“I suggest you rethink your attitude, Peter. You are well aware of what I can do. This is your final warning. I assure you, there will not be another. You have forty-eight hours to make your decision. If you fail to comply, you will die. If you attempt to implicate me or my family in the bloodshed that is on your hands, you will die. If you even consider hurting your sister in any manner, you will die. The choice is yours. I suggest you use the time wisely.”
Aleksei’s voice rang clear, the meaning without question.
He was going to win at this game, no matter the consequences.
“Don’t bother, Aleksei. My brother isn’t worth it,” I stated in a defiant tone.
Peter tilted his head another few inches, moving his hands in a manner to back down his soldiers. “Don’t underestimate me, Petrov. Many have died a horrible death in doing so.”
“We shall see, Russian,” Aleksei said, laughing.
Russian. What in the hell did he mean by that? My parents were descendants of Scottish people, or at least I’d been told.
“This game isn’t over, Aleksei. You’ve lost control. Soon, I’ll be in control of several cities. I suggest you keep that in mind,” Peter said, a grin popping along his face.
Aleksei huffed before backing away, the Glock still firmly pointed in Peter’s direction. He grabbed my arm, yanking me out of harm’s way before the other soldiers had any opportunity to react.
I looked back only once and the trite expression on my brother’s face was exactly what I needed to see. I was dead to him. Perhaps I always had been. Fine. He had no idea that I could retaliate in my own manner. No one did.
I was shoved into the SUV, both Maksim and the driver piling in, the vehicle immediately brought to life.
Aleksei pushed my head down, cursing in Russian under his breath. I’d never seen him so pissed. When we were free of the Navy yard, only then did he allow me to return to a sitting position.
“What the hell does that asshole think he can do?” Maksim asked.
“He has another hand in this game, Maksim. I assure you of that,” Aleksei said quietly, finally taking several deep breaths. “And when he shows that hand, I’ll be ready. Take me to the precinct.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Make certain there are soldiers surrounding the house as well as the other location,” Aleksei directed.
A code for something else that was going on.
“Already on it, boss. Nothing is going to happen,” Maksim assured him.
“You are going to tell me what your brother has on you. You will hold nothing back. Is that clear?” Aleksei asked me, but his words were a command.
“I will, but not here. Not now. You need to check on your father.”
“Agreed, but when we return to the house, I need to know every detail. Peter is going to stop at nothing to try and win this war and that can’t and won’t happen.”
I noticed how rattled his breathing was, the way his face was pinched from rage. “Then you will also tell me what you’re trying so hard to protect other than my life.”
He turned his head, blinking his agreement. His hand was still firmly planted on the gun.
“Do you think your father really killed the mayor?” I asked after a few minutes, my nerves still on edge.
“Anything is possible, but I honestly doubt it. My father is a calculated man. I’ve seen him pushed to the wall and this isn’t his usual reaction. Whoever has fucked with my family will die.”
I shuddered hearing his words and perhaps for the first time, I was beginning to understand his power, a man infused with passion in all things.
And there was nothing that would keep me from him or from protecting him.
Even if that meant my death.
Aleksei
“What in the hell is going on?” I demanded after finally making it into the ninth precinct. The number of reporters was sickening, all wanting their five minutes of fame given my father’s arrest.
Jonas approached, whisking me away from the various police officers standing in close proximity. “Keep your voice down, Aleksei. Getting angry isn’t going to do us any good.”
“You know damn good and well my father had nothing to do with the mayor’s murder.”
“Aleksei, he had blood on his hands and his weapon had been fired.”
I took the news hard, the sucker punch to my gut almost more than I could bear. Whatever had occurred between the two men must have been horrific.
“Where is my father?”
“He’s in a holding room,” Jonas said quietly.
The man had worked with my father since the beginning, advising him in all methods of the law, as well as on other important political issues. He’d grown up in the city, attending Harvard Law School then returning to practice law in his beloved hometown. While Jonas was savvy, he was also against criminal activity, an argument that he certainly had no issue entering into with my father.
“Then I need to see him,” I demanded.
“Not until he’s processed. You know how this goes.”
Yeah, I knew. I’d been through the drill more than once. Even though my family owned many of the police officers in the city, our association couldn’t eradicate the various arrests that had occurred over the years. At least there’d been no convictions to date, all based in part to Jonas’ skills in the courtroom. “Then what do you suggest?”