“You’re not bothering me and you can call me Sasha. I’m not an ogre. Although if you ask my daughter, she might disagree with me.”
At least my admittance seemed to break the ice and he walked inside. Still fidgeting. “I adore your daughter. Such a nice kid.” He opened his eyes wide as if he’d disrespected her.
I threw out my arm. “Please, relax around me. I think I know why you’re here.”
“You do?”
Nodding, I moved to the desk, sitting on the edge. “You were ordered back to Los Angeles, your work with Lainey completed.”
“How did you know?”
I pointed to my forehead just to tease him. “I know everything.” When he didn’t buy the act, I laughed. “She told meshe was released from her contract. Apart from desiring to break a few heads, you don’t need to worry. Unless you would prefer heading back to your old life.”
“Old life. My life was centered around Lainey. She’s been like family to me. In case you haven’t figured it out, she’s a great lady.”
Grinning, I tried to keep my thoughts clean even though my hunger to hold her naked body against mine had only increased throughout the day. “I think I know exactly what you’re talking about.”
“She’s so sweet, like an angel and those men were using her. They were fucking using her. That piece of shit Damien acted like she belonged to him. Do you have any idea how much she boosted his career? He’s a has-been and doesn’t deserve to be considered a hot anything. I should have beaten him to a pulp a couple years ago.”
My grin widened. “You’re hired.”
He started to rant about something else involving Damien then figured out what I’d said. “I’m sorry?”
“It’s your choice, Bernie. You can go back to Los Angeles and maybe they’ll pair you with another celebrity you enjoy working with or you can stay right here. With us. Then you’ll return to Las Vegas where you’ll have a job and a new home.”
He was genuinely shocked. “You’re serious.”
“I’m serious. I’ll have my attorney prepare what I think will be an employment contract you can appreciate. Don’t worry. I’ll pay the tab for your time spent with us. Any family of Lainey’s is my family.”
The smile on his face was one of shock and appreciation. “You’re a good man, Mr. Dmitriyev. I mean Sasha. She adores you and I can see why. Thank you very much.”
“You’re very welcome.” I watched him walk out and laughed. At least I’d done something good for the day.
Still smiling, I yanked out my phone and dialed my brother. I was certain my Pakhan was tired of hearing from me.
“You need to learn to relax, brother,” Vissarian clipped.
“And hello to you too. It’s been several days, Vissarian. You know I’m not the most patient man.” I didn’t know a single Russian who was.
And they said men of Latin blood were hot. Not a chance.
I glared out the window at the ocean, so completely unnerved that I was shocked.
“You’re in paradise, brother, with a beautiful woman, I might add. What in the hell are you complaining about?”
“I don’t like feeling as if I’m waiting for something to happen. What exactly is going on? What have you found?” My mind drifted to the emblem on the party assassin’s body. It nagged at me. The limited research I’d done on the internet had proven futile. Yet I’d seen it before. I was positive of it.
“Nothing substantial. The man refused to talk. Except for one thing. He admitted a war is coming.”
Snorting, I resisted bursting into laughter. “No shit.”
“Yeah, well, evidently someone is trying to muscle in on the property we helped the O’Learys purchase.”
“How so?”
Vissarian grumbled. “By contacting the county commissioner’s office and spreading lies. Classic doxing scenario.”
“I don’t care which criminal organization is behind this, they had to know that we have influence with every city and county office and doxing and hacking will be discovered.”
