“Who are we meeting again?”
“Nikolai Kostalov.”
“Is that?—”
“Rory’s brother? Yes.”
“And do we like him?” Briar looks up at me with an expression that’s far too innocent for discussing the new Bratva Pakhan. But the way she says “we” has me fighting a smile.
“The alliance is new. He’s supposed to be on our side, but no, we don’t trust him.”
She listens carefully, taking in my words and thinking them over.
I didn’t want to do this today, though this bar is the perfect place for Briar to see if she recognizes anyone. I tried putting it off, but Niko insisted.
We're led to a private room.
Nikolai is already seated, and he doesn’t move to get up, even as I watch his steely blue eyes follow the girl at my side as we walk inside.
“Have a seat.” He gestures to the chairs around the table.
Aidan and I each take a seat, and I place Briar on my lap. This time she’s not leaving my sight. Mac stands by the door, along with Niko’s two men I recognize as Kaz and Ilya, his usual Bratva goons.
“I didn’t know you had a girl, O’Rourke?” There’s a smirk on Niko’s face when he looks from me to Briar.
“I don’t.”
Niko studies me, drawing out the silence between us. “The way you look at her says otherwise.”
My eyes darken while his sparkle.
“How’s the arm?” he asks me, tilting his head just slightly to the side.
Aidan tenses beside me, and I just know he wants to sucker punch the smirk right off of the Russian’s face.
“It’s fine.” I shrug. He can’t see the bandages through my jacket, and I have full range of motion back. I can deal with the pain. “You should work on your aim.”
Briar flinches atop me; my mouth twitches watching Niko’s eyes darken.
“Get to the point, Nikolai.”
He throws back the rest of his drink, leaning forward, his face growing surprisingly somber.
“The Volkov have put out a hit on you and your brother.”His voice is low, despite the private room.
Briar’s body tenses, and I place a reassuring palm on her thigh. “Aidan?” I ask, and he dips his chin.
“You see why this is problematic for me.”
I nod, rubbing the rough stubble along my chin. Nikolai Kostalov is a royal pain in my ass, but he’s made it very clearthat he cares for his sister, and given that she’s in love with my brother… My problem becomes Niko’s problem.
“The good news is that the Volkov won’t outsource. Their problem with you is personal. The bad news is that they’ve sent their reaper.”
“Ronan Volkov,”Aidan adds, and we exchange a look.
Niko nods solemnly, waving for a waitress I hadn’t seen waiting in the shadows to refill his drink. “Krasnyy volk.”
The red wolf.
