Page 114 of Vicious Addictions

“I can always make time for a family friend,” he smiles, though it never reaches his eyes—the same colored eyes Jude must have inherited. “Please, sit.”

I try not to dwell on how much he resembles his eldest son as I lower myself into the chair across from him.

“I’ll get straight to the point,” I start off. “As you know, ever since Mikhail Petrov became the newPakhan,the Bratva have tried their best to infiltrate and conduct their businesses on British soil—”

“So your father has made me aware,” Vincent interrupts. “Though I’m surprised he let their foothold in London escalate the way it did.”

I lean back into my seat, a slow smirk tugging my lips.

“If you want to catch a rat,” I pause for effect, “you have to let it think it owns the walls.”

Vincent studies me, his sharp gaze unwavering, but I can tell he’s low-key impressed.

“Having said that, I didn’t come here to discuss our Bratva dilemma. I came here to talk aboutyours.We know that they have been trafficking women to the States, using your Chicago ports to smuggle them in.”

“I’m well aware of the problem,” he states dryly. “But I assure you it will be handled swiftly and mercilessly.”

My skin grows cold at the grave look in his eyes—a look that promises not only retribution for such a crime but savage justice.

“Is that so?”

He nods.

“May I ask who you believe to be the culprit behind the enterprise?”

“By all means, Lady Crane, ask away. Though you might be disappointed with my reply.”

He thinks he’s clever.

But he’s already made one mistake tonight—underestimating me.

“Let me guess? Dimitri Mikhailov?”

His blank expression remains unchanged, even when I see from my periphery that hisconsiglierethrows a frustrated glare over to Jude and Dominic.

“It would be a plausible guess, yes. Dimitri is the Bratva underboss around these parts, after all. It would be natural to assume he plays a role in all of this.”

I lean in and say for his ears only, “And what if I told you that Dimitri Mikhailov is nothing but the muscle? That hisPakhanis completely unaware of what he’s doing on American soil?”

“Then I would have to wonder who is persuasive enough to talk Dimitri into betraying his boss. Misha isn’t exactly known for his understanding.”

“Are any of us?” I arch a brow.

A ghost of a smile crests his lips before nodding in agreement.

“And whoever is pulling Dimitri’s strings doesn’t necessarily have to have the power of persuasion,” I add. “All he needed was to dangle the right bait in front of Dimitri for him to follow suit.”

“The bait being?” I smile at him knowingly.

“Misha refuses to leave his motherland for some reason. A boss that rules from afar isn’t as threatening as a boss that rules from within.”

“I see.” Vincent hums pensively. “So Dimitri is under the foolish illusion that he can become the newPakhanstateside and that Misha will be too far away to retaliate.”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.”

Vincent shakes his head at the lunacy of it all but sees merit in my intel.

“How do you know all this? Or is that too bold a question?” But before I can answer him, he figures it out on his own. “Your spies.”

---