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I get to my feet and nod at my men. All three of them pounce on Igor and push him to the ground. My boots smash against his injured shoulder, making him scream.
“Don’t start,” I warn. “You should know better than to come to me. Need I remind you what I do to uninvited guests?”
I press harder, enjoying the wailing sound. This piece of garbage doesn’t know how to leave well enough alone.
Igor is the reason my mother and Ivana are dead, and Katarina’s the reason he still lives. She wouldn’t forgive me if I killed her brother.
“We got attacked,” Igor repeats, forcing the words out through gritted teeth. “Gargarin came for us. They shot Father. It’s bad. He wants to see Kata. To say goodbye.”
I don’t react to his words. My expression is neutral and tame, not showing the venom and anger that I hold for the Sokolovs.
“It looks like you’re regretting breaking our business deal,” I mock. “If you hadn’t betrayed me, the Gargarins would be six feet under by now. With the steady flow of my weapons, you’d have that threat neutralized. But no, you had to go behind my back. You had to try and have me killed. And now you’re back here, crying for my help?”
“If we leave the Sokolovs and the Gargarins to fight it out, we can sweep in and take power from them both,” Roman remarks.
I glance at him.
“I don’t want a turf war,” I snap. “No additional bloodshed. That’s a catastrophe waiting to happen.”
My eyes slowly drift to my captive on the floor.
“Besides, I’m not interested in their dirty business,” I comment. “I never liked drugs, and I don’t plan on getting in the middle of that shitshow.”
“If you don’t want to help us, that’s fine,” Igor croaks. “But at least let Kata say goodbye to Father. She deserves as much.”
The fury coursing through me almost blinds me. I walk up to him and kick him. His agonized scream reverberates through the room. I press the sole of my shoe over his groin, savoring the sound he makes.
“I decide what she deserves,” I tell him. “I decide what she wants and what happens to her. You will stay the hell away from her if you value your life. She’s mine.”
“Let’s just kill him,” Roman says, impatience creeping into his voice.
I look at him and shake my head.
“Not yet,” I reply. “He fucks up often enough that we might still find a use for him.”
Igor opens his mouth as if he wants to speak but then thinks better of it.
“I’ll let you go,” I tell him. “But if I see your face again, even by accident, I’ll murder you in cold blood. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” he replies, clutching his stomach with his injured arm.
I straighten and address Peter. “Get him out of my office,” I order.
Peter steps forward and half-lifts Igor off the floor as he groans in pain, earning himself another stab with an elbow from Peter.
“Send this rat back to his family,” I comment dryly.
Peter turns and shoves Igor out.
I remain staring at the door when it closes after them. Roman and Ivan step forward, waiting for me to gather my thoughts.
“See what’s going on with the Gargarins,” I say to Ivan. “I want to know what he’s up to.”
“What will you do with Katarina?” Roman asks. “She’ll want to see her father.”
“I know,” I mutter. “I’ll talk to her, but first, I want a complete picture.”
Both men nod in response.
