“This isn’t about Selena.”
I almost laughed. “You’re right. It’s not, but I do fear history repeating itself and that I will not allow that to happen. You know what I’ve already lost. Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
“I know exactly what you lost, Sash. I lived through your anger and grief. Just take it easy. That’s all I’m suggesting. So you are aware, he’s Irish.” I could tell by the gleam in his eye he wasn’t certain if that was real. “Or so his accent states.”
“Interesting.” Someone playing a role. But I wasn’t buying anything at this point.
“After we’re finished here, we’re going to have a nice chat with Liam O’Leary. He could be vital in putting boots on the ground.”
The former brother-in-law of Halle O’Leary, soon to be Halle Dmitriyev. While the Russians and Irish were notorious enemies going back generations, the small crime syndicate living and thriving in Las Vegas had been placed under our watchful eye and protection in exchange for information on the O’Shaughnessy family out of Los Angeles.
A larger Irish mafia clan who’d fought for territory with my father and uncle two decades before. They’d lost and had never given up their grudge against the entire family.
After another defeat several years before, they’d vowed revenge.
Again.
His smile was sly. Mikhail had certainly come into his own as Pakhan. “Agreed?”
“Agreed,” I answered. “Let me guess. You want to drop our guest’s ass off for the O’Learys to interrogate as well.” There was also bad blood between the two Irish organizations since Tristen had tried with moderate success to snuff out Liam’s father.
Oh, the games people played. Fun to watch, but dangerous.
“Why not? I can only imagine what Liam’s response will be.”
A creative idea and left our hands clean for the time being.
“We will finish this, but our way. Understood?Bratstvo stoit.”
The brotherhood stands. That was something his father as Pakhan used to say, also the motto of generations of Dmitriyev Bratva, but rarely used given our discovery of our extended family in Russia. The meaning was clear. Loyalty above all.
My cousin was giving a direct order. “Understood, Pakhan.”
“One more thing. You’re getting on a plane with Nina and you’re heading to the house in St. Lucia where you’ll stay for a couple weeks.”
“Because of the possible security breach at the house.”
He nodded. “That’s part of the reason.”
“I have too much work to do and Nina can’t take that much time away from school.”
“This is another time when I’m not asking or suggesting. I’m telling you. Word on the street is that you were supposed to die in the attack. That means someone has placed a hit on your life, Sasha. Think about that. I can’t allow that to happen.”
“Why me?”
His sigh meant he was as frustrated as I was. As we all were. “That I don’t know, but I can’t have you continuing with the same habits while I’m trying to find out.”
What the hell did we know? The puzzle had turned into a ruse.
“We’re much stronger when we fight together.”
“We can’t do that if you’re dead. Imagine what that will do to Nina.”
He wasn’t going to let this go. And I couldn’t ignore his command. Even I could be made an example of disrespect. “Fine, but I’m taking Lainey.”
Fuck me. When his eyes lit up like freaking firecrackers, I knew a part of this had been some family coordinated plan. “You beat me to it. I was going to insist that you did, albeit I was hoping that wouldn’t be necessary. Besides, didn’t you tell me Ms. Rose was formerly an elementary school teacher?”
He would use that against me in a manner of speaking. I cocked my head, half laughing. Maybe this was something Lainey also needed. Time away to rediscover the woman she thought she’d lost.
