Page 46 of Konstantin
Aleksei’s and Kirill’s anger simmers in their irises. They hate to be reminded that I’m in charge of every aspect of our enterprise. I call the shots, and everyone else obeys. Anton simply stares, his dark eyes giving nothing away. But I know what he’s thinking.
Are you investigating her? Is she a threat?
The rest of the world may not be able to read him, but we can.
Rising up, I head for the bar on the far side of the room, pouring myself a drink before returning to my seat.
“She’s someone who caught my attention.” I meet their gazes one by one as I take a long sip of my vodka. “And when something catches my attention, I keep it close until I decide what to do with it.”
Aleksei raises a brow. “That’s a dangerous game, brother.”
I smile—an easy, lethal curve of my mouth.
“When have you ever known me to play it safe?” I take another drag of my drink. “And speaking of danger, are you still following that prosecutor? What’s her name again?”
“Fiona.” Kirill chuckles darkly under his breath, leaning back against the chair.
“Ah, yes, the lovely Fiona. How is she?” Of course I know her name. We all do. “Is she still trying to put you in prison, or has she moved on to murder?”
Aleksei’s anger radiates from every pound of flesh.
“What do you plan to do with her?” I ask. “Continue to stalk her? That isn’t polite, brother. Maybe invite her to dinner. So she can properly meet the family.”
His laugh escapes like a threat, a smug look on his face. “I know her every move before she does. And when I finally play my cards, she’s not going to see it. Because that woman…” He cracks his neck with a faraway look as though he’s picturing her. “She will get what’s coming to her. I’ll make her pay for it with blood.”
“You sound like you have a crush.” Kirill laughs with a cold stare.
“She’s the last woman I would ever touch.” Alexsei’s jaw clenches like he’s ready to rip Kirill’s head off…and I just had this office cleaned.
“Kogo ty obmanyvayesh?” he scoffs.Who are you kidding?
“Enough of that. Love will wait. We have business to discuss.” My tone sharpens.
“I don’t love?—”
I cut him off with a single stare. He groans, but shuts up. Because they know exactly why I called them all here.
“Do we have a plan to take out the DeLuca crew yet?” My vision darts between them.
A beat of silence follows. We all want them gone. Erased, likethey were never here to begin with. They shouldn’t even be as big of a problem as they have been in the past few months. They’re only a small-time New Jersey operation, and we were getting along just fine until they pissed it all away.
Encroaching into territories they have no business touching. Unprovoked attacks on Marinov-aligned businesses that I know they’re connected to. Missing shipments. Whispers of alliances being formed with our other enemies.
Kirill’s mouth tightens. “We’re working on it.”
“Work faster. I want it done soon, and I want them to know it was us.” I roll the words slowly over my tongue.
Anton speaks for the first time, voice low and flat. “It will be done.”
The mere fact that the DeLuca crew is still breathing down our necks like they think they have a shot? Unacceptable. But this also has to be done right, and I know my brothers will get it done.
“They’re like weeds.” I adjust my cuffs. “Cut them once, they grow back uglier. You want to kill the root, not the leaves.”
Aleksei’s mouth tips up into a cold grin. “You want us to dig deeper?”
“Yes.” I lean back, threading my fingers loosely. “I want to know exactly who they’ve been talking to. Who’s bankrolling them. Who’s got delusions of grandeur.”
Because someone does. And if it ties back to anyone bigger, anyone stupid enough to think they can challenge us? Well…they’ll be dealt with the same way we deal with everything else.
