“He wants a partnership with Maxim, that’s our deal. We pick the meet spot.” Zoe wasn’t willing to back down on this. Greg and his team had picked the perfect spot. It had surrounding vantage points. Far enough away from casualties. She didn’t know the details yet, but it sounded good to her. “I’ll text you the address at ten p.m.” That wouldn’t give them enough time to plan ahead and sabotage them.
“Very well. I’ll let him know.” Viktor stood up from his chair and held a hand out to Maxim, who took it. “I hate to cut the night short, but I must go and make preparations.” He turned to leave as he waved over Leo. “Leo, walk me out.” Viktor wrapped an arm around Leo’s shoulders as they left the room.
“What was that about?” Maxim asked when Leo and Viktor left.
“What?” She blinked innocently.
“Don’t play innocent with me, little girl. I know you suspect Viktor of something. You picked that vodka for a reason. Then started asking probing questions about his working relationship with Diego. I told you to drop it.” He was definitely upset with her. Not enough to threaten to kill her, but perturbed.
He had warned her, but she hadn’t agreed. “You pay me to protect your assets and that’s exactly what I am doing.”
“From my oldest and closest friend?” he yelled, fire snapping in his bright blue eyes.
“It’s always the enemy within you never see coming.”
“Viktor would never do that. I trust him with my life.”
That was his first mistake. There was no trusting anyone in this business. Everyone was out for themselves, and they didn’t care who they had to get through to reach the top.
“Very well, I’ll let it go.” She wasn’t, but she’d say anything to get out of this room so she could meet with Greg.
Maxim seemed to believe her. He stepped away from her, looking more relaxed as he picked up his brandy and sipped it. “Good, now where is this meet place you’ve chosen?”
“Who said I’ve picked a place already?”
“Because I know you. You always have a plan.”
“This is our turf and if Diego wants to make a deal, we’ll have home field advantage.”
“You should stop doing sports analogies. You’re terrible at them,” Maxim said dryly.
“I’ll remember that. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll take my leave.” Zoe left before he could call her back. She had to sneak out and talk to Greg.
Chapter 18
Zoe looked around the vacant hallway before making her way upstairs. True, she could just walk out the door, but that would raise questions she couldn’t answer. Unfortunately, it was getting harder to sneak out after her recent kidnapping and with Viktor visiting, but she had to meet with Greg and tell him what she’d learned.
It really wasn’t much. Just the plan. They still didn’t know if Diego was in town or not. Zoe had a feeling Leo wasn’t the mastermind behind this like he was playing off. The kid was young and still new to this to pull off this kind of scheme.
Viktor or Diego was really behind this. If Diego had been pressing Viktor into taking over his territory, Viktor would have offered up Maxim without a second thought. They may have come into the country together and come from nothing, but Viktor would sell his own mother to the mafia to keep himself safe.
The Vegas area was still an unclaimed area with vast routes to the west coast. If Maxim ever wanted to expand, he was sitting on a gold mine.
Zoe opened her bedroom door when the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She whirled around, fist cocked and ready, but stopped when she turned to stare at a chest and had to look way up to see their face.
“Aleksei,” she sighed, falling against the wall next to her door. “You just scared ten years off of my life.”
Aleksei just smiled like always, unbothered about her heartrate. “And yet you still look good.”
“What are you doing up here? Come to think of it, where have you been? I haven’t seen you in days.”
She felt like she hadn’t seen him in ages. If she didn’t know better, she’d think Maxim was keeping them apart.
“I’m surprised you’ve noticed with that hunk driving you around.”
Zoe rolled her eyes. “He is not a hunk.”
“Lying to your best friend, ouch.” Aleksei clutched his chest as if in pain.
