“You not know Pavluhkins,” Tattoo scoffed after a tensepause.
“You think I’m lying? You want to test that theory? I hear thePresnenskaya Bratvadoesn’t like it when others start encroaching ontheirterritory. We’re big on client confidentiality, but you better believe we’ll inform them of your interference.” Sean cocked his head to the side. “What are you?Troitnenskaya Bratva?Koptevskaya Bratva? You really want word to get back to your higher-ups you fucked with someone who has favorable ties to the Pavluhkins? That’sreallynot good for your business out here. Be worsebackhome.”
With each Russian mafia group Sean named, Tattoo seemed to get more agitated. He had to wonder if it was out of character for the man, because his partner said, “Just fucking cut herthroat!”
Sean tensed, knowing there was no way he’d be able to stop Tattoo from killing Chloe. A bullet was fast, but the other man was using her as a human shield. Sean knew he wasn’t a good enough shot to take him out without hurting her in theprocess.
“Nyet,” Tattoo said, looking at Sean through narrowed eyes. “If what he saytrue—nyet.”
“We didn’t come here tobargain!”
Tattoo ignored his partner, keeping his attention on Sean. That was all Sean needed to see for him to figure out Tattoo was the one in charge. “Drop weapon. Wenotkill.”
“Somehow, I don’t believe you,” Sean coollyreplied.
“Not kill. If what you say is true, our boss needs to hear. Was only supposed to deliver message to that one,” his eyes flicked toward Adrian, “but now we take youwithus.”
Sean could not believe he’d walked into the middle of a territory dispute. Some days, Sean missed the deep well of intel the CIA could access. The MDF’s intelligence division was good, but it was primarily focused on threats relating to metahumans and Splice, not potential criminal business relations gonesouth.
“Honor among thieves and all that shit, I take it?” Seanasked.
Tattoo smiled, revealing uneven teeth. “Da. Ifyoulike.”
He didn’t, but there didn’t seem much of a choice. As a last resort, Sean could phase and save himself, but that would tank the mission, along with the one concerning the Pavluhkins, and he’d put almost a year into that one already. He wasn’t keen on losing what ground they’dgained.
Taking his finger off the trigger, Sean thumbed the safety on and set the handgun on the table. The biolock was already engaged, so even if they tried to use it, the gun wouldn’t shoot without his print signature on the grip and trigger. Tattoo jerked his head at his partner in an obvious gesture of command. Sean was glad he was in charge and not his trigger-happy friend. Tattoo’s partner shifted position, keeping his gun trained on Adrian even as he grabbed Sean’s off the table. Sean caught a glimpse of a black spade tattoo with the number 3 beneath it on his wrist—definitely fromAtlanta.
Tattoo let Chloe go and closed the switchblade with a snap of his wrist. He turned her around and gently patted her tear-stained face,tsking at the smeared mess of her makeup before he handed her a cloth napkin from thetable.
“Dry your face. We walk out of here one nice big group,da? No crying, no screaming, no running. If you run, weshoot.”
Tattoo looked over at Sean as he spoke, not giving Adrian the time of day. Sean shifted his attention to Adrian, who still only had eyes forhiswife.
“Adrian.” The casino magnate jerked his head around at the sound of his name. “We’ll goquietly.”
“My security—” Adriansnarled.
“Is occupied,” Tattoo cut in. “You think we not know youhavethem?”
Adrian worked his jaw, hands clenching into fists. Sean knew from experience that rich people thought they were immune to anything, that their money and name could get them out of all kinds of problems. If Adrian was looking to move into Russian-held entertainment districts here in New Miami, he should’ve known his attempts would’ve been unwelcomed. New Miami had limited land due to sea levels that had risen generations ago. The Russians and Russian-Americans had been sinking their money into Miami County real estate and businesses starting back when it was once known as Miami-Dade County, and there were homes and a national park where the New Miami Bay nowresided.
Buying property in New Miami was business for the rich, yes, but newcomers weren’t looked upon favorably by the Russians and the Cubans who claimed this city as their home. Those two groups had an uneasy truce going on right now that a third party could very easily upend. Adrian really should’ve done hishomework.
“Adrian,” Sean saidwarningly.
The look in the older man’s eyes was pure, unadulterated rage, and all of it was directed at Tattoo. “Fine,” he gritted out. “We’ll goquietly.”
Sean only hoped hemeantit.
Adrian got to his feet and took a step toward Chloe before he was hauled back by the man with the guns. The guy tucked Sean’s gun into his pants at the small of his back before swiftly patting Adrian down for any hidden weapons, coming up empty. For all that Sean knew Adrian’s brother was ex-military and probably always carried a weapon, Adrian didn’t seem to be of the samemindset.
Then it was Sean’s turn to get patted down. He inwardly sighed as the man found his second gun strapped to his ankle. Sean wasn’t carrying anything else because he hadn’t thought he’d need more than his usual gear for a mission that was less than twenty-fourhourslong.
He caught Adrian looking his way and offered up a shrug. “Habit. Unlike you, I don’t always havebodyguards.”
Tattoo’s partner jabbed him in the back with the gun, right against his spine. “Shutup.”
Sean did as he was told. Chloe had managed to stop crying, even if she couldn’t stop breathing heavily, as if she would start sobbing all over again. Her face was mostly clean of smeared makeup. Tattoo put his arm around her shoulders, which made her shudder violently. It wasn’t the first time Sean had put an innocent person’s life in danger while working undercover, but it never got any easier towatch.
