Page 128 of Inked in Devotion

I chuckled darkly. “If I believe you’re capable of coming to such an idiotic conclusion, I would have taken you out long ago. You’re not a foot soldier. You know what’s going on. You’re forcing me to take on the brigadier position.”

“Oh, how so?”

“You want more Petrovs in the bratva. If you think I want Dima working under me, then that’s where you’re wrong.”

Rurik sipped his vodka. “A brigadier can’t be new blood, but do you think he can be an enforcer? Surely Kirill would welcome Dima.”

“He’d rather give that position to Sato.”

“Sato temporarily filled that position when you were in prison. I was thinking Sato is better to fill the third brigadier position. He has Japanese blood running through his veins. He might make a good alliance with the Yakuza.”

“Haven’t you been busy?” I drawled, feeling much calmer. “How about you, Rurik? You’ve been a widower for a while. You can marry.”

“I do not recommend marriage for someone like me. I will, however, leave that institution to my sons.”

His sons were teenagers and hotheads. I didn’t envy him. “Where’s Dima, anyway?”

Rurik gave a careless wave of his hand. “Kirill and Sato took him somewhere. Don’t worry, they won’t kill him.”

At that moment, Chloe glanced at me and jerked her head, calling me over.

“Thanks for the drink.” I deposited the glass on a corner table.

“Anytime.”

Dimitri was sporting a bruise around his right eye, and he had a busted lip. It was courtesy to let the pakhan know if you crossed into his jurisdiction. Normally, I’d be the one to deliver the pain, but Kirill figured with my temper earlier, I might put Dima in a coma. After Kirill, Dima was like a brother to me, more than a cousin. We belonged to different factions of the Russian mafia. And as if nothing had happened, he had Sebastian cooing on his lap.

Chloe was sitting with Theo and Aralina at a table with Lucy, Ivan, Irina, and Maksim. Dinner was over, dessert was served, and some guests had left. Kirill was in a corner talking to Rurik, although they’d cast glances my way a few times, making sure my cousin and I wouldn’t kill each other.

That was probably why Chloe handed Sebastian to us so that we would behave. It gratified me to an extent that she entrusted Sebastian’s safety to me, even with Dimitri around. So she was being honest when she said she hadn’t been afraid of my cousin earlier.

“Strong boy, kuzen.” Sebastian was gripping Dima’s finger. “We have good genes.”

“Genes that get us into trouble.”

“You know your problem? You’re trying to reject who we are.”

Dima stood and bounced Sebastian up and down. My boy giggled.

“Careful, or he’ll throw up on you.” It would be hilarious if Sebastian vomited on him, but I didn’t want my boy to have an upset tummy.

Dima paused and then handed Sebastian to me as if he were virus-infected. I rolled my eyes. “You talk about genetics, but you don’t understand the responsibility that comes with it.”

“Oh, and you think you do?”

“Why are you really here, Dima? You want to jump bratva?”

“What gave you that idea?”

“Stop bullshitting and tell me why you’re here.”

He stared at Sebastian, then he rubbed his jaw and glanced at Chloe. “I have a message for you.”

“From whom?”

“Our common friend or enemy, depending on how you look at it. It’s cryptic. She doesn’t want to betray the Vozhokari, but she’s hoping I will try again.”

“The woman who miscarried your child?”