Page 177 of Vicious Games

“Have a seat, Luciano. We have much to discuss,” Mikhail says, with that impenetrable stare of his.

I sit down beside Frankie and kiss her cheek.

“Hi.”

“Hi back,” she replies, trying to sound like everything is fine, but I can tell something’s got her rattled.

“You okay?”

“Kira is fine,” Aleksandr interjects, standing behind his boss like some overzealous bodyguard.

“Her name is Frankie,” I snap.

He looks ready to argue, but Mikhail raises a hand to silence him.

Damn.

If I raised my hand to silence any one of my siblings, I wouldn’t have any fingers by now.

“Let’s not squabble over names,” Mikhail says evenly. “We have more pressing matters to discuss.”

“And what pressing matters are those?” I arch a brow.

“Your stay here.”

Well…fuck.

Guess this guy has never heard of lube when he’s about to fuck someone in the ass.

“As I was telling my niece, I appreciate all that you have done and how zealously you have looked after her. But as you can see, she’s quite safe here. Your protection is no longer necessary.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. I’ll always protect Frankie.”

Misha sighs and leans back in his chair.

“Again, I appreciate your dedication to Ki—Frankie. It’s clear your feelings for her run deep. That said,” he fixes me with a steely gaze, “you must understand the position your presence puts me in. My enemies and even my own men question how I can welcome one brother into my home while I’m waging war against another.”

Jude.

Fuck.

He means Jude.

The war between the Bratva and the Firm in London has been raging for years now. Years filled with blood, betrayals, and bodies. That kind of history isn’t easily buried, and it took Mikhail bringing the issue up to remind me.

“I’ve tolerated your presence—and your sister’s—not only for Frankie’s sake but out of respect for your father. My quarrel was never with Vincent. Even when he drove the Bratva out of Chicago decades ago, I didn’t hold it against him. The formerPakhanearned that defeat. But I’m thePakhannow. Which means I intend to do business…everywhere.”

Ah, syndicate politics.

The kind of crap I never cared about or was ever remotely interested in.

Still…

“If memory serves, Kirill is operating in Chicago just fine. To my knowledge, my father hasn’t tried to banish him from doing business on our turf.”

“Because your father is a smart businessman. He’s seen what I’ve done to the Cranes and doesn’t want to get caught in a similar war. Your brother, on the other hand—”

“My brother doesn’t work for the Firm. He’s more like… the Outfit’s ambassador,” I say, grateful I remember that much.

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