Sasha waves that away. “Tell me why you’re here.” His eyes are cold, and his expression’s as hard as the marble tile.
“Things in New York have turned deadly. There’s a Russian named Egorov—”
“We heard about the shoot-out. And Egorov’s wife.”
My brows rise, and my eyes dart between the brothers.
“I didn’t know you knew them,” Alexei says.
“I don’t. But I told you, when my partner looks into things, he finds out everything there is to find out. You took off, and we were curious.”
“You know about my fight at Bloodsport’s Russians Only Night?”
“Yeah.”
“You know that the other man who had a fighter in the ring wants Natalia so much he’s willing to pay any price, and even to kill, to get his hands on her?”
“That’s Egorov?”
Alexei nods.
“I know it now.”
“I want her to stay here for a couple of days. I left something in New York that I need to go back for.”
“Your pride?”
Alexei’s brows rise.
“Egorov’s tried to kill you what? Three times? To your zero?”
Alexei’s dark expression worries me. I don’t want him goaded into trying to kill Egorov on impulse. Egorov clearly has an army at his disposal right now.
Sasha continues speaking, his voice low and calm, and sounding so much like Alexei’s that it’s unnerving. “There’s only one way to deal with a man who’s obsessed. Reason doesn’t work. You either give him what he wants, or you make it so he can’t come after it ever again.”
“You offered to let Natalia stay with you.”
“That was before.”
“Before what?” Alexei says grimly, reverting to English.
“Before your ‘fuck you’ of an exit,” Sasha says in English. Then he glances at me. “Natalia can stay in the hotel. I’ll put a bodyguard on her until you get back. She’ll be safe in Coynston while you’re gone.”
I can tell by Alexei’s expression, he’s not satisfied. He doesn’t want me at the hotel alone, but I’d rather be there than with his ice monster of a brother. Reaching over, I squeeze Alexei’s forearm. “This is good solution.” I thank Sasha in Russian and tell him we appreciate his help.
Sasha’s cool eyes study me. “Is that all the help you need? If not, ask for more.”
“Will you send bodyguards with Alexei to New York?”
“No,” Alexei and Sasha say at the same time.
“I have money now,” I say quickly in English. “So not as favor. I will pay. To know Alexei is safe too, this is help I need.”
Sasha looks at me, then at his brother and frowns. “How about it? You want me to take her money and—”
“No.” Alexei frowns and looks at me. “That’s enough,kiska. No more.”
I press my lips together, trying to suppress my frustration. If I can have C Crue bodyguards, why can’t Sasha’s own brother have them?
