Page 56 of Destroyer

Knox rises up as the two men enter, he smiles and offers his hand to shake Balen's hand.

I rise but offer none of the formalities. I can see the family resemblance in the similar mop of curly hair, but my pretty boy gets his smile from someone else. This man is cold and harsh looking.

“Where is my boy?” Andrei questions, looking around as if Nico could be hiding in the corner. I expect he's looking for evidence of extra fish portions.

“Nico?” I question. He's not his boy. “He's been sofa surfing since Gavriil died. Here, Caeo's, Gregory's, and that bloody den of his.”

“I'll try his phone.” Andrei gives a shrug and pulls his phone out. Damn it. I forgot my boy had a phone. I'm not sure what he did with the bloody thing after his panic attack under my dining table. I give a shrug and sit back down to wait.

“It's engaged,” Balen groans.

Engaged? All the phone numbers he has are for the four of us in the room, plus his two half-brothers, one of whom is with him.

“I assume you didn't turn up unannounced for the kid.” Knox walks to the drink’s cabinet. “I should hope this meeting with the great Andrai Balen is about me.”

“Indeed.” Andrai takes the brandy Knox offers. “I have a business proposal for you and your father.”

“Well, please sit down, let's see if we can turn this into something we can celebrate.” Knox heads to the armchair opposite me, placing my brandy on the low table between us.

“This is my right-hand man, Caeo.”

I nod at my introduction and sip the brandy.

Chapter thirty-six

Nico

Ipacethefloorof the safe room while Porter listens at the door. I love the looks he gives as he tries without hope to fathom my words. My Russian discussion with our foreign neighbours is not for his ears. It's time to put my plan into action, and thankfully, the brothers are tired of their father playing nicely with the English. For his time on the mob throne, name will support me. They'd die before handing over their territory to the Romanians, and this is just the war they were hoping for.

“Well?” Porter questions the moment I hang up.

“They want to play.”

“What next?”

“We need someone not in this box to be the in between man.”

“Middleman?” Porter suggests a different word for mine.

“We will give our brother a chance to show his skin.”

“Show his skin?” Porter frowns, but I'm already dialling Gregory's number. From the first time he paid me more attention than Porter, I knew he wanted something from me. If he wanted family, Porter would be the better choice, given that Gregory wanted to be Knox's trusted second.

“Gregory, it is Nico.” Who else could it be with my accent? “I am thinking you are avoiding me after not you get my painting.”

“Dude. He was totally laundering money. I figured you grabbed evidence from upstairs and we were done.”

“Not did that happen.”

“Little bro, you totally sound like yo-”

“Stop. Not do I care about any of that. You not like my English, pick another language.”

“Sorry.” Gregory gives a huff.

“You know my grandfather is here?”

“Ah, yes. Has he told you about his idea?”

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