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“Me? What did I do?”
“Mr. Fucking Dad of the Year over here,” I accuse bitterly. “She’s coming over here and comparing me to you.”
Dominik snorts. “I got news for you, friend: The two of you weren’t doing so well even before she had another dad to compare you to.”
He’s right, but again, I won’t give him the satisfaction. “How is it going, anyway?”
“I had no idea it was possible to function on two hours of broken sleep every night. But somehow, you get through it.”
“I wouldn’t know. I wasn’t there for most of it,” I admit. When I say it out loud, I can’t blame Laila for not wanting anything to do with my sorry ass. “You put me to shame, Dom. But I’m proud of you.”
Dominik’s eyes go wide. “Wow… I, uh… Thanks.”
“I’m trying to be more open.” It’s my turn to wrinkle my nose. “Not that it’s doing much good.”
“I’m sure it’ll pay off in the end.”
I huff out a bitter laugh. “Or I’ll spill out my sad, twisted guts, and Laila will still decide she’s better off without me.”
Silence languishes for a few moments before Dominik clears his throat. “Let me pour you another drink. You sound like you need it.”
He takes my empty glass and returns with a heavy pour of whiskey. This time, I savor the deep, rich flavor I spent so long honing.
I spent countless hours in tastings and meetings, perfecting every inch of Adamov Liquor, from the product to the brandingto the presentation. I had complete and total control of every element, which is exactly how I like it.
But when it comes to Laila, nothing is up to me. I feel out of my depths.
“I’ve never seen it done before.” I run a hand over my stubbled chin. “A successful relationshipanda successful Bratva.”
Dominik shrugs. “I do it.”
“You’re not thepakhan. You’re not the one in charge.”
“No,” he agrees, unperturbed. “But I’ve made sacrifices for the sake of the Bratva. Sometimes, they’ve come at the expense of my time with Kira. But there are lines I won’t cross, even for this Bratva. Even for you, brother.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
“This Bratva means the world to me. So do you. But I still wouldn’t choose you or it over Kira or Misha. They come first—always.”
“As they should.”
Dominik raises his tea cup like it’s a glass of whiskey. “Kira knows that. She knows without a doubt that I will always put her first. Is Laila confident of the same thing when it comes to your priorities?”
I sigh. “It’s not so simple, Dom?—”
“Of course it is,” he interrupts. “It comes down to one simple question: would you rather have your Bratva or your family?”
“My family,” I admit without a moment’s hesitation. There’s no debate. “But Laila doesn’t want to hear it.”
“You think I landed Kira by sitting around and playing by the rules? Her parents hated me. They were doing their damnedest to talk her out of giving me a chance.” He shrugs. “That didn’t stop me from pulling out the big guns.”
“I can’t pull out any guns,” I grumble. “She’s avoiding me like the plague.”
“I can’t believe thatIhave to tellyouthis, but—” He leans in with a wry smirk. “—when it comes to matters of the heart, sometimes you have to fight dirty.”
27
ARSEN
