Les finishes her coffee and looks around again. “Where’s Micah?”
I shrug. “Asleep last time I checked. Giovanni gave him something for pain, and he passed the hell out.”
An uneasy look crosses her face, and she darts a glance at Leo. “What about Evander and Mateo?”
“They went to help with chores, I think.” Leo shrugs. “Do you need them?”
She shakes her head. “No. Let’s get this over with.”
I jump up and get Alexey, Dmitri, and Nina. Marcella gave her some clothes to wear since she was in her nightgown when we grabbed her. They follow me inside, and I motion for them to take a seat. Nina bundles Les in a hug before she sits down. “I never thanked you properly,” she says before she sits down.
“I’m sorry it had to happen that way, but I didn’t know Viktor wouldn’t be there,” Les says, casting an accusing look at Alexey and Dmitri.
“As I said,” Alexey says evenly, “we didn’t know he wouldn’t be there.”
“Honestly, Alessa,” Nina says, grabbing Les’ hand. “He left quickly for some business.”
Les acknowledges that with a nod. “We need to know your plan now.”
Nina looks down at the table. “I don’t know. He will kill me if he finds me.”
“Has it always been this bad?” Les asks, gently squeezing her hand.
Nina smiles sadly. “No. He was a good man once. I don’t know what happened,” Nina says, wiping a tear from her eye. “One day, everything was good, and the next, he was taking his anger out on me.”
Dmitri sits up in his chair. “How long?”
“Years,” Nina whispers.
“Mama,” Alexey says, anguished. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I didn’t want to put my troubles on my boys,” Nina says, straightening her spine. “It doesn’t matter now anyway. Alessa got me out.” Nina looks at Les. “I’m sorry I don’t have more of a plan, but I want to return to Russia for a while.”
Les shakes her head sadly. “You can’t. Not yet, anyway.”
“She’s right,” Ryder adds. “That’s the firstplace he’ll look.”
“I have people all over,” Les says, running her hand through her hair. “People I trust that you can stay with until Viktor is taken care of.”
“Taken care of?” Nina asks wide-eyed.
“You have to know he has to die, Mama,” Alexey says harshly with no remorse. “For laying hands on you, for starters, but he also took a shot at Les and her guys.”
Nina’s head whips around the table, taking everyone in. “He did?”
“The night of the gala, he shot up our limo, and I took a bullet in the process,” Leo says absently, rubbing where his stitches still are.
“He’s gone too far,” Les says. “He’s been trying to take over my business; he’s sent guys after us twice, and now this. I have to do what needs to be done.”
“I understand.” Nina nods. She’s been in this life for a long time and knows you can’t let this slide.
“You can stay in New York with Aldo,” Les says, then smiles. “He’s my most trusted besides the guys here. As soon as we take care of Viktor, I’ll get you to Russia.”
“I can’t impose on someone like that! I don’t have any money or clothes…” Nina says anxiously, and Dmitri squeezes her shoulder.
“We took care of that, Mama, and it’s just short-term. Right, Les?” Dmitri soothes, looking expectantly at Les.
“If I have anything to do with it, the sooner he’s dead, the better. I’ll contact Aldo and set everything up. You need out of here.” Les pulls her phone out. “Today.”
