“And what about it?”
He smiles. “It’s quite an undertaking, turning Barinov Holdings into something public and above board. Not to mention a long process to iron out all of the legal issues. Such things take time.
“And such a delicate process, too. Anything could interrupt it, exposing the less than legal operations at the heart. Any whiff of scandal, any wrong doing, could attract the attention of the police. Or even worse, the Feds. And that would be very, very bad.”
“I hope you’re not suggesting that you’re going to interfere with the process, Nikolai.”
He raises his eyebrows in mock surprise, placing his fingertips on his chest. “Me? No. Perish the thought.”
“Good. Because the banks are backing me fully. My legal team has ensured that everything is proceeding above board. And there are investors eager to put their money in my operation. You and the rest of the Garin Bratva can have whatever illegal scraps I leave behind.”
“Indeed, indeed.” He steps over to a small globe on one of my shelves and gives it a little spin. “I suppose we’re going to find out what sort of edifice one must build on top of the skeletons of his past to truly make them go away. Maybe nothing is big and grand enough.”
My pulse beats, deep and slow.
“And I wanted to warn you.”
“Warn me?”
“Yes, warn you. We’re not the only operations in this town, Roman. Many in our world like things to run just as they are—no shake-ups, no surprises. There might be men scheming to maintain the status quo. And the same goes for this new world you’re so eager to rush into. Competition awaits. And if they were to find concrete evidence of those you buried on your rise to the top…”
He leaves his words and their implication hanging in the air.
“Brave man, attempting to leave a world so few do. But think about the possibilities; I’m sure you have. A clean inheritance for your boy. A new legacy. A future for him that ensures both his fortune and his extrication from this world. Elena would’ve been proud.”
A cold, vicious part of me rears up at the mention of my late wife. My fingers curl into fists so tight my knuckles crack. “Do not speak her name.”
He holds up a hand. “Forgive me. Sensitive topic.”
He’s goddamn right it’s sensitive. Especially since I’m almost certain he was the one who ordered the hit. But even after all this time, I still haven’t been able to find any proof. Until then, I can’t make a move.
“A little word of caution,” he says. “Don’t walk blithely into these grand plans. And remember the old expression.” He speaks in Russian then repeats it in English. “‘If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.’”
“If you’re trying to sabotage me?—”
He smiles. “If I were sabotaging you, Roman, you wouldn’t need to ask.”
I open my mouth to speak, to tell him to leave. Before I can get out a single word, the office doors open and Andrei enters. He doesn’t apologize for barging in. He doesn’t need to. He’s the one man who can stroll into my office without warning. Because if he does, there’s a damn good reason for it.
Andrei’s eyes flick from me to Garin then back. No doubt he’s clocked the situation.
“You have another visitor,” he says. “A Mr. Blair.”
Shit. Blair’s one of the senior bankers managing the IPO.
“Ah,” I say. “That can’t wait.”
“No,” Andrei says flatly. “It cannot.”
Garin chuckles. “Well, I see you have important matters to attend to.”
“I do. It’s time for you to leave, Nikolai.”
“Always a pleasure, Roman.” He walks toward the door then pauses, his hand resting on the frame. “The new nanny,” he says casually. “She’s pretty. Your boy seems to like her.”
I say nothing, not willing to take the bait. He taps the frame, then leaves. The instant he steps out and the door shuts behind him, my control fractures.
“I’m going to kill that fucker one of these days.”
