Andrei jumped up, bowed in respect to Dom and the rest of us, and dashed outside, sighing in relief before he closed the door quietly behind him.
Dominic addressed Vitya. “Will he be a problem?”
“No.” He sipped more of his coffee, the smell of which fucking made the room stink. “He is too cowardly to go against your word.”
“Good. Who else can they approach for the deal?”
“Vova is stupid enough to think he could pull it off under your nose without you noticing.” Vova was another brigadier. The pakhan had about ten of them scattered around Russia for better control of the Bratva dealings regionally.
“He lied on his finance report too.” Yuri joined the conversation. “I prepared the case for you. He steals from the brotherhood and his people. Not good.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed as a sinister smile appeared on his face. “Then we’ll deal with him accordingly. Vitya, don’t do anything until we have proof regarding drugs. I want him to be an example for the rest of them.” He rubbed his chin and then finally spoke to me. “What do you think about guns?”
“It’s a good business and those people are trustworthy.” He was still not convicted, but I had to be frank about it. “We don’t do drugs and women, and trust me, I’m with you on that. But you can’t have only legal businesses. It would undermine your authority.”
“They’ll claim Konstantinov’s Bratva has become soft,” Yuri said, and I nodded in agreement.
Dominic played with his thumbs while we waited for his decision, and finally, he exhaled heavily. “Fine. We will deal guns, but I want to make it clear kids stay out of it. Recruits stay out of it. And no issues challenged until I say so.” We all knew the reason for his hesitation. He tried to let the kids in the Bratva have as much childhood as possible. Unfortunately, if they were curious about the guns, nothing would stop them.
“Is that all?” Yuri rose, but the pakhan motioned for him to sit, and he sat his ass back on the chair.
“What the fuck is going on with you and Melissa?” His face turned stone cold.
“Nothing.”
Dominic raised his brow. “Really? Then I need a clear statement from you.”
“What statement?”
“Melissa is an FBI agent, yet she hangs around here. If she were your woman, she’d have the right to be here. But since she isn’t, I’ll have to forbid it.”
“She sleeps at Michael and Vitya’s. You’ll kick her out?” Anger laced his voice as he straightened and met Dom’s stare head-on.
Vitya and I just watched the scene with interest, because even though Yuri tried to hide it, his jaw ticked and his eyes blazed with emotion unfamiliar to all of us. He hadn't been this affected even back when Savannah, his girlfriend, was alive.
Dominic shrugged. “Rules are rules. If you don’t claim her, she isn't part of the brotherhood. So? What is it going to be?”
Suddenly, loud noises could be heard behind the massive, wooden doors, and a man shouted loudly, “I need to see, Radmir Abdulabekov. Fucking now!” We all frowned, and in a second, Alex, Vi’s ex-husband, burst into the room with Gleb hot on his heels.
What the fuck was he doing here?
“Listen here, fucker—” Gleb started, but I raised my hand to stop him.
Alex Jordan and I had made peace back in New York. I accepted his secrets, and the fact that he had helped my woman, but told him straight that he would no longer be part of their lives. He agreed, but warned me that he’d still investigate the director as he wanted to make sure the fucker wouldn’t disturb us. I felt like he developed a soft spot for Vivian, but it had nothing to do with desire.
But I still didn’t fucking like it.
However, I felt like I owed him one and a man like me didn’t like to have debts. So I left my address and number in case he would ever need a favor from Bratva.
I just didn’t expect for him to collect that favor so soon.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, while the rest of the guys got up as well, and Dominic stood next to me, waiting for an explanation.
Alex was breathing heavily, his hair disheveled, his fist clenching and unclenching as if he barely restrained himself from choking someone. “Where is Vivian?”
Out of all things he could have said, I didn't expect that, and instantly, I stood in a dominant, protective stance in front of him.
“She’s visiting Tina, why?”
