But he seems to be serious right now, so I’ll let it slip.
“I take it he took good care of you?” His gaze flicks to my side, tracking the hidden bandage beneath my shirt.
Lev coughs out a laugh. “You asshole.”
“Oh, brother, if I were you, I’d mind your words now.” My smile only widens. “Which brings me to…” I turn to Lev, shifting back into the role of Pakhan. “I need food and clothes for Jonah. Have someone track down his trailer and empty it because he’d like his things back.”
“Is he going to stay here?”
“Of course he is, dude.”
Nikolai tosses me a set of keys. “Here. Tell your fuck toy to take the SUV. I’ll have Sasha sort out the rest in a few minutes, and she’ll send him the GPS details.”
Lev’s gaze shifts from Nikolai back to me. “You could also just ask him where he lives. You know that, right?”
“And have him refuse? No, brother. That’s not an option.” The thought of him walking away doesn't exist. He is part of the inventory now.
A soft knock clicks on the door. Nikolai tilts his head. “Speaking of, that’s Sasha. I don't believe you have officially been introduced yet?”
A blond woman steps in. “Good morning, sir.” She tips her head.
I blink as the memory of the mansion flickers. “I recognize you from the estate. You were that new guard, weren't you?”
Sasha’s face flushes when Nikolai glances her way. “I was there the night of the shooting. I saw it happening. Saw how they dragged you away. I waited every night in Vesper hoping Nikolai would come back. When he did, I told him what I’d seen.”
“And what did you see?” I ask, bracing myself for the truth.
“As soon as Lev and Nikolai left, three men came out of a parked car. They put you in a vehicle and drove off.”
“Kidnapped you,” Lev cuts in, his voice tight. His nostrils flare. “Those assholes.”
“I trained Sasha in three days, and then brought her in contact with Kirill.”
“Kirill?”
“He still works at the estate for Sergei,” Nikolai says. “They recruited Sasha, and that’s when the intel started flowing. But it isn't that simple, Vitya. Sokolov is a paranoid prick. He doesn't take calls, and he doesn't meet unless it’s through Sergei’s private relay. Every message is wrapped in a shifting Cyrillic cypher. If we send a text that doesn't match the day’s code, he’ll vanish and he’ll tell Sergei we’re alive.”
“Then crack it,” I growl. “Sergei’s patterns haven't changed in twenty years. He’s arrogant and he thinks no one is smart enough to listen in. He treats his security like a game he's already won.”
“I’m working on it,” Nikolai mutters while his fingers fly over the keys. “But if I miss a single character, the whole relay self-destructs. I need the master key from the encrypted relay to spoof the signal.”
“Work it out. I’ll decide the when, but once we have that code, we use my voice to bring the dog somewhere we can collar it.”
Lev claps his palms once, sharp. “Alright. Then let’s get to it. I’m heading out with the boys to check the harbor for collections.”
Nikolai’s already hunched over a computer. “I’ll let you know when I’ve cracked that code.”
“Great.” Sliding a palm over the wood of my desk, I feel the hum of the house. Fuck, it feels good to be back. Even better with a plan for blood. Revenge begins today.
We’re on our third coffee when Jonah steps inside. “I brought you food.”
Nikolai lets out a whistle. “Damn, Pakhan. I wish I had a nurse like that.”
“Yeah, I bet you did.” My dick perks up at the way Jonah’s face flushes. I crook his finger. “Come here.”
He crosses the room fast and sets the tray on the corner of my desk with shaking fingers. The guys were just talking about you. They’re jealous, you know? Pulling Jonah into my lap, I grin when he yelps in surprise.
I feel Jonah’s fingers dig into my skin as he registers the brand I’ve just put on him. I’m not just protecting him because I’m making it clear to the only men I have left that he is off-limits. I don't want the rest of the world when I can have the one who watched me bleed and didn't look away. A name is a claimof ownership and I am making sure everyone knows he belongs to me from now on, whether he likes it or not.
