Page 107 of Mountain Mens' Curvy Obsession

“Nico,” I whisper.

Zoya gives me a wry smile. “The cavalry has arrived.”

“Zoya, what is the meaning of this?” Ivan Abramovic says, sounding downright insulted.

Altogether, I’m counting three dozen military or former military men along with the Asimovs’ old guard. For the first time, Leo is severely outnumbered. Frozen. And likely panicking.

Chance and Booker emerge from behind their partners, their green eyes trained on me.

“Oh, God,” I manage. They’re here.

“Outside contractors,” Zoya tells Ivan. “Given the damage Mr. Sokolov inflicted upon my family and our business, I had to source my security from elsewhere. Trustworthy gentlemen, I assure you. Their federal friends, on the other hand, are not as malleable.”

“What are you talking about?” Lev asks.

“Well, like Anya just told you, there’s an ongoing investigation into Leo Sokolov and his entire syndicate,” Zoya says with a casual shrug. “What do you think will happen if you all decide to vote to support him now?”

The blood instantly drains from Ivan’s round face. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“I have a better idea,” Nico interjects.

“Fuck this,” Leo takes his gun out.

A split-second later—POP!

A bullet goes through Leo’s head.

I close my eyes and scream as blood spatters across my jacket. I fall back, but someone catches me.

“Freeze!” Nico’s voice booms through the hall.

“Nobody fucking move!” Chance adds.

I look up. Zoya’s on the floor, holding me close. Leo’s men are like statues with their hands frozen in the air.

“That didn’t have to happen,” Nico says calmly. “I do not want any more bloodshed, but that’s going to be up to you all.”

“We have no issue with anyone else,” Booker adds. “In fact, we’ve secured a clear exit for every council member who does not want to bump into the ATF on their way out. There’s a team of federal agents waiting to take every Sokolov syndicate member into custody. Your choice, ladies and gentlemen.”

Ivan Abramovic shakes his head. “I did not see this coming.”

“Frankly, neither did I,” Nico replies. “But Leo forced our hand when he kidnapped Anya.”

“Let it be,” Lev tells Ivan. “It’s better this way. The Asimovs get their turf back. They can rebuild. We split the Sokolov fronts between us. Everybody wins.”

“You can’t do that,” objects one of Leo’s lieutenants. “The treaty says—”

“The treaty?” Tatyana laughs. “You fuckers didn’t care about the treaty when you gunned one of the founding families down to steal their territories!”

“And you were ready to vote against the same founding family just now!” the lieutenant insists.

Booker moves in and presses the muzzle of his weapon into the guy’s temple. “Yes, but the terms have clearly changed. And reasonable people know when they’re better off taking a step back. You’re going to prison either way, buddy.”

“You’re safe now,” Zoya whispers in my ear.

All I can do is stare at Nico for the longest moment. I see the pain in the green pools of his eyes. Killing a man will take its toll on him. But he saved me.

“Well, then, I suppose we can reconvene in about a week?” Ivan says, looking around as if he’s just about to wrap up a quarterly budget meeting at a corporate office. “Same time, different place?”

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