Page 118 of Little Deer
Another nod. “Mishka and I grew to be very good friends. We didn’t have a typical marriage relationship. We tried, but it just didn’t work. There was no connection. He was the son of Timur Belov, the Pakhan in California. Well, the northern part. There is another Pakhan that is in the lower part of the state, but they work together.”
“You’re fucking married?”Sienna screeches.
“No,” Rori snaps. “Jesus, Sienna, I’m not a fucking cheater. Mishka was killed when I was eighteen. An assassin took him out on the orders of another family in Oregon. It caused a brutal feud.”
“Wasn’t me,” Tatiana says when we all look at her.
Rori shakes her head. “No, it wasn’t her. The assassin was also sent after Timur, and I stopped it.” She gives a rueful smile. “My father’s training came in handy for something, I guess. After that, Timur gave me freedom. I wasn’t handling Mishka’s death well, I was only eighteen, and in his eyes I deserved the favor. So I was given leave to live my life, but at some point, I would have to go back. If he required me, I was to return to him and I was never to leave California. I had to stay where I was under his supervision and protection.”
“So, you’re not a bounty hunter? And that’s why you taught me all that stuff about the knots and ropes? And how to protect myself?”
“I wanted to make sure that if anyone found out who I was and tried to come after me, you would know how. And, well, after I found out what happened to your mother, it was for safety too. As for the bounty hunting, I do do that, but I never touch anyone in the Belov organization. Ever. That’s a hard rule. Anyone comes up on my radar, I get them back to Belov and they make it disappear.”
“So coming here, you’ve broken all the rules? That’s why you got the call the other day?” Sienna asks. “So who is your father then? Or the guy you called your father and told me all about?”
“He’s a handler that Timur assigned to me. They had to make it believable, so I took the name Aurora O’Brien. The problem was that the O’Briens want more power than they have, more connections. They thought they could beat it out of me, but I made them see the error of their ways a few times. It only pissed them off more. The man I pretended was my father liked to tattleon me to Timur, who would get pissed at me for almost blowing my cover and not respecting him. I’m just a woman, after all.” That part is said bitterly.
“And the last part,” Tatiana coaxes.
Rori glares. “Shut the hell up,” she snaps. “I’ll take you the hell down and be done with it.”
“Try it and see what happens,” Tatiana invites coldly. “Your father might be feared, but in the face of me, I’ve brought him to heel.”
Rori ignores her, and I’m not sure if that’s smart or incredibly stupid. “Leaving California and coming here, helping you all, especially battling against another Russian family, is grounds for Timur to either kill me or find another use for me. And the other uses would be for me to work for him again, or marry his other son, Simeon Belov.”
“And he’s not about to kill someone that he can use for more connections and to keep people in line,” Tatiana interjects. She looks at Alonzo. “So I’m afraid your lady has a wedding that she needs to attend. Which is exactly why we need to leave. We’ve wasted enough time.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Alonzo snaps. “She’s not fucking marrying some fucking Russian.”
“That’s not up to you. She’s leaving with me.” She lifts her gun. “And if you get any ideas on following, I would rethink that, unless you’d like to go home in a body bag in pieces.”
“Alonzo, stop,” Rori orders sharply. “Please.” Alonzo freezes, staring at her. “I’ll be fine. Just…just look after Sienna for me, please.” She looks at Sienna, regret and pain lining her expression. Sienna looks like she’s in shock. “I love you, Sienna. Go and have a good life with Alessio. Have adorable dark-haired babies, and don’t worry about me, alright? I’ll get in touch with you when I finally can.”
“Rori, please,” Sienna whispers, looking broken.
“I’ll be fine, I promise. I only wanted you to be safe, and you are now.” Then she looks at Alonzo, and there’s more pain and regret there. “I…Alonzo, I need you to take Hades. He can’t come with me.” Alonzo shakes his head. “Alonzo, please,” she begs. “Call him and keep him with you. If he comes with me…Timur won’t allow him to be around me. He’ll kill him as punishment. I know he will. I can’t allow that. Please, take him and keep him safe.”
Alonzo looks gutted and my chest constricts in pain for my best friend. “Rori…”
“Please.”
Finally, he nods. Relief pours over Rori’s face. “Thank you.” She orders a sharp command in Russian to Hades, pointing at Alonzo. Hades whines, but he goes, slowly, like he’s not understanding why. When he stops by Alonzo, Alonzo reaches down to grip his collar. “Good boy,” Rori says, eyes wet. She says another word in Russian, and Hades immediately starts to bark, whine, almost like he understands his mistress is about to leave him.
“Excellent. Now I don’t have to worry about dog fur in the plane.” Then she pins Nico, Dante, Papa, Aurelio, and finally Alonzo with a warning look. “And don’t even think of trying to follow. I have the entire city surrounded with people that will do my bidding. I’d hate to leave the women in your lives widows before their lives have even gotten to be enjoyed with you. Oh, and if any of you give my name or image to anyone, I’ll be back, and this will be an entirely different conversation. And just as a reminder, I got into your mansion without your notice days ago, I uncovered all your secrets without you even realizing I was there, and I was able to get close to you without you ever being suspicious. Do not test me on this. Alessandra De Luca is dead, as is Tatiana Alekseeva. Bring up either of those names, and I’llknow exactly where it came from. Oh, and get this fucking city under control. I don’t want to come back. Rori, time to go.”
One of the guards opens the back door, and she slips inside. None of us move. Because we know she’s right. Rori slides in as well, but before the door shuts, I see the tears on her cheeks.
The only sound that fills the air is Hades’ frantic barks as the car pulls down the drive.
52
MASSIMO
Alonzo shoves morethings into a bag, his face set in determination. “Alonzo, are you sure?—”
“Don’t you fucking dare,” Alonzo snaps at me, cutting me off. His eyes are wild, and I can feel the desperation and the fury coming off him in waves. “I don’t care about all that bullshit she said, or what that other bitch threatened. I’m going after her.”
“Look, I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be, but don’t act on impulse. You’re going to get yourself killed.” He rounds on me, fists clenched and I hold up my hands. “I’m not saying not to go after her. I know you want her, but this isn’t a normal operation. We’re talking about people that will kill you on sight.”
