The group talked quietly while Tatiana continued exploring Bazarnik’s room. She found him intriguing and looking around his room at his belongings was fascinating to her, so she didn’t feel left out of the conversation.
“Hey, B., you okay with that?”
Tatiana’s ears perked up at the quiet question directed to Bazarnik by the tall, blonde man who had been watching her closely as she moved about the room.
“What? Oh, her?” Bazarnik replied with a grin. “Yeah, man, it’s fine. We’re just getting acquainted. Now, back to my plan…”
“I don’t like it,” Oleg said, crossing his arms over his chest. “If you insist on doing this, Roksana and I are going with you. You’re talking about going straight into enemy territory. I don’t like it.”
Bazarnik could tell that arguing with Oleg would be futile so he changed the subject. “Where are Dmitriy and Anastasia?”
“She’s working in the surveillance room and Dmitriy’s at the jewelry store updating the security system. So, it will just be Roksana and me going with you.” He watched her pensively, saying, “It will give the girls a chance to get acquainted.”
“That’s true, she definitely needs to bond with your wife,” Bazarnik replied as he smirked in Roksana’s direction.
“Hey…” Roksana said defensively. “Are you insinuating I’m hard to get along with?”
“I’m just saying that she’d be better off as your friend and not on the business end of that Louisville Slugger you’re so fond of swinging around.”
“True, true,” Roksana laughed. She looked over at the painting over his bed and said softly, “You know, you really are talented.”
“That’s what she keeps telling me.” He beckoned Tatiana to his side with a soft, “Come here.”
“Wow, you two didn’t waste any time.”
“No, we didn’t,” Bazarnik said, pulling Tatiana in close beside him, his hand sliding around to squeeze her ass affectionately. “But we understand each other. Wasting time would be…a waste of time. I just don’t see the point. She has no family; she needs me, and I damn sure need her. I just didn’t know it.”
“Well, she’s got a family now,” Roksana said, directing her speculative gaze at Tatiana. “Whether she likes it or not.”
Convinced that Glazovs could smell fear, Tatiana chose that moment to speak up, her arm tightening around Bazarnik’s waist. “I appreciate that more than you know. I’ve found something special with Bazarnik. He gives me a sense of security and purpose that I haven’t had before. Trust me, nobody’s more surprised than I am—”
“Don’t count on it,” Roksana murmured archly, earning a stern look from her husband.
Tatiana recognized the moment for what it was: a litmus test of sorts. She straightened her shoulders and took a step forward, lifting her chin as she faced the Pakhan’s daughter. “I know how to keep my mouth shut. In fact, I blew a man’s brains out this week. So, you see, I have my own secrets that you could easily use to destroy me.
“My allegiance to Bratva is in my DNA – probably the only good thing in my DNA. It’s a huge part of the Russian heritage we share. That should count for something. I’m here to work. So, put me to work and let me prove myself.”
Roksana stared her down, eyes narrowed, as she considered the young woman’s words. Then she visibly relaxed, smiling warmly. “That’s what I want to hear. If you’re loyal and you keep your mouth shut, you’ll do fine. Betray us and I’ll take care of you personally.”
Roksana was an excellent judge of character. She decided then and there that Tatiana was going to fit right in. Any woman who attempted to kill a cartel member had her respect. Hell, her willingness to take Bazarnik on was no small feat either…
“So, what are we going to do?” Tatiana asked.
“My father wants to make sure Escondido takes over the Sinaloan cartel. I agree with him. Escondido has the savvy and the brains to know how to run things. Ever since Santiago kicked it, street kids have been running the show.”
“Running it into the ground, you mean,” Oleg drawled.
“That’s why Escondido is the logical choice. He’s a businessman so he’ll run the cartel like a business, not like some out-of-control street gang. We’ve got a peace treaty with the Colombians, and now we’re securing one with the Sinaloans. Believe me when I tell you, we don’t want a war. If we get caught up in that, the streets of Louisville will run red with blood.
“The rest of the country is still operating under the assumption that Louisville is all about Mom’s apple pie and the Kentucky Derby. This has been an ideal location for our cell, and the Pakhan wants to establish our future business interests here as well. We need Escondido if we want to keep it that way. It’s an investment in our future. We don’t want to attract unwanted attention from law enforcement or anyone else. It’s never worth it.”
“Then let’s go make sure that doesn’t happen,” Tatiana suggested eagerly. “What are you going to do if somebody besides Escondido tries to take over?”
Roksana didn’t miss a beat. “What are we going to do, you mean? Put a bullet in their brain.”
Tatiana was glad to be on Roksana’s good side. She finally felt safe, not just because of Bazarnik but because of her new Born Bratva family.