The Russian looked around. “There are no cops here.”
My stomach tightened. “They’re everywhere.”
“Well, they know better than to mess in my business,” he snorted.
That hubris would be his downfall.
I had honed a set of rules by which to live. This was a second chance, and I would be damned rather than let something stupid fuck it up.
“Have your man take it to my office, and I’ll be along shortly to look over the numbers,” I instructed.
Alexei relented. “Ah, I suppose you have a point. Better safe than sorry, right?”
I nodded, giving him a bone.
“You know, if we nail down the contracts, we could be kings this time next year.” He leaned forward, a hungry glint in his eyes. “You and me, the most powerful players this city has ever seen.”
In a den of predators, that was a lofty goal. New York drew monsters, sharks, and devils from all four corners of the earth. What Alexei was asking was to join forces and carve out a section for ourselves. It was a tempting offer.
But my home was elsewhere.
Maybe that made me a simpleton, craving my hometown. But I wouldn’t bleed for this place, wouldn’t fight with every breath to hold onto a kingdom born from war in any place but my home.
No…New York was a playing field to me. I made my money here. I paid the kings of the Big Apple their dues and left their legacies alone.
In exchange, they tolerated me doing business here. There had been no hit put out on me, no price on my head.
“I’m going to go look over those numbers.” I pushed to my feet. “I don’t want to lose the parcel.”
Alexei shifted his bulk and made to rise.
“Stay,moy drug.” I patted his thickly muscled shoulder as I walked past. “Enjoy the show.”
As I made my way to the back of the VIP area, I gave the manager a nod. Derek lifted his walkie-talkie and barked an order. The lights dimmed. Thunder crackled. And in a spray of lightning, the performers glided across the stage. The limber dancers were first—always a crowd-pleaser with their newest routine.
The door banged closed, cutting off the cheers and whoops, plunging me into a blissful silence. I pinched my eyes shut, rubbing the gritty orbs. Sleep was a luxury. There was too much at stake.
Remember the game.
“Per sempre,” I breathed.
Those two words held life.
Energy burst through my veins, and I jogged up the back staircase. Instead of heading to my office, I dipped into the control room.
The tech triplets—three brothers who were veritable wizards—swiveled their heads in unison. Their pale skin hadn’t seen the sunlight in ages, and if it wasn’t for the scar on #3’s head, they would be nearly indistinguishable.
While they each had numerous legal aliases, to this day, I still didn’t know their real names. Since they referred to themselves in the order that they were born, I adopted the same mode of labeling them.
“Report.” I strode to the monitors and surveyed my investment.
#1 rattled off statistics. #2 pointed out a drunk pair of Wall Street suits, who were a potential problem. There were already bouncers closing in around them. But it was #3’s quiet observation that had me bristling.
“Boss, this one keeps fidgeting with his sleeve.”
I looked closely at the man in question. He seemed like a typical businessman, wearing a fine suit and looking the part of a big money spender. He was too clean. Too stiff.
“Fed?” I growled.
