“What is it?” I ask.
“My business is in security, as you know. I can place some of my resources to work here in the city, to see if I could help you in a more concrete way.”
“And?”
“And Kolya is not planning on waiting for the council to make a decision. He’s bought time, but that’s it. My sources tell me that he’s planning to make a move before formal proceedings begin. Possibly within the week. And that means Thea is in grave danger.”
My gut tenses. “Thank you.”
“Least I could do. As I said, I’ll put you into contact with Max.” He steps forward and sets the glass on the desk. “Good speaking with you, Gabriel.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You don’t want to see Thea?”
“I considered it, but now’s not the time for reunions. Possibly under happier circumstances once we solve the Kolya problem. Take care, Gabriel. This won’t be the last you’ll see of me.”
With that, he offers his hand and a half smile, then turns to depart.
I sit at my desk after he leaves, staring at the photograph of Max and Lev, trying to recalibrate everything.
Possibly within the week.
But before I have a chance to think it over, my phone buzzes.
“Moretti.”
“Afternoon, boss,” Amanda says. “I’m twenty-five minutes out. Just a reminder for our meeting—you’ve had a bit of a tendency to let these things slip lately.”
I run my hand through my hair. “I haven’t forgotten. See you soon.”
“Also,” she says before I have a chance to end the call, “I just wanted to check in, see how the father-to-be was feeling?”
Amanda’s been unusually solicitous the past few days, more supportive and seemingly invested—more so than usual—in making sure everything runs smoothly.
“Terrified,” I admit. “Protective. Homicidal toward anyone who threatens my family.”
“So normal Gabriel, then?” She laughs.
I lean back in my chair. “Amanda, how much do you know about Max Federov?”
“Enough to know he’s dangerous. He has a pretty nasty reputation, despite not being seen in New York for years. Why?”
I clear my throat and explain. I tell her about Alexei’s visit, about the photograph, about the possibility of bringing Max into the fold.
“That’s…” She pauses. “That’s either brilliant or suicidal. Maybe both. And it would turn this into a proper war.”
“Your professional opinion?”
“Well, if you can’t wait fifteen minutes for that, my professional opinion is that you’re thinking like a father instead of a don or a strategist. You want overwhelming force; you want to crush Kolya. And you’re not going to tolerate the possibility of failure. Not when Thea and the baby are at risk.”
“You’re not wrong.”
“Strategically, it might be the smart play. Max brings power, could be enough to take out Kolya without battling it out in a long, grinding war. But…”
“But what?”
“If Kolya got word, it might scare the hell out of him, make him do something drastic. He’d target Thea and try to take her off the board immediately.”
“So we need to do this quickly and quietly.”
