Page 4 of Paved in Venom

Vitaly glares at me, knowing I’m pushing all his buttons. Oleg hasn’t done shit for this club. This is all Vitaly’s doing, and we all know it. Well, everyone knows it except for the dumbass at his heels.

“He’s gonna kick your ass, man,” Lev mutters next to me.

I finish my drink and smile. “Let him fucking try.”

My brothers and I are brothers by choice, a family because we chose to become one. We grew up together in Moscow, our own families not worth hanging onto, and it’s a decision I’ve never regretted.

Brothers in blood, in life, and in death.

They’re everything to me, and I’d take a bullet for them without a second thought. That doesn’t mean I don’t like to irritate the hell out of them on occasion, though. Vitaly’s still scowling at me when he switches to English and tells Oleg, “Why don’t you go have a drink with my brothers? I’m sure they’d love to hear all the amazing improvements you’ve made to the club.”

Matvey groans and shoots me a look. “Nice job. Now we’re stuck with the dumbass.”

I smile at his grouchy face and stand up. “No,” I correct him, “you guys are stuck with him.”

“Don’t you dare leave and bury your head in that fucking computer,” he says, and I try not to laugh at how pissed he looks.

My smile grows right as Oleg appears. “Too late,” I tell him in Russian. Switching to English, I clap Oleg on the back like we’re old friends. “Sorry, Oleg, I need to go and get some work done, but Matvey and Lev would love to hang out with you for a bit.”

“We’re going to make him pay for this, right?” Lev asks Matvey in Russian.

“Damn straight we are.”

I give them both a big smile and leave the VIP section. I find Vitaly talking to a group of strippers. I quickly count twelve heads. Manwhore is the word we often use to describe Vitaly, but he’s actually been professional with all of our dancers. He hasn’t fucked a single one of them, and we’re all baffled by it, himself included.

“Has everyone seen the schedule for opening week?” he asks them, speaking in Russian since they all understand it.

When the girls nod, he flips through some paperwork and scratches at the stubble on his cheek. “Don’t forget, they’re not allowed to touch you unless you allow it. If you decide to go to one of the back rooms to give a lap dance, then that’s your decision. If you decide to do more, again, that’s your decision. Keep the money. I don’t want to see it. If any of the men try and force you to do something or if they get too rough, tell someone immediately. Come find me or one of my brothers or get one of the bouncers. That kind of thing will not be allowed here.”

Vitaly spots me leaning against the wall behind him and gives me a quick nod to let me know he’s almost done. He’s already forgotten that he was pissed at me a few minutes ago. That’s how it’s always been between the five of us. None of us can stay mad for long. I have no doubt that Lev and Matvey will give me hell for leaving them with Oleg, but it’s all in fun.

“Tell me or one of my brothers if you hear anything about women coming in,” Vitaly continues. “I want to know anything that sounds like it might be about sex trafficking or anything that might be connected to the Red Viper.”

The women keep their eyes on my brother and nod. They’re not stupid. They’re all familiar with trafficking, and I have no doubt they’ll tell us anything they hear. It’s the reason we’re doing all of this. When Vitaly is done with his speech, he tells the dancers they can go home, and then he turns his attention to me.

“Fuck me, man. I’m ready for this grand opening to be over with.”

“The place is looking good,” I tell him, eyeing the strategically placed stripper poles so men can eat while getting an up-close-and-personal view of the dancers.

“Well, it sure as hell looks a lot better than the dump it was. You should see the dressing room I set the girls up with. It’s fucking huge, and I even got a few hot tubs back there so they can rest their sore muscles after a night of dancing.”

I laugh and raise a brow at him. “You sure you aren’t fucking any of them?”

“I know, I can hardly believe it myself. I’ve resisted the urge so far. They’re too much a part of all this shit,” he says, waving his hand at the area around us, and I know exactly what he means. “We’re paying them, so it’d make me feel like a jackass to fuck them, too.”

He holds up a hand before I can say anything.

“Yeah, I know. I’m usually a jackass, but this is different.”

I laugh and nod. “I know what you mean.”

He gives me a smile. “Besides, it’s not like it’s hard to just go to another club and pick up a piece of ass.”

“Ah, there’s the manwhore brother I know and love.”

“Yeah, like you’re a fucking monk. I saw you leave that club we were at a few weeks ago with a blonde. What was her name?”

“Jackass,” I mutter with a laugh. He knows damn good and well I didn’t get her name, nor do I care to know it. I do know I was so bored I started counting thrusts. She was a quick fuck, just like all the others. No attachments, no expectations, nothing except a much-needed release, and then I walk away. That’s how I like it. I don’t have the time or desire for anything else.

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