Novak exhaled impatiently and shot a baleful look at the two men seated to his left. Antonio Wayne returned the glare, his lip curling into a sneer at the sight of the coin moving between Novak’s fingers. With a smirk, Novak shifted his weight to rest his left elbow on the arm of the chair. With the coin at eye level now, he made sure Ramirez got a good fucking look. All the better to get under that motherfucker’s skin.
The Ramirez brothers were cooling their heels in Glazov’s office as they waited for the meeting to begin. Even as Novak basked in Antonio Wayne’s unease, he understood the gravity of the situation. The peace treaty was all-important and, despite recent events, the men remained committed to its success. Still, Novak didn’t bother playing host or making conversation. Just wasn’t his style.
Steady, decisive footsteps echoed in the hall, announcing the arrival of the man himself. “I’m not going to fuck around with pleasantries,” Glazov said flatly as he rounded his desk and lowered himself into his throne-like desk chair. “I’m disappointed. Very disappointed. I expected better.”
The words stung. Ricardo and Antonio Wayne prided themselves on professionalism. Discretion. Surprises were unacceptable, especially when delivered by gangbangers that were still wet behind the ears. Luckily, Kodiak and Logan hadn’t gotten caught up in the shooting at the stash house. They were alive and well. Sergio had moved them to a different hotel to wait for instructions.
The Ramirez brothers were prepared to use lethal force to get things back on track. But first, there were things to be said.
“I, too, am disappointed,” Ricardo said, his voice grim. “We are already in the process of righting this wrong. All interested parties in Colombia will know not to touch your son and his wife, and that they are not to be interfered with on their journey home.”
“Good,” Glazov said. “I understand there was a child in the house during the drive-by.”
“Yes, a little girl. An unfortunate situation but, sadly, not uncommon in Colombia.”
“She survived?”
“Yes,” Ricardo said slowly, his eyes narrowing.
“I see,” Glazov murmured as he glanced at Novak. Novak’s eyes gleamed at the direction his cousin’s thoughts appeared to be taking. Glazov crossed his arms over his chest. “Kodiak and Logan want her.”
“Adoption. Really. How fortuitous,” Ricardo said with a slight nod. “I’m not in the habit of revealing the internal workings of the cartel, but in light of recent events I will make an exception. I have decided to withdraw the hit on Lucca.”
“I would concur. Kodiak tells me that Lucca saved the child that night. In light of their desire to adopt her, he and Logan are hopeful that the man’s life will be spared, in the long-term best interests of the child. It would be a shame to rob one so young of the only stable influence in her life. Even if he is a treasonous, meth-cooking reprobate.”
Ricardo stared silently into those cold, blue eyes for a long moment. “Agreed. Of course, he will be disciplined for his role in setting recent events in motion.”
Glazov glanced at Antonio Wayne, whose eyes glinted with sadistic glee as he nodded almost imperceptibly in return.
“Killing him could very well traumatize the child,” Ricardo went on. “My brother and I suffered a hard childhood, so I never miss an opportunity to help put a child on a better path. But I will be keeping him on a short leash.”
“Lucca’s care and his actions that night on her behalf have made all the difference to the little girl,” Antonio Wayne interjected. “As I understand it, he’s the only thing that’s been standing between her and unspeakable perversion. Without him watching over her all this time, hers would have been a life of degradation.”
Ricardo nodded thoughtfully. “We will ensure that Lucca turns the child over to Kodiak and Logan, and that the hit on Lucca is called off. It seems only right. Why should we let some street thugs interfere in our affairs?”
“You have my gratitude,” Glazov said with a nod. “Do you know the child’s name?”
“Yes,” Ricardo said and couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. “She is called Romina.”
Glazov smiled, his eyes alight with pleasure. “Romina. Perfect.” Little Romina had no idea what she had already managed to accomplish in her young life. His son had become a father in the most unexpected of ways, and Lucca had been saved from a grisly death.
“You have my deepest apologies for the trouble, my friend,” Ricardo said. “Here is our plan. Lucca’s life will be spared, but it will come with a heavy price. He will carry out a hit on the stash house residents who worked with him on the cocaine deal. He will then take out the gangbangers responsible for the drive-by. I believe this reinforces the peace treaty with the Sinaloans and will solidify our business relationship with Escondido as well.
“Now, after giving Aurora that shipment of cocaine, a goodwill gesture of some kind will be in order. Escondido has a lot to bring to the table. The vehicles he customizes are flawless and he has excellent sources for cell phone shipments and designer clothing. There is a tremendous amount of money to be made in those wares and it’s not nearly as risky as running drugs and guns. I think we would all agree our women have a love for designer bags; might as well make the most of it, eh?” Then, with a slow smile, “…and reap the rewards of our generosity, of course. What is it the Americans say? Happy wife, happy life. Something like that.”
Their masculine laughter cut through any remaining traces of tension in the room. Ricardo straightened in his seat, all business once more. “I’ll set up the meeting for the child to be turned over to Kodiak and Logan, with all the necessary documentation, of course. Just give me a day or two, shouldn’t take long. Lucca will be there to make introductions and ease the child’s transition. You won’t have to be bothered with the adoption process as it will be done in Colombia with my connections. Lucca will wrap up the loose ends I’ve described as partial recompense for his poor judgment, and Antonio Wayne will see to the rest.”
From his vantage point behind his desk, Glazov had a clear view of the fingers of Antonio Wayne’s dominant hand flexing restlessly against the arm of his chair. He recognized the hungry, malevolent glint in the man’s dark eyes; he had seen it often enough in Novak’s eyes over the years. Poor Lucca.
“Kodiak and his growing family will be home safe in time for Christmas,” Ricardo added. “Are we all in agreement?”
With nods of assent all around, Ricardo and Antonio Wayne stood and shook hands with their hosts. It had been a long time since Novak had shaken Antonio Wayne’s hand, but he did so courteously enough, satisfied that Kodiak and Logan would be coming home safely. His relief on that count easily outweighed any alpha male bullshit that simmered between the two men.
When the Ramirez brothers had been shown out to their waiting vehicle, Glazov and Novak settled in to talk.
“This is better, much better,” Novak said. “Let them do the grunt work.”
“Agreed,” Glazov replied as he steepled his fingers beneath his chin. “Say nothing about the child, for now. I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, not until we’re certain all is well.”
“You’ve played your cards particularly close to your chest on this one,” Novak said, shaking his head. “I feel sorry for that guy if he encounters the end of Antonio Wayne’s whip. The asshole has quite the reputation.”
Glazov nodded. “Well, nobody who has felt the sting of that whip and lived to tell about it, has ever disobeyed cartel orders again. Antonio Wayne must be doing something right. I can respect that.”
Logan paced in the hotel room, checking her watch for probably the twelfth time since Kodiak had gone out. Things were coming together quickly. In probably the world’s fastest adoption, all the arrangements had been made and paperwork pushed through in only two days. Two. Days. Logan shuddered to think of the kind of blackmail that would be necessary to make that happen.
Kodiak was out buying supplies they’d need for the trip home with a toddler. He had strict instructions to buy only what would fit in a single diaper bag. They’d buy everything else when they got home.
Four knocks, then two. Kodiak was back. The door handle rattled, then he was pushing the door open and backing into the room with his arms full of shopping bags.
“Honey, I’m home,” he rasped as he approached the bed. He kept his back to her as he hoisted his baby loot onto the bed and started hurriedly removing tags and packaging.
Something was off.
“Baby? What’s going on?” Logan asked as she walked up to him. He exhaled impatiently and turned to her, revealing a black eye and split lip.
“Kodiak!” she shrieked. “What happened to you?”
“I told you, I had some business to take care of.”
“Right. You had shopping to do for the baby. What the hell happened? What, did you start brawling over the only diaper bag left in the store?!”
Kodiak cringed. Great, now she was getting pissed. “It’s nothing. Just had to tie up a loose end.”
“Oh, you’re going to have to do better than that,” Logan said as shifted her hip out to the side and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m going to get you some ice and you are going to tell me why you will be meeting our little girl for the first time looking like Rocky Balboa!”
She walked over to the refrigerator in the small galley kitchen. As she opened the freezer compartment, she looked over her shoulder at him. “Okay, talk.”
“Fine. Sergio was a little too eager to help me carry the bags up to the room. I got the distinct impression he wanted to say goodbye to you. I just made sure he understood that it wasn’t necessary. I’ve had enough of that fucker and the way he looks at you.”
“I take it he didn’t like what you had to say.”
“I didn’t say a fucking word. And he just landed a lucky punch, that’s all.”
“Really.” She gestured for him to lie down on the bed. She improvised an ice pack with a dish towel, dampening it first to help the cold transfer faster. Kodiak winced when she gently lay the towel over his eye, then gasped at how much it hurt just to wince.
“Yes, really.”
“Hmmph.” She dabbed at his lip with another damp towel, then used the towel to clean his bloody knuckles. “If he looks anything like you do, then it looks like you made your point.”
“Oh, yeah, he won’t be able to move for a while without thinking of me. Which is a damn sight better than him thinking about you,” Kodiak said with a cocky grin, then promptly grimaced again. “Ow!”