Page 112 of Between Us

As he waited for Igor to fetch Dimitri, he reflected on his decisions. Whether his instinct was right or not, he couldn’t yet say. Trusting Matteo was a risky move. Stepan had pointed it out enough times already.

But his discussion with Matteo had also opened his eyes to a very important aspect. Nero Rossetti was absolutely terrified of Davit and his Clan. He would’ve never risked losing the ally he found in Vitaly's Bratva, regardless of his preferences for Roman at the head of the organization.

Everyone saw how Nero's fear of the Armenians and their brutal ways had brought him to the point of giving away his only daughter so she could be used as leverage against him. Not that Roman had any intention of using Alessandra in any way, but Vitaly would have gladly jumped at the opportunity, if it ever arose. Rossetti knew this fully well and still went on with the agreement.

No, Roman decided. The Italians wouldn't have shot Vitaly as they couldn’t afford the instability his sudden disappearance from the head of the organization brought.

He checked his watch and contemplated his next move. As per his agreement with Matteo, he would call Nero Rossetti to deliver the news himself. How that conversation was going to go depended on many things.If the man had any sense of self-preservation—and Roman knew all too well that he did—he was going to agree to the plan.

They had to get rid of Davit before it was too late.

41

“What did you think of Laney?”

Alessandra looked up from her menu to meet her husband's eyes across the table. As planned, they were having lunch atTsar, one of the two Bratva-owned restaurants.

“She's nice. I like her.”

Laney had been very polite; attentive even. The men however—some of them, anyway—had given her unfriendly looks as they left the meeting after nearly two hours of being holed up in that office. Although she wouldn't admit it to Roman, their open dislike had leftAlessandra feeling vulnerable again. It brought back memories of her kidnapping and the fear she'd felt then at the hands of similarly disgruntled men.

She wondered why Roman had even decided to bring her along, seeing that his men were still reticent at best about their marriage. Even though it didn't make much sense to her, she had decided not to question him about it.

Their waitress appeared with two cups that she procured from a silver tray and placed in front of them. “Your coffee.”

Roman gave her a brief nod. “Thank you, Lenka.”

“The appetizers should be ready in a few minutes.”

As the woman took her leave, Alessandra followed her retreating silhouette. As she did so, her eyes caught on the many portraits of Russian monarchs adorning the walls. The restaurant had a very traditional feel to it with its imperial theme and lively colors. The red-framed chairs with uniquely woven upholstery drew the most attention, although the richly ornate wallpaper and the golden details framing the ceiling were also notable. Roman had called it Russian kitsch. Alessandra thought it was lovely.

“I love this place. It feels so warm and cozy.”

Roman gave her a smile over the rim of his coffee cup. The delicate, blue-and-gold porcelain cup looked significantly smaller in his hand. “I'm glad you think so.”

While he took his coffee black, Alessandra reached for the matching sugar bowl and added two cubes to her cappuccino. “Speaking of Laney, would you mind if I got involved at the clubs? With the events, I mean. I think she could use a hand between handling both clubs.”

If he was surprised by her request, he didn't show it. He sipped on his scalding drink thoughtfully. “Is that what you want?”

She gave a small shrug. Spending time at the clubs meant running into the same men that couldn't stand the sight of her. It was inevitable. But she couldn't take another few months of doing nothing.

Besides, Vladik and Vladimir were going to be there,so logically, she knew nothing would happen to her. Roman trusted them to protect her, and if she were being honest, she'd mostly grown used to their shadows following her wherever she went.

“It’s only for a few hours on the weekends, and I need something to keep me busy until I start college.”

“I'll talk to Laney.”

“Thanks,” Alessandra said, relieved that he was so quick to agree to it. In light of recent events, she had expected him to be more reticent about her request. She took a drink before changing the subject. “Any news on your father?”

“Nothing's changed.”

Vitaly had survived those critical twenty-four hours post-surgery, but the doctors still couldn’t say when he would be out of his artificially-induced coma. They didn’t even want to consider it until his brain healed completely.

“I never asked, but… what happens now?”

“What do you mean?”

She lowered her voice. “I mean, with the…organization.”

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