Page 51 of Sins He Taught Me (Bratva Crime Syndicate 3)

“Okay.”

“What did you think was going to happen when I found out that you’d taken my computer from my office?”

“I thought you’d kill me.” Her stare falls to the table, unable to meet mine.

“Right now, Victoria, you have value to me. You look after Nikolas because I’m unable to. But that can change in the blink of an eye. Depending on how you behave, I might have to consider finding a replacement.”

There’s no ambiguity in my statement. Her eyes flash to mine and she understands exactly what I’m telling her. She’s important, but not enough for me to put up with anything. It won’t take much at all to get rid of her.

Without a word, she pushes herself up from the table and tries to walk past me. I grab for her wrist, stopping her in her place. Just as quickly, my grip loosens, careful not to squeeze too hard and leave a mark.

“Take this from me. Family is the most important thing in the world, but sometimes, you have to wonder if it’s worth it. All this trouble because of your father. You’re here because of him.”

I look up at her, waiting for a response.

“No,” she says, pulling her hand away from me. “I’m only here because of you.”

There’s a fire in her eyes that’s as irritating as it is admirable. How she so viciously defends her father despite him being the entire reason she’s in this situation. Again, that unfamiliar surge of emotion in my chest throws me off balance. I don’t know whether I want to comfort her …

Or break her spirit.

She stalks into the living room, but I don’t bother chasing after her. I have much more to worry about than her being indignant about her father’s role in all of this.

* * *

After thirty minutes, my men begin to file into the house and head to the meeting room, talking amongst themselves. I stay silent, sitting at the end of the table and waiting for everyone to settle down.

When the meeting finally begins, we take stock of all of our businesses. There is little update on the Albanian front. No further attacks from Brahim and his crew, no further leads. Nothing to do but wait for now.

The rest of the business is painfully dull, and I’d much rather not deal with this tonight, given that I can’t shake Victoria from my mind. I made a show of proving that she isn’t a distraction, yet here she is again, keeping me from putting all my attention into business.

Across the table, Timofei watches me carefully. “Matvei, has the girl revealed any more information about the vigilante? She’s been staying with you for quite some time now.”

“She has,” I agree. “But as of yet, there’s been nothing new.”

Timofei nods, then glances at the others in the room. “Get out,” he orders. “The boss and I need to talk in private.” This is news to me, but when the others look to me to make sure it’s what I want, I nod. I watch silently as they file out of the room.

When we’re alone, Timofei clears his throat. “Can I be frank, sir?”

My guard goes up immediately, but I nod nonetheless. “You may.”

“You may not want to hear this, sir, but some of the men feel as though you’ve been distracted by Victoria. And I don’t blame you. You don’t keep women around, and now suddenly she’s here every night? Any man would be tempted by a woman that looks like that.”

Irritation throbs in my head, and I take a slow breath. “You feel like I’m distracted?” My tone is careful, menacing.

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you the only one?”

“No,” he says bluntly. “A few other of the men are talking about it as well.”

My conversation with Victoria flashes in my mind. She’s valuable until she isn’t, and she would do well to always stay valuable to me. But my situation is not so different from hers. Just like her, I’m only the one in charge so long as I have something to offer.

I imagine, briefly, asserting my dominance over my men right now. Acting in violence, just as I did with Victoria and her father. That’s how these men have always stayed in line, and it would feel just as satisfying to wipe every bit of doubt from their minds and leave them shaking in fear.

But maybe he’s right. Maybe I have been getting distracted, even worse than before.

Victoria has that effect on me, always pulling me in with the way she smells and the curves of her body …

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