Page 12 of The Bratva's Secret Baby

Stay focused, Ro. It was one night.

Admitting that obsessing over a one-night stand wasn’t healthy, I finished my coffee.

Exactly one hour later, I sauntered into K’s office and closed the oak door behind me. K’s office was an ascetic space, dominated by a mahogany desk and two leather mesh chairs. Thick layers of dust covered a bookcase in one corner of the office, just beside the window.

On his desk was an acrylic nameplate that read his full name: Kendrick Smith. Kendrick Smith or K as I liked to call him, was one of the best detectives in New York, and my brother worked for him before joining The Circle.

I met him for the first time at Eric’s funeral. Despite the fact Eric left the Police Department to join a crime organization, Kendrick still seemed very hurt by my brother’s death. After a conversation with K—I didn’t tell him what Eric told me about them before his death—I realized he was just as determined to get justice for my brother and to bring down the organization responsible for his death, as I was.

I’d looked up to him ever since and decided to work as a paralegal on his team during law school.

K only accepted two paralegals per year, and trust me, I didn’t get picked by mere luck or simply because I was Eric’s sister. I’d piqued his interest after I told him about my intentions to explore and dissect this crime organization involved in every illegal trading you could think of.

They’d been operating for fifteen years, and no one who’d ever found out the truth about them lived to tell the tale. No one ever succeeded, but I knew I would.

Eric had warned me about them. The night before he died, he had sternly advised me not to trust anyone working with The Circle.

K thought that for me this project was to gain more experience, but it wasn’t just that. They were responsible for the most painful memory I’d ever experienced, and I would either bring them down or die trying.

“Good morning, K,” I greeted him as I took the seat across his desk.

“Good morning, Ms. West.” His gaze followed the brown folder I was holding. “How did it go the other day?”

“He didn’t tell me anything.” I frowned as I thought about how much time I wasted with that guy, trying to get details about the organization he worked for.

“But I have something else for you.”

I pushed the folder towards K.

“What’s this?” he asked as he took the folder and flipped through the papers in it.

“Companies that I believe are connected to The Circle.” It wasn’t much, but I was hoping I could investigate these enterprises further. If I did, it might lead me directly to them and the man sitting at the head of this organization. His identity had never been revealed, but I hoped that I would be the one to put an end to his years of anonymity.

“There is no proof these businesses are linked to The Circle, Ms. West,” K said, his eyes glued on the folder.

Propping my elbow on the desk, I leaned forward. “You’re wrong. These businesses have one thing in common; every month, on the same day, they receive millions of dollars from an anonymous account.”

K glanced at me, nodding for me to continue. “These companies are registered under different names, but I believe they’re just a cover for the members of The Circle. Who would suspect that they’re involved in illegal arms deals, money laundering, drug trafficking, extortion, illegal gambling, and smuggling contrabands if they disguise it with a supposedly legitimate business?”

“I see your point, Ms. West,” he inclined, scanning through the documents once again. “But we need more evidence. This won’t be enough.”

“I know, I’m trying to gather as much information as possible. I’ll let you know once I have more.” K leaned back in his chair, swiveling from side to side.

“You’re a very brilliant young lady, Ms. West. I’m amazed at how hard you’re working to uncover the truth.” He ran his finger over the buttons on his jacket. “I’m sure we’ll succeed.” A fleeting smile played on my lips.

“Thank you.” I rose from my chair. “I have some investigating to do so I better get going.” Then I gave him one last smile and left.

My phone vibrated in my pocket as I stepped into the narrow hallway outside K’s office. When I took it out, I frowned at the strange number flickering on my screen.

I answered it, but I didn’t speak first.

Whoever was at the other end of the line took the hint. “Hello, Roza.”

His sexy baritone voice, blended with his smooth American-Russian accent, dripped like ice into my veins. My blood curdled and my pulse skyrocketed.

“Damien.” I breathed. “How did you get my number?”

Chapter Five

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