you didn’t know. This has a Leonid power play written all over it—catch me off guard, see what I’m up to when no one’s looking. As if I don’t know you’re reporting everything back to Daddy.”

“I would not be surprised if he is making a play. He doesn’t believe all the positive things I report to him. My father likes it when things are going wrong so he can swoop in to save it all.”

“Fuckin’ hero complex.” Marco shook his head. “Well, come greet your asshole brother.”

I would have bristled at him calling Vladimir an asshole. But when he threw open the door, I spotted my brother in the same position my father had taken. Feet up on Marco’s desk, making himself right at home.

Striding into the room, I caught his eye. His feet hit the floor, and he was up, dragging me into a bear hug.

“Vanya, my boy.” He slapped my back harder than a greeting required.

“Vóva. You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

He drew back, laughter in the crinkles beside his eyes. He smelled like vodka and cigarettes, exactly as he’d always smelled to me.

He’d been an adult when I was born, but he was a family guy. He’d lived at home until he married, then returned at least once a week for dinner, but usually more often. I always thought I’d be like him one day, but looking at him through a more knowledgeable lens, that wasn’t my goal anymore. Not when being like Vóva meant emulating our father.

“That’s the point, kid. This is a sneak attack.” He held up both hands like he was going to charge me, but all he did was laugh. “I’ve been hearing things, you know.”

He drew me into the office, completely ignoring Marco. Marco didn’t ignore Vóva. He watched him like a hawk in his territory, even if he couldn’t understand the Russian we were exchanging.

“What things?” I asked.

He stopped in the middle of the floor and faced me, his arms crossed over his chest. “Like you took last weekend off. The whole weekend. You weren’t in school either.”

I lifted a shoulder like it wasn’t a big deal. He was treading too close to Evelyn. I had to steer him in another direction, but I feared it was too late.

“I was at a music festival with my friends. Do you remember what it was like in high school? I know you played around a lot more than I have.”

He scratched his head like he was searching for memories. “It was a long, long time ago, but sure, I remember the fun I used to have. The thing is, we’re different people in different positions. You have responsibilities.”

“I know this.” I bit down on my back teeth to control the rising anger threatening to spill out. How could he accuse me of not being responsible when I’d left the only life I’d known at our father’s whim?

Clamping down tight on my shoulder, he groaned. “Ahhh, I know you do. But you can’t go sneaking off that way, even if you think you deserve the break. That’s not how things are done. You need to ask for the break. If it’s granted, then you can have it.”

Just when things were at their worst, the door to the office swung open. My back was turned, but I knew it was Evelyn before she spoke.

“Thank you, Drew. You’ve delivered me safe and sound. Here’s a french fry for your troubles,” she chirped happily.

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