Lachlan…
Getting an emergency call about Arseni Petrov being an out-of-control prick is not surprising. Finding my wife on her knees in front of him is.
“Take your motherfucking hand out of my wife’s hair or I will cut it off.”
Petrov looks up at me. He’s bent over, cupping his crotch and his narrowed grey eyes are glassy, the fecking bastard’s hammered and likely high, because he’s usually quicker than this. It makes it easy to break his wrist.
The snap of bone is audible, but he laughs, stumbling as I pry his fingers loose from Aria’s hair and breaking his thumb as a wee bit something extra.
"Zhena? Ty pozvolyayesh' svoyey zhene brodit' po klubu, kak shlyukha?Wife? You let your wife wander your club like a whore?”
Aria’s on her feet, refusing to rub her head even though it must hurt like hell. I reach out my hand, pulling her slightly behind me.
“You are banned from every MacTavish club - globally - as of now.” It’s taking every ounce of my self-control not to tear his head loose from his thick neck.
Laughing, Petrov’s face turns red, his broken wrist hanging limply at his side.“Poshel na khuy,fuck you, little MacTavish. You do not tell me what to do. Your brother speaks for your clan.”
“And I speak for our business interests.” I’m calm, but my hand is inching for my shoulder holster. Aria makes a low noise, touching my back. She must have seen his tattoos and correctly deduced he’s Bratva. She doesn’t need to worry, I’m not gonna haul off and shoot this feck.
Probably.
“Ya’ violate the agreements ya’ made with the club, every time you’re here. You’re done. Get your men and get out.”
Petrov’s face is the color of cooked lobster by now and he’s still laughing, high-pitched, and as mad as a shite-house rat. “I leave when I want to, and I might bring your whore along for-”
The shockwave hammering through my arm as I drive my fist into his face feels good. I’ve wanted to break this bastard’s face from the first moment I met him. He lands on his back, still laughing as blood spurts from his nose.
He stops laughing after my sixth punch. His face is ground beef and there’s a cut so deep that it’s showing a bit of bone in his jaw.
There’s a distinctive click of a safety being released as Gregor points his gun at Petrov’s men. Two of them already have switchblades in hand. Weapons are expressly forbidden from the Inferno.
“Put those little knives down, lads,” Gregor drawls. “Your boss is leaving and you’re goin’ with him. I’d hate to have to put a bullet in yer’ kneecap for playin’ dirty.” Four of my monitors surround them as Kenna and another employee quickly escort all the other guests off the floor.
“Are ya’ all right?” I murmur to Aria.
“I’m fine,” she whispers, “don’t worry about me.”
Based on her tone, I suspect my wife doesn’t expect anyone to be concerned for her welfare. She’ll be learning that has changed.
Petrov seems to re-animate as he realizes he’s got no backup and he sits up, not seeming to notice the blood coursing down his shirt.
“I’ll kill you for this, little MacTavish.” He grins up at me, teeth bloody.
Hauling him up with my hand gripping his throat, I smile cordially. I’m still taller than him, even with his feet dangling off the ground. “You can try, ya’ pathetic feck. Get out.”
Letting go of his neck, I stifle a chuckle as he lands back on the marble on his arse and unfortunately for him, his broken wrist.
Gregor raises an eyebrow as he pushes Petrov’s men ahead of him toward the exit. “Ya’ want me to pick him up so he’ll stop bleedin’ all over the tile? Ya’ know Kenna’s gonna throw a fit.”
Two of Petrov’s people come to their senses and hurry over, hauling their gore-streakedPakhanoff the ground and to the lift.
Within moments, the room is silent, everyone having read my expression correctly and making themselves scarce. Aria is looking at me with a mix of concern and defiance.
And right then, I’m full-on raging.
“So you wanted to see the club, wife? All by yourself, strolling around with no security?”
She eyes me warily. “I suspect you had security on me from the minute I got my drink from Bartender Adam.”
