Page 48 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

“I’m not telling you to do anything. We both know it wouldn’t do any good.”

“That’s true.”

Arslan rolls his eyes. “I’m just saying… you’ve worked a long time to get to where you are. And now, you’re poised on the edge of something big. I don’t want anything—or anyone—to distract you from it.”

I purse my lips. “It would take a lot more than a redhead with a nice ass to distract me from my goals.”

“Good. Great. Wonderful,” Arslan says. “Then I’m off my soapbox and back to my regularly scheduled bullshit, okay?”

“Or we could skip the bullshit and—”

“But is there a tape of your little finger puppet show this morning?” he taunts. “Please tell me there’s a video. I wanna watch. The free shit on the internet doesn’t do it for me anymore.”

I point to the door. “Get the fuck out.”

“I was kidding,” he laughs. Then he shrugs. “Okay, I wasn’t. But I knew you’d say no. You did record it, though, right?”

“Obviously.”

Arslan sighs. “Your job is so much better than mine. I mean, I spend my days gathering information and tracking old drunks around the city. And you’re in your office having sex with chicks for collateral.”

“If the promise of sex will get you out of this room, then go,” I say. “I’ll pay someone to have sex with you; just go find the unlucky lady and ask her to name her price. But right now, for the love of God, just leave.”

“Maybe I’ll double down on the accountant,” he says, wagging his brows. “I can drop into the conference room on my way out. No such thing as too much collateral, right?”

Something sharp pierces through me. “Don’t you even fucking look at her,” I bark before I can control it.

Arslan’s mouth turns up in a grin. “Message received, capitán.”

“I don’t like to share,” I growl. “And I’m not done with her yet.”

That’s all it is. I’ve promised Belle toe-curling orgasms. We have a “next time” to look forward to. And I don’t take Arslan’s sloppy seconds. I don’t takeanyone’ssloppy seconds.

“I was kidding, anyway,” he says. “I’m not into being watched and she has a kid in there with her.”

“A kid?”

“Her sister, Elise.” He points to the folder in front of me. “She’s fourteen, a C-student, and she has a secret Instagram account her sister doesn’t know about.”

“Good to know.”

“And that is why you put up with my shit,” Arslan says, turning to head out the door. “Because I’m the best in the business.”

I roll my eyes. But he isn’t wrong.

As soon as Arslan leaves, I get up and head down the hall. This is an office, not a daycare. I’m not giving up the penthouse in the Zinc for Elise to lounge around my office all day.

As soon as I turn the corner, I see Belle and Elise through the glass. Elise is pacing around like a caged animal while Belle talks calmly to her.

I edge down the hallway and stop in front of the propped-open door.

“You can’t leave the hotel room without telling me,” Belle is saying.

“I texted you!”

“And I’m working,” Belle argues. “You gave me four minutes to respond before you left. The only reason I know where you’re at right now is because the driver—”

“Is a liar,” Elise finishes. “I gave him the address and he brought me here instead. He said it was on Mr. Zhukova’s orders.”

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