Page 16 of Preacher

I gave her a stern look, and her smirk instantly faltered. Embarrassment marked her face as she stepped back and nodded. “Okay. But you know where to find me if you change your mind.”

She gave me a wink before sauntering off. I ran my hand down my beard and grumbled under my breath before picking up my drink again. I glanced over my shoulder and watched as Misty planted herself in Goose’s lap. I had to give it to the girl. She was tenacious.

I finished another glass before deciding to turn in early. I left the bottle on the table and headed down to my room. After a long, hot shower, I crawled into bed and closed my eyes, but as usual, sleep didn’t come.

I just lay there letting my mind drift from one thing to the next, and my head was all over the place—Beckett, Memphis, the club, the brothers lost, and the brothers gained. Most of all, I thought about the Volkovs and what lay ahead.

When the sun finally broke, I gave up on sleep and got to work. I kept myself busy going over inventory and checking in with the prospects. I handled all the usual day-to-day shit that kept things running, and when I was done, I went out and worked on my bike.

Before I knew it, the boys were gathering, and it was time to load up. Seven and Grim did a final check, making sure everyone was prepared for what lay ahead, and then, it was time to roll out.

Creed and Seven got in the SUV with me, and seconds later, we were pulling through the gates. We didn’t speak. We were all doing what we had to do to get our heads in the game. I was eager to get there and find out what the hell these guys wanted from us.

I thought back to my earlier conversation with Cotton.

He’d called while I was working on my bike, and he made it clear from the start that the Volkov brothers were not their father. They’d walked away from his businesses and cut ties with most of his old affiliates, especially the ones who’d helped build his empire.

They wanted a fresh start, but that didn’t mean they had a clean slate. Cotton didn’t mince words when he said,"They might’ve turned their backs on their old man, but they didn’t change their ways. They still do business the way he did. Fast, brutal, and without a second thought. They don’t give a damn about burning bridges. With the kind of money they have, they don’tneedbridges. They’re the kind who think they can just build new ones whenever and wherever the fuck they want."

That stuck with me.

Most men had to play their cards right to stay in the game. The Volkovs thought they could throw down whatever hand they wanted andstillcome out on top. That was a dangerous way of thinking, and eventually, it would catch up with them.

When we got close, I glanced over at Creed and Seven. Like me, they were sitting on go and didn’t say a word as I pulled up to the long, gated driveway. I had to give it to the Volkov brothers. Their place was impressive. They had wrought iron gates that stood tall and were monitored by security cameras and a security booth, leaving no doubt there were plenty of eyes on us.

As we rolled up, one of the guards stepped forward. Already knowing who we were, he gave me a nod and pressed the button to open the gate. I drove forward, and the full sight of the Volkov estate came into view.

The mansion itself was massive and screamed power and money. There were stone columns, towering windows, and balconies that overlooked the front drive.

But it wasn’t the house that impressed me the most. It was what sat behind it. There was a large pasture with a hundred to two hundred acres lined with dark, wooden fencing and a barn big enough to put most homes to shame. It was brown with black trim and looked to be at least two stories. And then, there were the horses. From what I could see, there were twenty or more, ranging from thoroughbreds to the downtrodden.

I hadn’t taken Nikolai or Sergei for the horse-raising type, but then again, I didn’t know shit about any of them. We came to a stop at the end of the circular drive, and I killed the engine. Ghost and the others held back, watching from the main road as we got out and more guards stepped forward.

A tall, broad-shouldered bastard with cold eyes gave me a single nod. "Sergei’s waiting inside."

That was it.

No bullshit security check.

No pat down.

They weren’t worried about us being armed. Either they trusted we wouldn’t start shit, or they were confident they could put us down if we did. I didn’t question it. I simply met the guard’s eye and nodded back before turning to my brothers. “Alright. Let’s do this.”

As we drew closer, the door opened, and Sergei appeared with a stern look on his face. He was dressed in a tailored, black suit that made him look like he was meeting with a bunch of bankers instead of outlaws. He tucked his hands in his pockets as he sized us up, then gave us a quick nod. "Preacher. Creed. Seven. I appreciate you accepting our invitation."

He knew us each by name. That meant he’d done his research. That was fine by me. I’d done my own. “Nikolai requested a meet.”

“So, I’ve heard.” Something about his tone made me question whether he had known about the request. Before I had a chance to question him, he motioned his hand behind him and said, “Why don’t we talk it over in my office.”

I nodded, and Sergei turned and started down the hall. We trailed behind him, moving down a long hallway lined with expensive paintings and antique furniture. We hadn’t gone far when Sergei opened a door and led us into his office. It was a big, lavish room filled with more expensive furniture and a table in the back corner. Sitting at the table were two men I already knew by name, Viktor and Nikolai.

We all made our way over, and my eyes met Nikolai’s. Like before, he was calm and collected. He showed no emotion as he gave a slight tilt of his head, silently acknowledging my presence. While Viktor was bigger with narrowed eyes, he seemed the less threatening of the three.

Like his brother, he didn’t speak, but I wasn’t surprised. These were the kind of men who didn’t speak unless they had to, but when they did, people listened.

Sergei gestured to the table. "Make yourselves comfortable.”

We all complied, and as soon as we were settled, I looked Sergei dead in the eye and said, "Alright. We’re here. Now, tell us why.”

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