Page 18 of Kings of Cruelty

He gives me a sly look. “You think I am old and don’t know things? I have many friends, Kolya. They whisper things to me about what shit you step into.”

I grimace at the nickname. He uses that name when he wants to be demeaning. It’s one of the reasons I told everybody never to call me that. There’s no sense in getting angry about him spying on me—partially because that’s how he is, but mostly because he’s spying on Konstantin and I just happen to be in the picture.

“Yeah? Which friends?” I challenge him. “I might need to tell Igor Aleksandrovich his people have loose lips.”

I use Voronkov Senior’s name and patronymic because I know my father respects him a lot more than he respects Konstantin, no matter how stupid that seems to me. But my father retired long before Konstantin took over, so he doesn’t know Konstantin like I do.

My father barks out a harsh laugh. “Why do you think I keep up with what you are doing? Igor Voronkov thanks me for my information.” Then he narrows his eyes. “I am telling you this only because you are my son. Don’t be too quick to tie yourself to Baby Voronkov.”

“He’s not a ‘baby’ anything,” I snap at him. I wonder how many of Konstantin’s men are reporting back to his father, too. If I thought my father would tell me, I’d ask more, but he’d just sneer at me and laugh some more. “Which you would know if you were actually paying attention to what you’re learning instead of gossiping about it like an old woman.”

“I am looking out for you! Putting in good words for my useless son.” My father’s expression gets harsher, and his Russian accent thickens as he continues, “You want to be big man in this world, but you don’t belong in it. You are playing at being gangster. Baby Voronkov, he doesn’t have half the ballshis father does. The next time his father comes to inspect the businesses, you should be far away.”

My hands ball up into fists at my sides. “Yeah? And when is that going to be? Since you know so much?”

He shrugs. “None of my business. I am old and retired.”

I scowl at him, but I’m done dealing with his riddles and disrespect toward Konstantin. I get to my feet. “Thanks for being helpful, I guess,” I mutter.

I get up and start for the front door.

Halfway there, my father shouts, “Do not be left with the nose!”

I have to mentally translate the expression back to Russian before I understand what he’s saying.

Don’t be duped.

Duped? By who or what?

I leave without responding, and again, I consider going to one of the clubs to find company.

I don’t want random company, though.

I want Sierra’s company.

I think about the conversation with my father the entire drive home. I know I’ll need to tell Konstantin about it later on, but that can wait.

Instead of finding him, I seek out Sierra instead. She’s in her room alone, fast asleep. I should leave her alone and let her rest—to recover so I can start fucking her again—but I crawl into the bed behind her. I bury my face in her hair, breathing in the scent of the shampoo Konstantin bought for her, and wrap my arms around her.

She stirs slightly with a sleepy, “Hmm?”

“Shh,” I murmur to her. “Go back to sleep.”

“Nikolai?” She turns her head, her bleary eyes trying to focus on me.

I feel like I’ve been caught doing something wrong. “Yeah,” I tell her. “Just… wanted company. Shut up and sleep, or whatever.”

Sierra makes a groggy but amused sound, and she nods. “Good night, Nikolai.”

“Good night, Sierra.”

I wait for her to drift off again, her breathing evening out, then I slide my hand down her stomach. I can’t feel a baby bump or anything yet, but I know it’ll be there soon. My father had said to impregnate someone else’s girlfriend, and it’s possible I’ve done that.

Not that it matters. The child is Konstantin’s.

I wish I knew how I felt about that.

SIX

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