“Exactly.”
“They’re using smokescreens.”
“Mikhail thinks they’re just buying time, testing our weaknesses and trying to push it so our guard is down. Thesecurity on our systems is tighter than ever, but the O’Learys are somewhat vulnerable.”
“What did Liam do with our mutual friend?”
“Trust me. He took matters into his own hands, but he suspects the man was working for O’Shaughnessy just by what he’s heard. He’s pulling every favor he has to try and discover if that’s the truth.”
I gritted my teeth, my jaw aching from how many times I’d done that in the last two days. I’d tried to leave the situation in their hands, but in truth, I felt like a goddamn sitting duck. “Every favor. Does he not understand what is at stake?”
“Trust me. He does,” my brother insisted.
“Forgive me if I find that hard to believe. There’s a hit out on me and possibly my entire family.”
“Of which I’m a part!” Vissarian rarely got angry. When he did, the man was explosive. “Just calm down. I know you care about Lainey and Nina. I get it. You’re safe there. We’re checking the dark web daily for any chatter. There is none. Okay?”
If he thought that would make me feel any better, he was dead wrong.
I didn’t like feeling like a caged animal no matter the surroundings or the company I was enjoying being with.
Yes, I’d been allowed in the five days we’d been together to enjoy something that had escaped me for years.
Relaxation. Or as Lainey had referred to it, being in the moment. Sadly, the more time went on, the antsier I became.
The feeling of doom was like a shot of adrenaline.
“What about good ole Uncle Yuri and his clan?”
“Pops learned through old connections Yuri is ill. Terminal cancer. He hasn’t been in control of the family business in over a year.”
“Are you trying to suggest one or all of his sons could behind another attack on our family, specifically on me for some unknown godforsaken reason?”
“We can’t speculate right now. There’s no real activity inside Moscow.”
“According to sources that can’t be trusted.”
Vissarian sighed. “We’re doing our own research.”
“Then maybe so should I.”
“Did you ever think that maybe Selena wants you to find some peace? Do you think possibly she’d be happy about the fact you finally found someone?”
I had no idea what he wanted me to say. I heard laughter coming from Nina’s room and suddenly, there was a sharp squeeze on my heart. I’d kept us in a lockdown since we’d been here. All my promises about taking them on adventures while we were here had been bullshit.
Yes, we’d enjoyed the beach and grilled out on the deck. We’d watched a couple of movies and played tropical music until I was at the point that if I heard another Jimmy Buffett song I might turn violent. That wasn’t the same. Both my girls felt pent up as if I’d caged them.
I had.
It suddenly dawned on me that I’d called them both my girls. While being with her was the closest thing I’d felt to happiness in a long time and I’d claimed Lainey both in actions and in words more times than I could count, I couldn’t keep her against her will.
At least not forever.
“Don’t try and tell me how to live my life, Viss. I’m not in the mood.”
“You never are, brother. I’m so sorry about your continued pain, but it is time to move on. You have a chance to regain your life back after having it ripped out from under you. From whatI can tell, Lainey is the best thing that’s happened to you in a very long time. Since the birth of Nina. Why don’t you just take a step back from the family business and worries about someone chasing you to enjoy life.”
As usual, I’d lashed out, which had been my typical response any time a single member of my family had tried to intervene. “Yeah, you might be right.”
