Page 129 of Wrapped in Perfection

"You can all mind your own business. I know what I'm doing. And you better get your head straight, Maksim," Boris says through clenched teeth.

"About what?"

Boris shakes out of Maksim's grasp. "Lorenzo is not going to wait. He's going to attack us. It'll be dirty, just like his father. Everyone will be in danger. Us. Our workers. Our women. Stop being stupid and give me the go-ahead to take care of this."

He's right. Anna is in danger while Lorenzo is alive.

"This isn't just anyone. It's the mob boss. We have to strike at the right time. It can never be linked back to us," Maksim reminds him.

Boris points in Maksim's face. "Figure out a time—this week. If you don't, I will. I'm not letting that little weasel shove us around anymore. We're losing millions because of him. And I'll be damned if I let him continue to threaten us."

"You need to take a breather," I state.

"You want him coming after Anna?" Boris fires out.

My stomach twists. "No. You're right. He needs to be taken down. But Maksim is correct, too. And you're dealing with Zamir right now. What night are you meeting him?"

Boris scowls. "You know how it works. He reminds me. Then he calls, and I have to drop everything and go."

"So, you see why you cannot move on Lorenzo until we are past the other situation?"

Boris sniffs and stares at the ceiling, clenching his teeth.

Maksim puts both hands on his cheeks and makes him look at him. "We all want the same thing. One thing at a time, little brother."

"I want him tracked. At the very least, it's time to follow his every move."

Maksim nods. "Okay. I will implement it immediately. He won't shit without us knowing."

Boris steps back. "I've gotta go. I'll be late for my session with Aleksei." He gets to the door, and I stop him.

"You tell us when Zamir calls."

He closes his eyes briefly and nods.

I pat his back, and he steps out. I nod for Sergey to go with him.

When they both are gone, Maksim says, "Zamir needs to be dealt with."

"We've gone around and around about this. Zamir is not stupid like Lorenzo. He doesn't make mistakes."

Maksim rubs his face. "Why didn't I see it?"

"Don't," I sharply demand. Every year, Maksim goes on a guilt spree about how he should have known about our mother's involvement with Zamir. He blames himself for everything we've been through and my mother's death.

He crosses his arms and stares out into the city. "We need a plan B for the lots. Taking care of Lorenzo doesn't guarantee we'll end up with the land."

"We overpaid for all seven if we can't develop it. The cost of the chemical cleanup alone makes it undesirable if we can't build what we planned."

Maksim sighs, and it comes out as a growl. "We need to sell the East Bay project out quickly. Now that we know the design and have the first units done to show and the roof concept, we need to get contracts. There's too much cash tied up on those seven lots."

My stomach clenches. Money tied up means we can't use it to expand. It creates a possible layoff situation in a few months for our workers. "Boris can't handle Lorenzo right now. Not with Zamir in the picture. One of us will need to do it."

Maksim turns. "We track him first. You know this. We do not skip steps. War with the Rossi family is not something we can afford. His death needs to trace to another crime family."

"The only beef I know he has right now is with the O'Malleys."

"That isn't happening."

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