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I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. “Better.”
“Good,” he said, returning the smile.
As if on cue, his phone rang. Quietly, he excused himself, answered the call, and stepped out of the room.
CHAPTER 8
Maxim
For a moment, it was quiet between us, and I caught myself staring into Riley’s pretty blue eyes as she gazed back into mine.
Of all the details of her story she’d shared with me, one thing stood out more than all the rest.
She’d never had anyone take proper care of her before.
I wanted to be the first person to step forward.
I inhaled sharply through clenched teeth, and when she looked up, I offered a tight smile, my jaw tensing. She cocked her head, and I looked down at my plate and scooped another bite of eggs into my mouth. I was just finishing my breakfast when my phone rang in my pocket.
I pulled it out to see Ivan’s name flashing on the screen. I swiped and answered as quickly as I could, knowing whatever it was would be important. Ivan only called when the news couldn’t wait, which meant that whatever this was probably good either.
“Maxim.” Ivan’s voice came through, and I didn’t like how it was tinged with noticeable urgency. “I’ve got something on Gregor Orlov you need to know.”
“Just a second,” I answered.
I stood up, quietly excused myself, and strode out of the room before I spoke again.
“Go ahead.” I dictated.
“I did a deep dive into Orlov’s background. Turns out he wasn’t just some low-level thug—he was the nephew of Mikhail Orlov, the kingpin of the Orlov bratva. And not just any nephew, but his chosen successor.”
My blood ran cold at the implications. Mikhail Orlov was notorious for his iron grip on his operations and his unforgiving response to any threats to his power. His ruthless reputation preceded him.
“Are you certain?” I said softly, my anxiety spiking inside my chest.
“Absolutely. I’ve cross-referenced everything. There’s no doubt about his lineage or his position. Gregor’s death is going to cause ripples, Maxim. Really fucking dangerous ones.”
I rubbed the bridge of my nose, trying to work through my anger, fear, and frustration.
“Fuck! If Mikhail sees Gregor’s death as an act of aggression…”
“It won’t just be seen as aggression, it will be all-out war,” Ivan interjected grimly. “You need to prepare for retaliation. In the meantime, I can keep digging, see if I can intercept any communications about moves against you or Riley.”
“Do it. And Ivan, stay on the down low. If Mikhail suspects we’re onto him, it’ll only escalate things.”
“Understood,” Ivan responded.
“Thanks, brother. Keep me posted.”
I hung up the phone and cursed under my breath. This had the potential to really blow up in our faces.
Riley was even more at risk than I thought. I couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to her, and if the Orlov bratva was out for blood, it was a good bet that her head would be the first one on the chopping block.
I needed to strengthen our defenses, call a family meeting, and brace for what lay ahead. This was no longer about protecting a single life—it was about averting war. Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself for the calls I needed to make.
The peace of the morning was officially over.
I looked back to the kitchen where Riley was still sitting and swore under my breath.
