As Yafon watched Dmitriy climb the ladder in the foyer of the guesthouse, he pondered how to break it to his soon-to-be wife that she was being paranoid.
“And I’m not being paranoid,” she said flatly, one imperious eyebrow arched to the sky as she sipped her espresso.
She stepped over to the console table by the door and set the tiny cup and saucer down before reaching inside her purse. She pulled out an envelope, withdrew a single piece of paper and held it out to Yafon. He frowned as he took it from her and began to read. With each word, he felt his hackles rise and bile rise in his throat.
You fucking cunt! Did you think running to your brother in America would stop me? You killed a man for stealing from your brother when the almighty Pakhan has been fucking people over for years.
You never counted on Joseph having a partner, well, he does. Your days are numbered bitch. You won’t know when or how, you’ll just look up one day and be looking down the barrel of my gun.
Enjoy what little bit of life you have left. I’ll see you soon.
Rage radiated out from his chest to his limbs, until his fingers and toes tingled with unbridled aggression. He looked up from the letter, directing his sharp stare at the woman he loved. The son of a bitch who sent that letter had just sealed his fate: a bloodbath that would end in death.
“How did you know what I was thinking?”
“All the Glazovs, especially the women, have the sixth sense. But it doesn’t take intuition or clairvoyance to get the message being conveyed in that letter. That is a clear threat. And it’s an insider, a Russian, someone familiar with us. That’s why Dmitriy’s here beefing up the security system for the guesthouse.”
“You’re not staying here alone, Vladimira,” Yafon insisted. “I know I agreed to give you some time to settle in here and adjust to our new understanding, but that’s it. No more. As of this moment, I’m staying at the guesthouse with you.”
“I agree and you’re more than welcome to. Whoever this is sounds crazy. He has a vendetta against the whole family, starting with my brother.”
“What he has is a death wish,” Yafon growled through clenched teeth. “You think this guy is crazy enough to try and disrupt Alexander Glazov’s diamond business? Break in to his jewelry store? Disrupt shipments?” He gave her no time to answer as he continued, “Anybody stupid enough to cross the Pakhan deserves whatever they get. The fact that he’s threatening my woman just made things personal.”
“Joseph was stupid enough to steal from us.”
“And we all know how that worked out for him.” Yafon shook his head in grim frustration. “Do whatever you have to, Dmitriy. Update security anywhere you think it’s needed. We need to find out who Joseph’s friends were so we can cut this guy off before he has a chance to do anything.” He turned stormy eyes toward her. “It isn’t the diamonds or theft that I’m concerned about, printsessa. My only concern is you.”
She could read the earnestness in his eyes and she was touched. She stepped in close to him and pressed her hand to his chest, right over his pounding heart. “My darling. You want to protect me and I adore you for it. What woman wouldn’t want her very own big, strong Russian to look after her? But I am hardly a damsel in distress. I can promise you, this enemy has underestimated his opponent.”
Yafon knew that to be true. He also knew it wouldn’t be the first time a man had underestimated Vladimira because of her ethereal poise, grace, and beauty. She would deal with this fool the way she did all her enemies: she would toy with him and lure him into her web. Then she would strike.
“I’m updating everything. Even as we speak, I’m having the best security available installed.”
She looked up at Dmitriy on the ladder and smiled. In an attempt to escape Yafon’s death glare, she pulled Dmitriy into the conversation with a skillful subject change. “Dmitriy, when are you going to make an honest woman out of Anastasia?”
“That, Vladimira, is a good question -- and if you find out the answer, please tell me because I can’t figure it out. She won’t marry me; can you believe it?” he complained as he shook his head. It was obvious he loved the woman, and Vladimira found his guileless confidence quite charming.
“Ah, your woman may be bound by pain in the past. I’m certain being married to a dirty cop in her previous life wasn’t easy.”
“Trust issues,” he muttered.
“Perhaps she doesn’t think she deserves happiness.”
Dmitriy stepped off the ladder and took a rag from his back pocket to use to wipe his hands. “She says she doesn’t need a piece of paper to know that she loves me,” he said softly.
“Perhaps stronger persuasion is in order. Would you like me to talk to her for you?”
“Couldn’t hurt. I’d appreciate the help. I keep telling her that if I was in the hospital on life support, she wouldn’t have any legal rights. That sort of thing is important. She just says I’m too damn mean to die. Maybe you can talk some sense into her -- you know, woman to woman.”
Satisfied that if anybody could talk some sense into his woman it was Vladimira, Dmitriy went back to work. She wasn’t the only one convinced that extensive security needed to be installed, he was too—especially after listening to that threatening letter she’d received. There had to have been more to Joseph’s plans than just stealing the diamonds he had easy access to. Dmitriy was convinced that someone had been working closely with Joseph, and that sooner or later the accomplice would make his move. When he did, they would be ready for him.
Too many people were under the assumption that because the Glazovs were going somewhat legit, it was a good time to cause problems. They would be lucky if they lived long enough to regret such a belief. The Pakhan was not a man to be taken lightly. He would use the situation as a ‘teachable moment’ and make an example of the traitors.
It always hurt worse when betrayal came from within; therefore, the punishment would have to be more extreme. And threatening Glazov’s sister wasn’t a smart thing to do either. The dumbass would have been better off just stealing from the Pakhan and leaving it at that; attacking his family was a surefire way to get killed.
Glazov would take an attack on Vladimira personally. In the space of one afternoon, this guy had made two dangerous enemies: Alexander Glazov and one of his most lethal, most trusted bodyguards, Yafon. Whoever it was, he was already as good as dead.