Page 57 of Alexei (Belles & Mobsters 4)

“Fuck blood. We watch each other’s backs,” Nico agreed. “No matter where and when, we look out for our own.”

“Agreed.” Luciano downed his drink. “And we’ll all become filthy rich, so we’ll have resources and funds to eliminate the ones that fuck with us.”

Luciano had the right mindset. It was money and resources, combined with our trusting of each other, that would make us powerful and invincible. And trust was hard to find when you grew up the way I did.

Though I must have some hope still left in my heart because I raised the glass.

“Let’s drink to that,” I said coarsely, while my heart clenched in my chest for the little girl with dark hair and soft eyes.

The door of Vasili’s office swung open, shutting down memory lane. Sasha strode in with his stupid grin.

“Are you daydreaming about our little agent that just stormed out of here?” God, his mouth would be the death of me. Or him. I hoped it was him.

“She isn’t our little agent,” I said icily. “She’s my agent.”

With that, I left him staring after me in Vasili’s office. Let our big brother deal with his dumbass.

ChapterSixteen

AURORA

Isearched for a sex club namedEve’s Apple. I couldn’t find any record of it.

Then I searched for any sex club in New Orleans. To my surprise, there were way too many. It was how I found myself in this wretched club, before their business hours. I pretended to be searching for a job, but the moment I met the owner, my instincts told me this was the wrong club. I had no basis for that conclusion, but I was certain he wasn’t the man that Alexei referred to.

“You can come any time.” The owner of a sex club called Venus and Marsoffered. Yeah, the name was also very original. It would seem all the sex clubs had corny names.

“So generous,” I mused, grabbing my purse and heading out the door. Mr. Starkov, the owner of Venus and Mars, followed me out of the club and into the humid New Orleans air. It was barely six in the evening and I came early on purpose, not wanting to be caught in the sex club when all the action started.

I stepped outside the door and offered him a polite smile.

“Thank you for the job offer.” Not that I would ever take it. He wanted me to be his cage dancer. He was out of his goddamn mind.

He grabbed my wrist as I turned to leave. “Can I take you to dinner?” I furrowed my brow at the sudden offer. I feigned interest for a job, not a date. He smiled, though somehow it creeped me out more than charmed me. He wasn’t a bad looking guy, but something about him just rubbed me the wrong way.

“Ah, thank you,” I faked being flattered. “The truth is that I have something else going on tonight.”

He still wouldn’t let go of my wrist. “Take me with you.”

Desperation never looked good on a man. On this one, it was particularly unattractive. The way he watched me had alarms blasting in the back of my mind. Suddenly, I was painfully aware of how vulnerable I was. Nobody knew where I was or that I’ve been going down the sex clubs, using the process of elimination to find the club Alexei mentioned.

My eyes studied him and every single fiber of me stilled. There was something unsettling about Mr. Starkov. I couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but I didn’t like him.

I tugged on my wrist, trying not to make a scene but he refused to let go. From the corner of my eye, I caught movement down the street.

“You have been toying with me,” Mr. Starkov hissed, suddenly looking very unattractive. “Now we’re gonna play.”

Stupid,I cursed myself. I was so goddamn stupid. The number one rule was never to go in the field alone. I attempted to jerk my arm away from him, but his grip was firm. I opened my mouth to tell him off when a familiar cold voice reached me.

“Let. Her. Go.” The ice lacing Alexei’s voice chilled the blood in my veins and my heart stalled. “Or I’ll rid you of your fingers and hands.”

I turned my head in his direction, no longer worried about the threat in the form of Mr. Starkov. If the restaurant incident was any indication, Alexei would break this man’s hand unless he let go of me. Or cut them off as he threatened to do.

Sure enough, Alexei wasn’t looking at me. His threatening gaze was entirely focused on the clingy Starkov. And just like that, Starkov let go of my wrist, and I rubbed it with my other hand.

“E-easy, buddy,” Starkov stammered.Buddy?Was Starkov an idiot? Alexei Nikolaev was anything but a buddy. “I was just finishing up an interview with your girlfriend.”

Alexei didn’t correct Starkov of his assumption. Neither did I.

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