Page 44 of Wrong Number. Right Don.
“Maybe,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “Or maybe they’re watching to see whether we’ve figured out it was them.”
“But it was them.”
“Most likely.”
“They knew where we’d be. They hit that drop clean, with no hesitation. They took out our men like they had the fucking blueprints for our whole operation.”
“And you want to what? March into their compound, guns blazing? Invite war to our front door?”
His mouth tightens. “Wouldn’t be the worst idea. At least then we’d control the narrative.”
I scoff, lean forward, and plant my elbows on the desk.
“You think that’s control? You think storming into Semion’s territory and spilling blood makes you powerful? All that does is light a match in a room soaked in gasoline.”
His expression darkens. “So, what,Pakhan? We do nothing?” he asks, obstinate.
“I didn’t say that,” I answer patiently.
“Then what the hell are we doing, Sergei?”
Sasha’s a hothead to the core; he either needs to smash something or walk it off. He’s bound to do something dangerous with all this pent-up energy.
I meet his gaze, steady and unflinching. “We wait.”
He swears under his breath and stands, pacing like a caged animal. “I hate waiting.”
“I know you do. That’s why I’m handling it.”
“You’re too calm about this.”
“No,” I argue. “I’m being smart about this.”
I rise and round the desk.
“They want a reaction,” I continue. “They’re waiting to see if we lash out. If we do, they’ll bury us in excuses—and in bodies.”
He clenches his jaw, then drops his gaze and exhales sharply. “They killed Valentin, Serg.”
“I know.”
“We can’t just let them get away with it,” he presses.
I slap my palm on the desk. “I said I know.”
The silence stretches, thick and bitter.
I clap a hand on his shoulder. “I loved him, too,” I say more gently. “But if we act on emotion, we could lose everything.”
Sasha nods once, but I see the war still raging behind his eyes. He gets up and turns to go, but pauses in the doorway. “Are you sure that waiting is the right call?”
“No,” I admit. “But it’s the smartest one for now.”
“You seem weirdly relaxed,” he says after a moment.
I move behind my desk again. “Is that a problem?”
“No.” He shrugs. “I’m just surprised. There’s a lot going on right now, and you’re acting like you’re on a fucking tropical island. Things must be going well with Nicole.”
