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Chapter 4 – Viktor
Istrolled down theaisle, putting items in my basket. Whatever Briana was eating regularly wasn’t home-cooked or even consistent. Sophia and Briana had been excellent students, but I knew how sporadic their diets and exercise were. It was hard to imagine either had improved given how damned determined Bri was to make her mark.
She’s going to burn out and make herself sick....Wrath laced with a protective urge surged through my veins. There had to be a way to prevent that.
Why do I care?the voice on my shoulder demanded. The response made me pause and reflect. Did it have something more to do with Briana being my sister’s friend? I might be a mobster, but I wasn’t a heartless bastard. That had to be the reason—
“Ace.”
At the moniker, my head snapped up, the inner reverie squashed. A barrel-chested man with deep pock scars covering his face blocked the end of the aisle.
“Surprised, comrade?” the soldier taunted in Russian.
While I didn’t know many of the Bratva from the East Coast, I was fairly certain this one’s name was Pavel. But it didn’t matter what he was called, as long as I left without being followed. I’d come to a nondescript grocery store to avoid running into any of the New York syndicate.
“Surprised?” I drawled. “No. Honestly, I was wondering when I would receive a warm, brotherly welcome.” It was a lie; I’d been trying to stay under the radar.
The weasel spat between us. “You come to our turf and don’t think we’re going to find out?”
I ran my finger over baskets containing hard-crusted breads partially wrapped in paper. “I’m just passing through. My uncle didn’t sanction this visit and doesn’t know I’m here.”
“Well, that’s even worse, isn’t it?” he sneered, bouncing on the balls of his toes. “How are we supposed to read that? The Pakhan of LA can’t even keep his guard dog on a leash.”
It was true. If another captain showed up without a formal announcement without our permission, it would be within our right to apprehend him. And we wouldn’t hesitate to gut him.
“I realize I didn’t follow the proper protocol, but honestly, there’s nothing going on,” I breathed.
The fucker whipped out a stiletto blade. I sighed. I had no one to blame but myself.
Setting my basket on the ground, I rolled up my sleeves. My jacket was back at Bri’s apartment, along with my tie. But it wasn’t like I was going to kill this piece of scum, no matter how much I might want to.
Charging straight at me, the small specimen swung right. I swerved and countered. He must have been alone or his posse would have shown up already.I need to drop him. Now!
While he was a spry little shit, I was done with this fight. I swung wide and clipped his chin with my fist. Moving into his space, I landed a second blow before grappling him. There wasn’t much neck, and my thick forearm nearly missed the groove to choke him, but I managed to find a hold and squeezed tight.
“Night, night,” I crooned as his kicks and twitching slowed. I gave it another minute to be safe.
Laying the local down, I noticed my arm was dripping blood on the floor.Ah, shit.The cut didn’t even sting, but blood was leaking everywhere. There was already a trail on my white dress shirt. I would have to change before Bri saw me.
Cupping the wound, I jogged down the aisle to find the cotton dishcloths, avoiding the other customers. I grabbed the first one, absently realizing it was covered with bright lemons and stems. It took short work to bind the injury.I can’t believe I let the fucker cut me. It was beyond sloppy.
Since no one sprang out of the other aisles to accost me, I reached for cleaning supplies and used a spray bottle of bleach to mop up the trail of blood. For good measure, I doused the knife, wiping my prints clean.
A store employee came round the corner, her eyes bulging as she saw what had transpired.
“He’ll be pissy when he wakes; best give him a wide berth,” I told the middle-aged shopkeeper.
“Is he—?”
“No, he’ll come to in a few minutes. You don’t even need to call an ambulance.” I laughed lightly, trying to set her at ease. Now that my bloody evidence was wiped clean, I grabbed my basket, swiped a few items off the shelves as I passed, and went to the checkout. I would have to make dinner with what I was lucky enough to have snatched in my mad dash to leave.
The cashier gaped at me. Deciding to avoid any more questions and flee the scene as quickly as possible, I threw a couple hundred-dollar bills on the conveyer belt. “Keep the change.”
As I threw the groceries into a paper bag, I snatched my phone from my pocket and hit the quick dial. After three rings, the queen of the cyber world answered.
“What’s going on, big brother?” Sophia chirped.
