I paused as I got into the back of the vehicle. “Of what?”
“Of everything happening there. You’ll be next to him, but he’s going to be running the show.”
“No.” I shut the door and we started to move.
The pause that followed was long, probably because Grisha was trying to remember the last time anyone had told him no. “Excuse me?”
“You can put Sergei in charge, but I won’t work for him. The moment you try to give him control over me is the day I walk.”
He chuckled low and nervously. “No, you won’t.”
I stared out at the dark streets that passed me by. Playing hardball with Grisha and calling a bluff was my very last move. I had no cards left and I wasn’t even sure I cared. I was so fucking tired of the bullshit. I couldn’t even remember why I had started all of this. “Say the word, and I’m out.”
“You just need to give him a chance.”
“He wants to escalate and start a war with the Volkovs.”
“As he should.”
“Violence costs money. More than you want to pay. If you think we’re financially bleeding now, wait until the violence and destruction get real. We’ll be hemorrhaging all our revenue. The only way past this is to play defensively and keep the fighting off the streets.”
“Sometimes you need a hammer.”
“Grisha,” I spoke coldly. “You can do what you want. If you want to put Sergei in charge and try and take the Volkov family down, that’s your prerogative, but I won’t work for him and I’m not a hired gun.”
“Get Sergei on the line right now.”
“He’s not here. I’m on my way to the hospital to handle Arkady’s medical insurance.”
“This is exactly why we have to strike back,” Grisha sputtered. “You can’t let the Volkov get away with this.”
“The Volkov outgun us and have more men than we do. If you and Sergei escalate this fight, I’m going to be signing death certificates instead of medical insurance forms.”
“God damn it!” Grisha blustered.
“If you insist he remains here, Sergei has to stay under my control.”
“You don’t tell me what to do.”
“I’m not.” My voice got colder. “I’m telling you my conditions, and you’re free to take them or leave them.”
We were approaching the hospital. I knew I was taking a reckless gamble, possibly throwing it all away, but at that moment, I didn’t care. No job was worth submitting to a man like Sergei.
“Fine,” Grisha grumbled. “But he stays there.”
“He’ll be on a tight leash,” I warned. “I won’t let him challenge my authority. You’ll need to make that clear to him.” We pulled up in front of the hospital’s front doors. “I have to go.”
Without even letting him speak, I hung up.
Arkady was justa skinny young kid who looked scared as hell and in a lot of pain.
When I stepped into the room, I could see the relief and emotion flood through him.
“Hey, kid,” I said. “You don’t look so good.”
“I’m fine, boss,” he mumbled through swollen lips, but he didn’t look fine. His face looked like it had been used as a punching bag.
I sat down beside him and looked him over. His arm was in a stabilizing sling. “Are they taking care of you?”
