“They were testing our security,” Maksim concluded.
“Did everyone do as we asked?”
“Only our first wave of security responded as minimally as possible. But behind the scenes, everyone was ready.”
I could almost feel the tension building in the air. The turf war was inevitable, but I was trying to create enough alliances to delay it. It didn’t seem to be working. “Expect it to escalate soon. Tell me about Mila’s security.”
“Anton and Oleg will trade off as her bodyguard whenever she leaves the house. From the evening to the morning we have an outside guard with one dog monitoring the perimeter. We’ve set up the guesthouse as a temporary guardhouse.”
Anton and Oleg were two of my most skilled men. “Good.”
“Jordan, your chef, starts today. He’s already been vetted by security.” He opened his notebook. “He’ll be doing all the grocery shopping and he’ll prepare a nightly meal for Mila. He’ll also do other meals, like sandwiches and frozen dinners, that Mila can heat up. I told him that her preferences are the priority, and to give her as much choice and space as possible when it comes to cooking and eating.”
I nodded, satisfied. “We’ve got a couple of weeks max until the real war starts. We need to be as prepared as possible. Let’s get to work.”
Work was hectic,and I used it as an excuse to keep my distance from Mila. Now that I knew she was safe at home with a security team and a chef, I spent most nights sleeping in my office and showering at the gym. When I went home, it generally was just to change, and I often chose to do that when Mila was asleep.
Tonight was no different. I had just lain down on my couch when Maksim opened my office door. “Boss?”
“What is it?”
“Remember how you asked me to set up trading dock times with the Italians?”
I smiled into the dark anticipating his news. “Yes.”
“I just got word that the Volkovs didn’t realize it was the Italians’ ship and they tried to overtake their shipment by force.”
I had traded my dock time with the Italians, warning them it could be an ambush. They had been more than willing to get into it with the Volkov family. “What happened?”
“The Italians took them by surprise and when the Volkov men tried to board their ship, all hell broke loose.”
I sat up and turned on the lamp. “Was anyone hurt?”
“Three were sent to the hospital.”
“Are you heading to the dock?”
“Yeah, right now.”
I stood up and started to pull on my coat. “I’ll drive.”
He made conversation while he waited. “Mila’s security team seems to be working out.”
“How so?” I had read the reports, and nothing had been mentioned.
“I guess she’s in love with the guard dogs, and she’s bribing the outside team with homemade cookies so they let her pet the dogs.”
“She’s baking?”
“She’s getting lessons from your chef. Jordan emailed and asked for a higher food budget.”
“How much can Mila eat? I’m never home.”
“Mila insists that the entire security team should have access to cooked meals.” Maksim cleared his throat. “She’s been inviting them to eat in the house.”
That made me pause.
The irony wasn’t lost on me. I spent my time sleeping on a couch and eating takeout at my desk while four other men were enjoying home cooked meals with my wife. “If it makes her happy, let her feed them.”
