Pulling into my uncle’s driveway, I get out and make my way to the door. I see one of his bodyguards scanning the yard. He nods his head to me but doesn’t say a word. Sometimes I think all these fuckers do is jump when Viktor says the word. My uncle is a man of power and while I know that he does this shit to make a name for himself, he isn’t going to be fucking happy unless he has all the damn power.
Getting into this business may have been a mistake, but I wouldn’t change what I have for anything. I was born to a mother who was alone. My father died before I was even born and our childhood wasn’t always fucking roses. I didn’t know until Uncle Viktor told me what happened to my father. He died for the family business.
Aleksandar Levin was a powerful man. He ran the day-to-day operations for Uncle Viktor and ultimately that is the reason he is dead. He paid the price for Viktor’s shady business practices and I’ll never forgive my uncle for that. If it weren’t for Viktor, our father would still be alive today. We wouldn't have been raised by a single mother.
“Nikolai,” Viktor says from behind me when I start up the stairs towards his office. I stop where I am and turn to face him. “I thought I told you to be here twenty minutes ago.” His expression is stern and he gives me his business face. He knows how lethal I am and what I do to the people who cross me, so I’m sure he doesn’t want to go up against me. I have plenty of resentment built up towards him already.
“I had shit to take care of first,” I state. I don’t give a shit what time he told me to be here, I got here when I had the time.
“I swear you are just as fucking stubborn as your father,” he grates out. I ignore his comment and push past him towards the study with the liquor cabinet. After pouring myself two fingers of his most expensive scotch, I turn my attention back to him.
“What did you need to see me about?” I ask. I take a sip and let my eyes train on his.
“I want your brother out of the drug game. He’s trying to take over some of my turfs and I won’t stand for that.” I shake my head. Last I knew Stavros didn’t touch that shit. Is this really what he brought me here for? Does he really think I’ll fucking tell my brother how to run his damn club?
“I thought you wanted to talk about the lost shipments?” I deadpan. He knows I won’t go against my brother. We may not have talked a lot since he turned eighteen and walked away from Viktor’s offer, but we are still blood and I’ll live and die by it. He’s family, my blood.
“I know you’ll handle your men as you see fit and this is a pressing matter. I would rather you do it than any of the others. They may take things into their own hands to show their worth to me. You won’t try to kill Stavros. They might.” I snort at his words. He doesn’t fucking trust me as much as he can throw me. He’s trying to use me to get what he wants. I’m sure he knows that Stavros will gut any of his men without even thinking twice if they threaten him or his club.
Ever since he’s healed from the beating and torture he endured, he’s been worse than ever. You can’t say shit to him unless you want your fucking head chewed off. “He isn’t going to give up shit. We both know that. Just cut your losses.” I walk over to one of the large black plush chairs and take a seat.
“I need you to deal with that brother of yours,” he grates out. I ignore his comment and take a drink from my glass. The liquor burns as it slides down the back of my throat. I’m not much of a drinker, I do it more to keep my nerves calmed. If I didn’t, I would be like Stavros, ready to kill anyone at any moment if I didn’t get my way.
“You’re dismissed,” he states, turning his attention back to his desk. Getting up, I set my half full glass on his desk and make my way out the door without so much as a glance back in his direction. I couldn’t give a shit what he says about Stavros. There is no fuckin’ way that I will tell Stavros what to do. It would more than likely be my own death warrant if I did. He does what he wants when he wants.
Walking towards my car, I scan the area before opening my door. The night sky hides the sinners, protecting them so they aren’t seen. Once day breaks, the saints are back to saving us, trying to right our wrongs. In my case, there isn’t a damn thing anyone can do to save me. I’m way past being saved.
Making my way to my house, I watch as the buildings fly by and I push away all thoughts of the conversation with my uncle. Pulling my phone out of my pocket and dial my brother’s number. I take the curves of the road sharp and wait for him to fuckin’ answer.
“Yeah?” he grunts out. I can hear the loud music playing in the background so I can assume he made it back to the clubhouse in one piece. He’s going to get himself killed one of these days if he’s not careful.
“I just got called into Uncle Viktor’s office.” I don’t give him the details yet because I like to make his ass sweat on this shit. He knows exactly the type of man Uncle Viktor is and knows what he’s capable of. Typically I’m the one handing out punishments for my uncle, but not this time. There is no way in hell I’ll ever go after my own brother unless he did something to piss me off even more than I already am that he left me as a kid.
“What the fuck does that bastard want?” he grates out. Any time I bring up Uncle Viktor, he gets pissy as fuck. I made the mistake of telling him about what happened to our old man. I hated being the only one who knew the truth besides our ma. She lived with the guilt and I’d guess that’s why she drinks and fucks every guy willing to take her on.
“He wants you out of the drug business.”
I hear his snort over the line.
“You serious?” he asks.
I take the left turn that leads me to my place. The one that I have Harlyn stashed at. She begged me to come back after my meeting because she didn’t want to be alone tonight. This shit is why I wish those two would just fuckin’ talk this shit out.
“Yeah. He said I need to deal with you before one of the others do. He thinks they will go in, gun’s hot. Most of his crew hates you for various reasons.”
I hear his chuckle come over the phone.
“I worked hard for that type of street cred.”
I shake my head and hit the button to the garage door. It opens and I see the box of shit for the babysitting in there still. Stavros bought a crib and everything for Harlyn, but she’s being stubborn as hell about it. I told her I paid for it, but she doesn’t believe me. She thinks that he gives me money to support her and she isn’t wrong about that shit. She says she doesn’t want shit that was paid for by him, but I’m not letting her waste perfectly good shit. In a few damn weeks, we are supposed to have a baby living in this house and the only way that is going to happen is if she lets me put this shit together so my nephew has somewhere to sleep at night.
“Yeah, well I’d rather not have to go against my crew either. You know if shit hits the fan, I’ll be on your side and Uncle Viktor knows it too. So he wants to make this shit peaceful and act like he’s doing you a favor.”
“Doesn’t he know that I’m not even in the drug trade?” he asks. I put my car in park and shut the garage door.
“I have no fuckin’ clue. That isn’t my fuckin’ business. But it might be someone passing along information to get the family to go to war against each other.” I get out and make my way inside without thinking about being quiet. She’s the one who wants me here so she can deal with my loud ass.
“He just wants to turn you against me. I don’t know why he just doesn’t leave me the fuck alone. I haven’t done shit to him or his business in all this time.” He sounds frustrated and I get it. I need to figure out who the fuck is feeding Uncle Viktor information about Stavros.
Just as I turn the corner around the kitchen, I see Harlyn lying on the couch. Her head peeks up and I nod at her. “Just don’t do anything fuckin’ stupid. I’ll find out as much as I can on my end and I’ll let you know where they are getting their information from.” I pause and take a seat on the couch next to her feet. “I mean it, asshole. Don’t do shit to encourage these assholes to shoot at you or your boys.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He laughs. “You forget that I can protect myself.”
“Yeah, you didn’t do too well when that asshole had you and Harlyn.” I hear a gasp come from her mouth, but it isn’t loud enough for Stavros to hear her.
“Fuck you,” he bites out. “I lasted a whole hell of a lot longer than any one of those pussies you have on your side.” I don’t doubt that, but I don’t tell him that. I’m still amazed at what he went through and that he’s still alive. He was tortured for hours and even was able to fight back a few times. It was what saved their damn lives. If he would have died, who knows what would have happened to Harlyn.
“Just be careful.” I don’t mention the kid because she made me promise not to tell him, but he already knew. He had been following us for months and figured it out all on his own. She just doesn’t know that he knows.
“I will. I have a kid to think about too.” He pauses and I hear the sound of a glass hitting what I assume is his desk. “I’m going to win her back. I just have to get her to talk to me again.” I wish that he would get her speaking to him way sooner than the rate he is going right now.
“She’s safe for now,” I murmur. My eyes meet hers and I see the tears start to well in them. I fuckin’ hate when she gets all teary eyed and shit. I can’t take it.
“Yeah. Thank you. You have no idea how much this shit means to me…” Before he can continue, I cut him off. I don’t want to listen to his ass get all sappy.
“We’re family. It’s what we do.” He gives me a short laugh and I know he wants to be the one next to her right now. I wish there was something I could do to get them in the same room without her hormonal ass going all crazy on me.
“I just got home, so I’ll talk to you soon.”
He grunts out a response that didn’t even sound like actual words, but I just ignore it and hang up on him.
Pocketing my phone, I turn my attention to Harlyn and I see her wringing her hands together. “What, babe?” I ask finally. She frowns and then looks down at her hands.
“Is everything okay with him?” She sounds worried about him and I wish her stubborn ass would just call him and ask him herself.
“He’s a fighter, he’ll be fine. But if you really want to know, you can pick up the damn phone and ask him yourself.” She shakes her head quickly and looks up at me.
“You know I can’t,” she whispers. Yeah, she’s said that a million times since she’s been here, but I don’t get why she keeps saying it.
“You can, you two are just too chicken shit to do something about it.” Her eyes start to tear up again and I feel instantly bad. Fuck. “I’m sorry Harlyn, I’m just tired of watching the two of you doing this shit to yourselves. You both deserve to be happy. If being apart doesn’t make you happy then why the fuck don’t you get back together and talk this shit out. You’re about to be the mother to his son. He at least deserves to fuckin’ know that shit.”
“I know,” she says sadly. “I just don’t know how a man as violent as him can be a good father too.” She doesn’t say any more, and I don’t force her to.
Part of me agrees with her. He’s been off the fuckin’ deep end lately and I don’t think it’s a good thing to bring a baby into that mix, but he is my brother and that is his son. He deserves to have a chance to meet his kid.