Page 19 of Den of Thieves

“Who’s joking about that fine piece of—” Dean’s words cut off as Vladimir’s hand tightened around his throat.

“See, this is why your ass is single. You’re always fucking around.” David rolled his eyes.

“Mother will be upset if his colossal head didn’t return for the holidays,” Daniil sighed.

“Stop mentioning Karina sexually, or we will have bigger issues than Christmas dinner.” Vladimir let go, shoving Dean against the elevator wall.

“Testy, cousin. She’s only gone a few days,” Dean rasped, but he never lost his smile.

“And yet it already feels like an eternity.”

Vladimir left his cousins to follow as the doors dinged open. They all climbed into the car. Luckily, the three of them left him to his thoughts.

Vladimir welcomed the rare quiet. His wife was always leaving him, it seemed. He knew he looked crazy, but it physically pained him to be away from her smile, her touch, for too long.

The trip was a necessary evil, one he hoped would allow Karina to mend the relationship with her mother. As powerful as he was, he couldn’t stop time; or drunk drivers from switching lanes and colliding with Anita Moore head-on. He hoped the damage done was reparable.

The limo slowed to a stop, pulling him from his brooding. “Ooh, I wonder what that beautiful chef whipped up today.” Dean rubbed his hands together.

“Do you ever stop objectifying women?” Daniil rolled his eyes.

“You date one feminist and suddenly everything I say is insulting.”

Vladimir ignored their bickering and climbed the staircase to the front door. Anastasia was the first one to greet them.

“Papa!” she screamed, throwing herself into his arms.

She changed out of her school uniform and into a fluffy ‘princess’ dress. At six and a half, Anya could still fit snugly into his arms. Vladimir hugged her tight, not knowing when she would be too big for that to happen.

“Hello puffin, where are your brothers?”

She shrugged and her eyes went big at the sight of the three tall men by the front door handing their coats to the butler, Eric.

“Say hello to your cousins, Anya.”

“Privet. Do you like my dress?” She did a spin for her audience.

“Beautiful!”

“The bell of the ball.”

“Just like a princess.”

They all applauded after she finished twirling.

Anya’s eyebrows scrunched in genuine confusion. “Where are my presents?”

“Anastasia,” Vladimir said in warning.

“It’s alright, cousin.” Dean pulled out his wallet and handed her a few twenties. Anya frowned and Dean relented, adding three more hundreds to the pile.

She turned her attention to David and Daniil, who rushed to give her small stacks of hundreds as well. Anastasia flashed them a dimpled smile before skipping away. Vladimir shook his head in disdain.

“Swindled by a six-year-old. You are the most powerful pakhans in Eastern Europe.”

“What? You saw her face. How can I resist those big doe eyes?” Dean argued.

“And that little lip tremble,” Daniil added.

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