Page 35 of Dark Obsession

I hesitate, my tough act faltering for a second. “I’m… concerned.”

“Which is a type of fear,” he says, finishing one of the bandages. “What are you worried about?”

“Grigori,” I admit quietly.

Alexei nods, waiting for me to continue, his eyes focused on bandaging up the deepest cut. I take a deep breath.

“It’s not like him to drop off the face of the earth like this, to not be in contact, especially now, with this Sanchez guy in the picture. The fact that we’ve got a serious adversary moving against our Bratva makes his silence even more frustrating—and concerning. We need him. He’s a useful asset.”

Alexei’s grin is slow and knowing. “Just a useful asset?”

I shrug, keeping my expression neutral. “Well, he’s good company, too, I guess. Or maybe I’m just used to him glowering in the corner all the time. It’s hard to miss him when he’s always lurking.”

Alexei bursts out laughing, and before I know it, he’s singing a few bars fromMy Fair Lady, his voice low and exaggerated. “‘I’ve grown accustomed to his face...’” He stretches the word his, clearly having way too much fun with this.

I roll my eyes, but I can’t help laughing along with him. “It’s not like that.”

Alexei waggles his eyebrows at me, still humming the tune, his voice dripping with playful teasing. “Oh, I don’t know. Sounds like someone’s missing more than just his tactical skills.”

“Please,” I shoot back. “It’s actually kind of peaceful without him glaring at everyone like he’s planning their funeral.”

He laughs again as he ties another bandage, then leans back, arms crossed, that signature smirk of his back in place.

“You know, Grigori’s a man who likes to get results. That’s probably what he’s out there doing—trying to get results.”

I sigh, brushing a lock of hair out of my face. “That’s true, he does love his lone wolf shit. Always off doing things his way.”

Alexei grins, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Don’t worry, sis. He’s probably out torturing some poor bastard in a dank basement, trying to get info out of him. Classic Grigori.”

I can’t help but laugh. The mental image is too spot on. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

He ties off the last bandage, his hands surprisingly gentle for someone who’s spent most of his life in and out of violent situations. Just as he finishes, we hear the distinct sound of footsteps—several of them—echoing through the hallway. The rest of the family must be returning.

I glance at Alexei, my mood shifting slightly as reality comes crashing back in. “I want to go join them.”

“Okay,” he agrees then tilts my face to the side. “You’ve got a decent scratch along your jawline, too. Maybe we should take you to the hospital, get you checked out, make sure I didn’t miss anything.”

“Fine,” I don’t argue. “But first, let’s see what the great Ivanov clan is plotting next.”

Alexei and I make our way to the den, the crackle of a roaring fire filling the room. The crew’s all there, along with Detective Barnes. The tension is thick, and I can feel it weighing on everyone, settling over us like a storm cloud ready to break.

Barnes is the first to speak. “We’ll comb the park, gather whatever intel we can on the incident. I’ll keep you all posted.”

He glances around before continuing, “A couple of other Molina guys have been picked up for minor offenses here and there.Nothing big, but it’s clear—they’re setting up shop in the city.”

Yuri grunts, his expression dark. “That means they’re moving in.”

“War’s coming,” Lev adds, his voice cold and certain.

War.

I tense at that single word. It always means death, and I know what it’ll cost our family. “Sanchez wanted me as bait,” I remind them. “If he’d wanted me dead, I’d be dead. He’s using me to get to Grigori.”

Luk crosses his arms, brow furrowed. “Whatever’s going on, it sounds like Grigori’s at the center of it.”

“And he’s MIA,” Alexei adds.

The room hums with focus as the group dives into strategy. Men are being pulled from different operations; money is being shuffled around to prepare for the inevitable war. It’s all moving fast—too fast—but in our world, speed and aggression are the only ways to survive.

---