Page 86 of Savage Pakhan

“Good.” He sips his coffee, scrubbing his tired eyes as he tries to stay awake.

“Why don’t you lie on the couch? Get a few hours of sleep. I’ll stay awake. Keep an eye on things.”

“No, Alek. We need to get the day started. You two need to be married today.”

“Da. That’s the plan.”

“But you can’t go into the city. Ivan will find you. Too many cameras,” he explains. “We need people to come here.”

I snap my fingers at the idea, agreeing. “Da. I like that. That makes me feel a lot better. I have been nervous to take Mia out into the city. I do wish she could see it. I have an old friend here, O’Malley. I could ask for his protection.”

“No. Don’t get anyone else involved. You don’t want a war. Ivan will start one.”

“How many of my men are following him?”

Nikolai grins, but it’s the kind where the Devil slips through to reveal himself.

“Only a few are at his side. A handful. Most of your men have been loyal. They don’t follow his orders. He’s threatened them with death, and they still don’t care. They know he isn’t a true leader. Good men can sense when they are trying to be led by a bad man. You have people in your corner. I’ve had a few reach out to me and they know about Ivan’s abuse to Mia. They know what you’re trying to do which is why they don’t stand by him.”

I growl, “But some do.”

“That’s fine. We will kill them, so they don’t ruin the group. That’s all.” He shrugs, as if taking a life is nonchalant. I suppose once you’ve been in this business as long as we have, taking a life is easier than it used to be in the beginning.

“I’ll call a few of your local businesses you like to shop and see if they will come to you.”

“Of course they will. Anyone will do anything for the right dollar amount.”

“Da. Why do you think I still work for you?” He winks.

“Fuck you,” I tease in Russian.

He yawns, which causes me to yawn. I wonder if we have time for a little shut eye.

“How about we both try to get some sleep? Two hours. We have that. He won’t think about Vegas. He will try other places first. Ones that I’ve talked about with him. We can afford to get some sleep.”

I expect Nikolai to disagree with me, but he groans, dumping his coffee in the sink.

“You’re right. I don’t think we’ll be able to get through the day if we don’t. He has no idea clue that you’d come to Vegas. We’re safe for now. We can relax.”

“Da. Make yourself at home. I’m going to go hold my future wife.”

Nikolai takes out the gun from his waistband, then unzips his bag to grab the silencer.

I raise my brows in question.

“I sleep with it under my pillow. Can’t be too safe,” he explains.

Relatable.

“When we wake up, we call to have boutiques, jewelers, wedding dresses, and tuxedoes here. I want her to have the best of everything. And that starts as soon as we wake up.”

“You got it, Boss.” He pulls the hammer on his weapon, allowing a bullet to slide into the chamber so it’s at the ready if anyone walks through that door or elevator.

I knock my knuckles on the counter, then turn to leave, giving Nikolai my back. I never give anyone my back. That’s when people like to take advantage, but I trust Nikolai. I know my life is safe in his hands. If it wasn’t for his friendship that allows me to trust him, it’s the fact his family has dedicated generations protecting the Bykovs.

He would never sully their name.

If there is safety in anything, it’s that.