Chapter 1 - Sergey
I’ve already lost count of how many drinks I’ve had tonight, and it’s not even midnight. Frankly, I don’t care.
Bass carries through the club low enough for the vibrations to move through my feet. I swirl the whiskey in my glass lazily while I watch everyone outside of the mezzanine lounge.
They’re doing the usual—dancing, grinding, drinking our overpriced drinks, and enjoying every second of it.
They use these nights as their escape from everyday life, and if I were to guess, I’d say it’s a rare thing for them. They dance like they have nothing to lose in this moment, like they’ll never get the chance to again.
But for me, this is all too common.
It doesn’t matter that it’s a Thursday night. I function on my own time, and if I feel like drinking before the week is up, then I sure as hell will. It’s not like I have a wife or kids waiting for me at home. I don’t have anyone waiting for me, and that freedom always feels good.
Sipping from my glass, I study the clientele, checking out who has blown in this time. There are some pretty things in the crowd, but none that catch my attention right away. They all look standard to me...run-of-the-mill. Nothing too exciting.
Of course, if all else fails, there are dancers here who never say no to a night with a Lukov. It’s a tempting thought.
“Sergey.”
Roman’s voice reaches me through the low rumble of music and laughter, slicing at my attention from behind myarmchair. I close my eyes, trying to push down my immediate irritation at being interrupted.
Even while in one of his clubs with everyone here ready to bend over backward to please him, he sounds like he’s preparing to give orders in a war room instead.
I don’t turn right away to make him wait, sighing out a breath.
Part of me wants to tell him not to disturb my night. To leave me be and talk to me after I’ve sobered up tomorrow. But knowing it’s the booze talking, I push that idea to the side and spin my chair around to face him.
Roman has spent most of my life seeing me like some kind of family mascot. Like I’m good for a laugh or a distraction, and maybe a bit of muscle when things get tough, but never the guy who gets sent out to make real moves.
He and Mikhail handle the tough business. Hell, even Nikolai and Ivan get to crack their fair share of skulls.
When I glance up, I find Roman watching me from across the VIP section. His jaw is tight, and he doesn’t look like a man here to enjoy his night.
“What?” I ask, voice carrying enough resignation to make his teeth clench.
“Get over here.”
Sighing again, I grumble under my breath before throwing back the rest of my whiskey and pushing up from the leather seat.
To my left, just outside of the lounge, I catch a few girls glancing at me, and I have half the mind to forget all about my brother and head straight to them. But I don’t do more than let a smirk tug at my lips.
They’ll still be here later, but Roman likely won’t.
As I reach him, Mikhail moves from behind with his phone in hand, then Ivan and Nikolai follow, eyes flicking over the crowd before looking at me. They surround me, but none of them get comfortable.
“Looks like a party now, huh?” I say with a lazy grin.
“We’re not planning on staying long,” Roman says, tone even while he focuses on me. “Since you weren’t answering your phone, we decided to come to you.”
“How chivalrous of you,” I murmur back, gesturing vaguely to him. “Let me guess, you’re here to scold me. Or, this is some kind of intervention.”
He doesn’t even crack a smile. “This isn’t a joke, Sergey.”
I clap a hand against his shoulder, feeling sluggish through the simple movement. “It never is with you, brother.”
His hard expression betrays just how unimpressed he is with me, and he takes a moment before ignoring my comment and continuing. “While you’ve been here fucking around, the rest of us have been handling things. There have been three major hits—along with even more minor ones—on our fronts in the last few months. Warehouses, shipments, and even one of the casinos.”
“So I heard,” I mumble with a shrug. “Everyone has heard. Maybe someone new is trying to break out onto the scene.”
