Page 59 of Silent Heart

My lips twitched.

“You aren’t the only one—at least, not the only one willing. Find the others, show them the way.” Dimi yawned. “And then get your ass back to Chicago. I need you…brother.”

It was a word my cousin rarely used with me. The true nature of our biological relationship was a well-kept secret. My father impregnated Dimi’s mother so that her husband—our former leader—didn’t kill her. It didn’t matter, in the end, Uncle Matvei was responsible for my aunt’s demise. But he never suspected his son’s true parentage. It wasn’t until last year that my father disclosed the truth to us. We chose to continue the secrecy. I didn’t want Dimi’s job as pakhan. As the oldest cousin, it would be my right to take leadership of our crime syndicate. There would be unnecessary trouble in the ranks, and for what? So my father could openly call Dimisonand Luka and I could call himbrother? No, we had a strong relationship no matter what we called it. That label could stay buried for eternity and it wouldn’t change a damn thing.

“They’re out there, you just have to look,” Dimi insisted.

Maybe I should respond to that email.“And if I find them, what then?” I hedged. Dimitri might know more than he was letting on, thus the suddenness of this uncharacteristic heart-to-heart.

“Vet them out and see if it could be a working relationship,” my cousin said, as if it were the most natural conclusion in the world.

“I don’t even know where to look,” I lied.

“Quit making excuses, pussy.”

“Thanks for the fucking pep talk, bro,” I said shortly.

“Anytime.”

It was time to put this to rest. “I have to go now, but we’ll talk soon.”

“Wait! How’s lake life?”

An image of tanned skin decorated with ink, tight curves, and a cheerful smile came to mind. My chest tightened with a fierce protectiveness. “It’s good.”

“Doing any fishing?”

“I’m more interested in hunting, you know that.”

“Really? What’s in season?” Dimitri’s interest was piqued.

A twisted smile tugged at my lips.“Locals.”

“Kolya! What are you—”

“It’s under control, pakhan.” With that, I hung up.

***

The local watering hole was the Pine Lawn Tavern. It didn’t look like much from the outside. There were softball fields in the back for summer leagues. Dart and pool tournaments were held inside. And the food wasn’t half bad.

All that investigating earlier this evening summarized to a logical conclusion that this was where Joeseph Aitkin would disappear, never to be seen or heard from again.

Locals came here, and as long as they bought the sheriff’s boys a beer or two, they could drive home as drunk as they pleased. Tourists, who wanted to feel like real Wisconsinites, came to wet their whistles. But they didn’t fit in.

For someone who lived outside society, this place represented a rather fascinating case study.

There was no need to lure my prey outside. While there was a perfectly functional bathroom inside, the good-old-boys preferred to take a leak in nature. I anticipated lurking in the tree line for a couple of hours.

But it was less than half that time before Joeseph burst through the door, bottle in hand, and lumbered to the trees. The fact that this piece of filth dared touch Harley—

I clenched my fists. Her past was her own. I couldn’t fault her for dating him. He was well-to-do and classically good-looking. They’d grown up together, graduating the same year. But for him to throw their relationship back in her face like he did today—

Fuck.

The tears in her eyes.

She fought so bravely to keep them back. That kind of strength, to put on a show all day for her family, and then have to endure that?

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