The tension hangs like a blade between us.
Then, slowly, the anger in his eyes shifts into something harder—understanding.
Viktor gives a short, curt nod. “You are right. In your place, I would have done the same. But hear me clearly. I have no alliance with the cartel. They slaughtered two of my best men last year. My hatred for them runs deeper than you know.”
The acknowledgment eases the immediate threat. We begin to walk side by side along the sand, the mist curling around our legs. The beach is empty except for the occasional cry of a distant seabird swallowed by the haze. Our footsteps are the only steady sound.
“We need to find out who on the Russian side is feeding them information,” I say. “Someone is opening doors, leaking routes,helping the weapons move through our territory. Without that traitor, the Mexicans cannot strike effectively.”
Viktor nods, hands still clasped behind his back. “Agreed. We start with our own circles.Quietly. Anyone who has grown too friendly with outsiders, anyone whose finances have suddenly improved, anyone pushing for more aggressive expansion. We watch, we listen, we dig.”
“And the weapons,” I add. “We must locate where the Mexicans are stashing their arsenal in the city. If we can hit that cache, we cripple their momentum before the full assault begins. At the same time, we need to stop more shipments from coming north. Block the ports they are using, intercept the trucks, make it too expensive for them to continue.”
Viktor stops walking and turns to face me. “I will put my best men on it immediately. The ones I trust with my own life. They will move silently.”
“I will do the same,” I reply. “My most loyal soldiers. No one else knows the full scope.”
We resume walking, the mist growing thicker as the night deepens. The tension between us has shifted—not gone, but transformed into something more productive. Mutual respect born from shared suspicion.
“We stay in touch,” Viktor says. “Frequent updates. No more surprises.”
“Agreed.” I meet his gaze steadily. “Trust will need to be earned over time between us. We both know that. But for now, we stand together against the cartel. If they want war with the Russian families, they will face both of us.”
Viktor’s mouth curves into a grim, knowing smile. “You are a careful man, Kirill. I respect that. But let me be clear… if this had been an ambush tonight, I would not have hesitated to take you down.”
I return the smile, cold and honest. “And I would have done the same to you.”
For the first time since we met, a real understanding passes between us. Not friendship—that would be naïve to imagine—but respect. The kind forged in the fire of mutual threat and shared survival.
We walk a little farther, finalizing the details of how our people will coordinate without revealing too much to outsiders. When we reach the end of the stretch of beach, we turn back toward the parking area.
As we part ways, Viktor offers his hand. I shake it firmly.
“Until we speak again,” he says.
“Until then,” I say.
I watch him disappear into the mist before returning to my car. The drive back toward the city feels lighter than the journey out, though the danger has not vanished. The cartel is still coming. The traitor is still hidden. But I no longer suspect Viktor is the one feeding them. I am as sure of that as I possibly could be.
For the first time since my father’s death, I feel like I have a true ally in this fight—not a friend, but a man of honor who understands the brutal cost of power.
I grip the steering wheel tighter, the gun still resting on the passenger seat.
The war is coming.
But now, at least, I do not have to face it completely alone.
Chapter 12
Teddy
I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, heart still racing even though my body feels heavy and warm. The sheets are tangled around my legs, and every time I shift, a fresh wave of memory washes over me—Kirill’s weight pressing me into the rug, the way he filled me so completely, the deep groan he made when he came inside me. My skin is still glowing from it. My ass feels tender,used, yet I cannot stop replaying every second.
It was magical. Raw. Overwhelming.
I have never feltanythinglike it. Not even close.
Normally after an intense orgasm I would be out cold, drifting off with a silly smile on my face. Tonight my mind refuses to slow down. It keeps spinning—the heat of his body, the way he growled, the electric spark when our eyes met afterward.
