Page 39 of The Mistake

“I believe it’s the cartel, but I also think this is somewhat bigger,” Vladsaid.

Now he did have me intrigued and this was rare for Vlad. “Go on.”

“The cartel are noisy. They don’t just sneak in and take over, right? That’s not who they are.”

Not in our experience, but people change and evolve.

“I believe the cartel are working with one of the mafia sects.”

“Intriguing.” I had already come to thatconclusion. Running a hand down my face, I glanced across the warehouse. I owned this main warehouse, and five miles away was one of my many cages, where I liked to keep people when they were being a problem. I found some time and careful treatment helped to loosen their tongues, like David had just done.

It was all coming together.

Benjamin and Hank coming together was a stretch. Both men wanted to take territory. They were more likely to kill one another than work together, so that instantly brought ina third player.

TheVolkov Bratva had a lot of enemies, and we’d been able to keep them at bay, for the most part, but shit like a fake death and the betrayal of a brigadier had put us in a few difficult positions. None of our enemies were strong enough to outright attack, but they could slowly attempt to build up power. Work on those that are weak who could turn against us.

I needed to speak with Ivan. But I also had a lunch date with my wife. Ivan had been setting us up at different places to go and eat. I knew what he was doing and it was pissing me off.

When we reachedthe car, Vlad got behind the wheel. I climbed in the back, pulled out my cell phone, and dialed Ivan. The call was never answered. Ivan was like this. In all honesty, it was rare for me to attempt to call him. I often waited for him to call me. He was a busy guy and didn’t usually stay in one place for any length of time.

Tapping my fingers on my knee, I thought about what I had learned so far. It wouldn’t be long before I got Hank and Benjamin. They were already on the run, andI’d made sure there was no possible exit for them without being detected by my men.

What I didn’t like was the possibility of who they were working for. The cartel were always a problem, but I had removed them from the docks when I first took over my city.

My cell phone went off and I answered it without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello,” I said,rubbing at my eyes.

“Why haven’t you returned my calls?”

Rage. I’d recognize that irritating voice instantly.

“I didn’t realize I had to answer your calls so fucking quickly.”

“If you valued your territory, you’d answer them. I’m trying to contact Ivan, where is he?”

I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself because I had no fucking idea how to contact him either, but I wasn’t going to let him know that. I didn’t like Rage. In fact, I didn’t like anyone from the Evil Savages MC. Making deals with them always ended in disaster, and seeing as I was now married to Charlotte, I had to wonder what shit was going to happen.

No, that wasn’t it.

I didn’t like the Evil Savages MC before, but seeing the scars on Charlotte’s back, and just knowing in my gut what her bastard father had been like, I didn’t like Rage, or any of them. I’d gladly kill every one of them, and it wouldn’t cause me to bat an eye. I hadn’t wanted them at my wedding either, but Ivan was all about making friends. Fuck that. I wanted to annihilate the MC, and one day I hoped to get that chance.

They weren’t my current problem, though. No, Hank and Benjamin’s mystery fucking companions were.

“You bore me with your threats.”

“These aren’t threats. I was approached by a Hank Belafonte, claiming to be a front man for the cartel, claiming it was only a matter of time before the Volkov Bratva was destroyed.”

Okay, shit, fuck, maybe I should have answeredhis call, but I wasn’t going to admit it.

“We need to talk,” I said.

“I’malready on my way into town. Also, I brought Cassie, she wanted to see her sister, and seeing as Charlotte hasn’t returned any of our calls, I can only assume you took away the cell phone I gave her.”

I didn’t respond to this. I needed to talk to Ivan, not make small talk.

“You know where to meet me,” I said.

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