I linked my fingers together on my desk and offered him a look of confusion. “I’m not sure what you’re referring to, Detective, because I have never sold drugs or guns. I’ve also never heard of this Dobrow. I apologize if you wasted your time coming here.”
Stewart slammed his fist down on the photos and some of them went fluttering to the floor as he growled. “Don’t fucking lie to me, Kozlova.” Spit flew from his mouth, landing close to my hands, but I didn’t move them. That would show weakness. Stewart didn’t scare me.
“Detective, unless you are here to arrest me, leave. You haven’t asked me any questions and your accusations are harassment.” I turned to look at Ham. “Please take your partner and go.”
Ham slunk forward and touched Stewart’s elbow, but Stewart shrugged him off and shoved Ham’s chest, nearly sending him toppling backward.
The door opened, and Asa froze at the threshold, his gaze trailing from the detectives to the pictures strewn across my desk and the floor, eyes widening. His mouth slid open in shock. I jumped to my feet and grabbed the photos as quickly as I could until they were in one big pile before I shoved them at Ham’s chest. He nodded sharply, but it wasn’t him who worried me. Stewart’s expression turned into triumph as he watched me, and the moment he turned toward Asa, I knew what he was going to do.
“Are you his new whore?” Stewart grinned. The fucker.
I stalked between them, effectively blocking Asa from Stewart, and crossed my arms. “I told you what I know and that’s nothing. Leave or I’ll call my lawyer.”
“We’re not done,” he said.
“We are,” I said sharply. He’d found my weakness and knew it. Stewart had more information about me than I liked, and as much as I hated him, I could respect that he was good at his job—but I also despised him for it, too.
Stewart’s smirk was dangerous. “You’re above average. Are you being paid? Did you know you’re not Kozlova’s first whore? And I bet you won’t be his last.”
“We’re done here.” I stepped backward until Asa was right against my back. I turned only slightly so I could whisper to him. “Go back out to the main living room. I’ll be there soon.”
Asa frowned, concern etched into his forehead, but to my relief, he didn’t argue. He walked away immediately, and once I knew he was out of earshot, I shifted around to glare at the detectives.
“Your boss will be hearing from my legal team, and don’t think for one second I won’t sue the ass off your department for lack of professionalism and harassment.” My mouth curved. “I have good lawyers.”
Stewart soured and grunted. He strode past me, knocking his shoulder against mine as he went, with Ham following right behind him. I peered out of my office to see Willcox guiding them straight toward the front door. Good. I would need to do some damage control with Asa, but I didn’t think it would be hard. He’d already accepted the part of me I hadn’t expected him to tolerate at all. A normal person would’ve run after finding out that my business wasn’t all legal, but he’d stayed and we’d had sex. That was more than a beginning.
“Sir?” Ana’s voice at my back made me jump, and I turned to look at him. One nod of my head, and he followed me back into the office, then closed the door behind himself.
I didn’t sit because this wasn’t the type of conversation I had while in my chair. No, we needed to look at each other face to face.
“Is there a problem?” Ana asked, mouth pursed in determination. “Because if there is, I will arrange for it to be dealt with. I have some clean-up men who will be able to help. If Stewart and Ham are giving you—”
“Have you ever thought about being boss one day, friend?” I held my hands in front of me, watching his reactions carefully. His expression barely moved, but there was a quirk of his lips that usually foretold his confusion.
“Ru?” He tilted his head. “What are you thinking?”
“We’ve been friends for a long time, haven’t we?” I asked, a fondness for him warming my heart. “And you’ve always had my back. More than that, you practically run my company.”
“Because that is what you pay me to do.”
“Bullshit. You do more than what I pay you to. You could run this company by yourself. The men respect you, and they listen to you. Without you, Ana, I wouldn’t have kept my hold on the Eastern states.”
“What are you saying?” He stood straighter and there was a fierceness in him, like he expected me to fire him. Anyone else would consider it strange for a man to think he was going to be without a job after receiving so many compliments, but I wasn’t the type of guy who doled them out. I couldn’t remember one time when I’d offered Ana anything beyond a thank you. I’d certainly never told him he was piloting the business.
“Think about it. I’ve never been fully invested in this company, have I? At least, not the illegal part. My tato started this organization when he came to New York, but without you, I would never have grown it to be this big.”
“Why does this sound like a goodbye?” His jaw tightened. “Have I done something to upset you, Ruslan? Because I swear—”
“I am not firing you.” I laughed and grabbed his shoulders, and he relaxed under my touch. “Quite the opposite. I am promoting you.”
“I am second-in-command,” he said bluntly. “There is no promotion unless you’re making me boss.”
“Exactly.”
“What?” He frowned.
“I’m tired of this shit. I never really wanted it. I enjoy being a businessman, but I’ve never cared for the drugs or the guns, have I?”
