Page 28 of Toxic Temptation
KOVAN
EARLIER THAT DAY
“Incoming,” Pavel warns.
I don’t need to look up from my paperwork to know what’s crawling up my driveway. Pavel’s dead-flat tone says it all—part disgust, part resignation, like he’s announcing the arrival of a plague.
“Let me guess,” I mutter. “Ihor.”
“Bingo.” Pavel moves away from the window, shaking his head. “And judging by the way he’s stomping up those steps, he’s here to collect.”
Collect what, exactly?My compliance? My submission? My willingness to bend the knee to a man who thinks he owns me just because he was kissing my father’s ass since before I could walk?
“He’ll be sorely disappointed.” I toss my pen on my desk and lean back grimly in the chair.
Pavel leans against my desk, those hazel eyes of his going serious. “You know he’s not going to let the organ thing go, right? That trade was his baby. His golden goose.”
“Well, his golden goose just got its neck wrung.”
“Sure did. And now, he’s pissed.” Pavel runs a hand through his hair. “Look, I get it. You want to clean up the family business, make us less of a target for the feds. But Ihor’s not going to roll over and play dead just because you’re the new boss, Ko.”
“What’s he going to do? Challenge me outright? He’d have to be suicidal. Even he isn’t that stupid.”
“No, but he’s got other ways to make your life hell.” Pavel’s voice drops. “He’s got Luka.”
And there it is. The knife between my ribs, twisted just enough to remind me of exactly how trapped I am.
Because Pavel’s right. Ihor doesn’t need to come for me directly. All he has to do is whisper poison in Yana’s ear, convince her that San Francisco isn’t safe anymore, that maybe they should take their little family somewhere new. Somewhere far away.
Somewhere I can’t protect my nephew.
“I know what he’s got,” I say quietly.
The knock on my door is sharp, demanding. Osip appears a second later, his usual grin replaced by something closer to a grimace.
“He’s here,” Osip announces. “And he’s about as charming as a fucking root canal.”
I check my watch. “Tell him I’ll be with him in twenty minutes.”
“Twenty?” Pavel raises an eyebrow.
“The man needs to learn patience.”
Osip’s grin returns. “My pleasure.”
The door clicks shut, leaving Pavel and me alone with the weight of what’s coming.
“You know this is just going to piss him off more,” Pavel points out.
“Good.” I pull out a deck of cards from my desk drawer. “Maybe if he’s angry enough, he’ll say something stupid. Something I can use against him.”
We play three hands of gin rummy while Ihor waits outside like a rabid dog. I win all three, but the victory feels hollow. Everything feels hollow these days.
When I finally let him in, Ihor storms through my door like he owns the place. His face is flushed red, those beady eyes of his blazing with indignation.
“Did you forget I was here?” he demands, his voice pitched high with outrage.
“Not at all.” I gesture to the cards still spread across my desk. “Pavel and I were finishing up some important business.”
