Page 70 of Alik

“Bullshit. You didn’t promote fucking Freaky Eyes as your underboss.”

Nikita raises his hand to gesture to Lorenzo, Settimo’s brother and second in command. “If disfigurements disqualify an individual, I’m afraid Scarface will have to stand down.” The scar running across Lorenzo’s eye shifts as he glares.

Settimo’s jaw drops. “You son of a?—”

“Enough. Both of you,” Cormac growls. He lifts his chin toward the ceiling. “Finn!”

I glance over my shoulder to see Finn hop into the tunnel, landing in a crouch with his fist pressed into the ground like he’s mimicking a superhero pose. I can’t tell if he’s trying to be funny or if it’s merely an accident.

There’s a smirk on his face when he stands and saunters toward us, Victor climbing down the ladder behind him. When both soldiers take their places in the circle, Cormac looks around at everyone.

“There. Now we’re even… What the fuck do you want, Nikita?”

Nikita. He must’ve been the one to call the meeting. I thought it was Cormac, only because Nikita doesn’t call meetings, and the Italians haven’t wanted anything to do with us as of late.

Nikita squares his shoulders and lets his cane slacken so it’s clear he doesn’t need it to stand straight. “I’m afraid we have a bit of a problem, gentlemen. Especially you and I, Cormac.”

“What?” Cormac deadpans.

Nikita’s gaze shifts to Settimo for a moment. “I’m not saying the don knows of it, but… I believe some of the Italians are working to pin the DEA against the Irish and Bratva.”

Settimo scoffs, but Cormac’s neutral expression doesn’t crack. “What are you talking about?”

Good question. What is he talking about? I watch Nikita while carefully keeping my expression as neutral as Cormac’s.

“As you know, the DEA has been heavily targeting the Bratva the past few months, while it seems both of your organizations have been relatively stable. Well,” Nikita clears his throat. “I have reason to believe it’s the Italians’ doing.”

“That’s—”

“What proof do you have?” Cormac asks, cutting off Settimo. He doesn’t sound like a man calling bullshit. He sounds curious.

Nikita sighs like he’s disappointed in the news he’s about to share. News I’m about to hear for the first time as well.

NowI understand why he brought me down here. It wasn’t to protect him from a well thought out assassination attempt. It was to protect him from Settimo’s rage.

“There’s a girl who snitched on a drug exchange done by your organization. Alik has been watching her closely because she’s the daughter of the SAC, and he’s reported seeing her with an Italian soldier several times.”

The tunnel gets quiet for a moment as Settimo’s face reddens at the accusation.

“What are you saying?” Cormac asks.

Nikita blinks quickly. “Oh, my apologies. I thought it was obvious. The Italians are using the special agent’s daughter to sick the DEA on your organization. My assumption is they’ve done the same to mine.”

“Your assumption is wrong,” Anthony, the third and youngest Gruco brother pipes in, his anger barely contained. “We had nothing to do with the DEA targeting the Bratva, and we wouldneverstoop so low as to encourage a snitch. Whatever intel you have is false.”

“Are you calling Alik a liar?” Nikita asks, his chest expanding with the challenge.

All heads turn to me while I will a hole to open up and swallow Nikita to hell where he belongs. I see what he’s doing now, but he could have at least warned me I would be his pawn instead of putting me on the spot for all to judge. I wouldn’t have to work so hard to hide my surprise.

“I’m certain of what I saw.” I raise my chin, aiming my gaze at Cormac. “The woman took a video to the police of your organization doing business only minutes after the Italian left her apartment.”

“Who is he?” Settimo snarls. “Quit calling him ‘the Italian,’ and say his name. We had nothing to do with this. If it was one of our soldiers, he was acting on his own behalf.”

I shrug. “I hadn’t thought he was important enough to identify until after she went to the police, and after that, he didn’t show up at her apartment. The Bratva went to take care of the girl, believing it would benefit us by serving as a distraction to the SAC while also benefiting the Irish for obvious reasons. Then your guy showed up and killed one of ours to protect her.”

The Gruco brothers exchange a look with each other while the Irishmen stare me down. I don’t worry that Cormac might think I’m lying. Nikita’s goal here is to stir the pot so Cormac questions the evidence pointing toward the Bratva being the ones to sabotage the Irish’s operation. Also, I’m sure much of this has to do with the fact that he’s pissed at the Italians for refusing to do business with us. He’s a vindictive, petty son of a bitch.

So I don’t worry about Cormac. I trust NIkita knows what he’s doing when it comes to the bosses.

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