Page 69 of Merciless Union
“Hey.” I lean over and cup her face. “I just don’t know if I can give you the answer you’re looking for.”
She sighs. “Making love doesn’t mean you have to be in love. It can just be a sweet way to have sex. That’s all I’m looking for.”
“You’re sure about that?”
She makes a face. “I think I know my own heart and mind, Maxim.”
I nod, pulling away. “I’ll think about what you said. But I really do need to go now.”
“Ok. Be safe.”
“Always am.”
As I walk out the door, Arina’s words ring in my mind.Be safe.Other than Kira, no one has ever said that to me before.
I drive to my family’s bar, The Silver House Bar, where all Petrov mafia meetings are held. Everyone knows who the bar belongs to. You don’t step foot in it unless you’re looking for trouble.
I burst inside, looking around. A girl sitting at the bar lets out a small scream at the sight of me. I must look crazed or pissed off. Probably both.
I glare at her until she grabs her purse and leaves. Then I pass the innocent civilians who frequent the front part of the bar and make my way to a more secluded section in the back.
Nik is there, surrounded by a couple of my guys. George is there, standing next to Nik. No sign of Stepan.
I give George a nod before looking at Nik. “Everything going well?”
Nik leans in close, lowering his voice. “Stepan was spotted outside earlier. Not sure what he has planned.”
I nod at the rest of the men in the room. They’re sitting around a table holding blocks of heroin and money. “Ok. Grab the shit that’s yours. You know what to do with it.” Each man here has a dealer to give drugs to. The dealers will sell the drugs, give their earnings to my guys, who’ll then give it to me.
Each man grabs a block of heroin, and Nik starts collecting the money from previous sales.
Seeing George, I walk over to him. “How are things, George?” I ask as the other men begin to trickle out of the room.
“I’m doing better.”
“Good to hear it.”
Nik finishes counting the money and hands it to me. “Everything is all here.”
“Good.” I hand it back. “Now, go fucking launder it.”
Nik smirks. “That was Stepan’s job.”
“Well, Stepan can go fuck himself.”
Just then, shrieks come from the front of the bar. My entire body tenses. I grow even stiffer at the sound of gunshots.
“Fuck,” Nik hisses.
George ducks under the table, grabbing his gun.
Nik approaches the door, his gun already drawn.
I stand back, holding my gun lightly, waiting for Stepan to pounce.
A bullet zips through the door. Nik jumps out of the way, yelling, “Shit!”
“Stepan, come out, you fucking bastard,” I shout, cocking my gun and aiming it at the door.
