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“The Petrovs, you remember them?”
“Yeah. They were stealing off the top, right? Working out their own deal with the Irish to give us all up, right?”
“Well, when I went to clean up that fucking mess, I found something interesting. Turns out, while wining and dining the Irish, they were stealing a lot of Irish girls off the top. Girls supplied by Seamus’s own right-hand man. He had an axe to grind about Seamus’s leadership—jealousy, I think—and wanted to set him up to look like he was betraying his own blood while securing the deal. The night I killed the Petrovs, I tracked down that traitorous Irish bastard and handed him over to Seamus as a bonus.”
That night feels so long ago now, it’s hard to recollect how we got from there to here.
“Shit,” Andrev mutters. “And they didn’t kill you?”
“I had a container full of girls to back me up,” I remark. “Seamus was grateful. Let me walk away with my life. You know how dearly he clings to the old rules of respect, so he gave me a one-time deal. He’d give me one get out of jail free card if we ever ran into each other again.”
“Still doesn’t explain how he’s in your pocket, ready to oust Aleksander.”
“Like I said, he’s a man who values tradition. After Aleksander refused to put an end to the fighting and war broke out, I realized I was destined to spill every drop of Russian blood we had protecting the Docks, protecting territory while Aleksander focused on that fucking wedding. So, I went back to Seamus with a new deal.” I pause my pacing and face Andrev.
“Rather than the get out of jail free, I wanted a deal. He helps me orchestrate this war and helps me oust Aleksander from Pakhan, and I’ll give him the entire North Docks. And a few other bits and pieces. The Irish need those shipments as much as we do, so… Seamus agreed. With those Docks, he looks powerful to his own people, and we finally have peace. When was the last time we weren’t biting each other’s ankles for territory?”
“You think Seamus will honor this?”
“Tradition is important,” I muse. “But we’ll have to prepare for anything. If Aleksander finds out?—”
Right on cue, the devil’s name flashes on my screen as my phone flares to life. I answer immediately.
“Aleksander.”
Kristof. Get back Stateside. Now.
“Why?”
Because I said so? he barks loudly. I know for a fact that Alena’s disappearance wasn’t the Irish, and it sure as fuck wasn’t the Italians.
“What are you saying?”
I’m saying there’s a fucking rat, and I need you back here! I have a sit down with the Irish Captain.
“About?”
What do you think? Aleksander scoffs. A ceasefire.
“Why now?”
What’s with the questions? he snaps. Get the fuck back here, now!
He hangs up on me, and Andrev scoffs. Aleksander was yelling so loudly that Andrev surely heard all he needed to know.
“Seamus?” he asks.
I shake my head slowly. “I don’t think so. Something, or someone, has Aleksander thinking Alena’s disappearance is in house. Seamus doesn’t even know about her.”
“But if he lets slip that you two have been in bed together? Assuming you have something to do with Alena wouldn’t be too far of a leap.”
My lips press in a thin line, and I resume pacing, wearing a thin line into the Persian rug beneath the desk.
“Fuck.” I dial the only person I know for sure who’s on my side.
Kristof! August Nikolaev answers with a booming, jolly voice. My boy. My birds told me you were back here. Why have I not seen you?
“Things are moving faster than I expected, August,” I say quickly. “I think I might need your help sooner rather than later.”
