Page 45 of Mated In The Big City

He was not stupid.The charges would not hold up in court, well, the illegal importing thing was tricky, but his lawyer would deal with it.Konstantin was not worried about any of that.His mind was on two things, his sister, and his mate.The safe return of Alina was imperative, and his mate’s security tantamount to all.

“I will return to you,moya lyiveetsa.No matter what,” he quietly vowed.

ChapterNine

Yasmin didn’t understand why she wasn’t allowed to speak to Konstantin himself, but Eduardo had come to get her and her son and aunt with the message that it was for their safety.

Not a fool, she’d packed their overnight bags and announced they were going on a special trip to her friend’s summer house.Apparently, Konstantin had half a dozen condos and full houses scattered across New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.Eduardo gave her a choice, and she picked the closest one.

A beautiful ranch style house with a swimming pool over in North Jersey.That way she could take the bus to Manhattan the next day.Who knew?Maybe when this was done.she could even visit her parents in the Garden State.It had been a minute since she’d seen them, and she knew Mikey would enjoy it.Sure, they’d been upset when she left the Pride and got mixed up with Tyler.But they loved her and their grandson.

After ensuring the safety of both her son and her aunt.Yasmin did just that.The armed guard who’d been paid to watch them was sure to catch hell from his boss, but that wasn’t her problem.She just needed to make sure he was safe.An hour and a half later, she was standing inside the office ofThe Stripe Clubwith one pissed off Grizzly.The second the man had spied her he called the guard and tore him a new asshole.

Yikes.

“Look, I am here now, so just knock it off.”

“Dammit, Yas.He’s gonna be so fucking pissed at me.”

“Yeah, well too bad cause I am pissed at him.I don’t understand.What is going on?”Yasmin asked.

The club had been closed due to a failed inspection, but she knew that was bullshit.Konstantin treated his employees better than most people treated their kids.He was meticulous about safety and security.No.this was the bratva or even worse, the government.

A cleaning crew had already been in to disinfect and wipe down the office, removing all trace of the beating Konstantin had suffered at the hands of the Russian mob.And a harried looking Eduardo was on hold with the building inspector’s office.

“You need to go back to the house, Yasmin.Please.Just stay where we know you are safe.Can’t you see this is a mess?”

She looked at the Grizzly Bear and noted the stress lines around his eyes and mouth.Something was terribly wrong.The Bear might work for Konstantin, but Yasmin was not going anywhere.She’d claimed the Tiger, and that meant his mess was hers.She would stay and help.

“Yes, I am on hold for O’Reilly,” Eduardo spoke into the receiver.“What do you mean he can’t take my call?Motherfuck---”

“Who is that?”

“Piece of shit building inspector.That fat fuck O’Reilly thinks he can ignore us, after all the money Konstantin paid him!”

“Here.Give me your phone.”

Yasmin grabbed the phone from him and hit redial.Eyes narrowed, one hand on her hip, she waited for her call to be answered.

“Hello?Yes, this is Yasmin Malek for Konstantin Petrov, owner ofThe Stripe Club, is Inspector O’Reilly in?”

“Look, sweetheart.What did I tell the other guy, huh?”

The secretary, a Shifter just like the Inspector, was more than a little rude.Shifters often found ways of working with other Shifters, especially within the human world.Typically, it was better that way.

But rude was rude.Her inner Lioness seethed, but Yasmin bit her tongue and waited for the female to finish.

“He is not at your boss’ beck and call.Besides, I hear he’s corrupt, anyway.So you know, Mr.O’Reilly does not want to talk to any of you.You get me?”

“I see,” Yasmin hissed.“Well then, please, will you pass on a message?Tell Mr.O’Reilly that the footage of his private lap dances with two of our weekend headliners,BunnyandJosie, ---he will know the ones because he ordered copies for his ownprivate collection.Anyway, please tell him those videos are on their way to every social media outlet in the fucking world, unless he stops dicking around, and gets his slow Elephantine ass over here to immediately undo all of this BULLSHIT!You get me, sweetheart?” Yasmin snarled and clicked the phone off.

“Wow,” Eduardo replied, exhaling.“that was, uh, that was really something, Yas.Say, maybe you could help out with some of this other stuff, too?”

He handed her a long list of people to call, along with things that had gone wrong in the last day or two.Yasmin shook her head.Between the bratva and the government, she wasn’t sure who was worse.There was a lot to do if she was going to save her mate’s club for him.

Yes, it might get dangerous, but her heart was in it now.There was simply no way she was backing out and leaving Konstantin in the lurch.Besides something else was going on, and she wanted to know what.First things first.

“Look, Eduardo, you should know that I marked Konstantin because I love him, and I needed to save him.Not for his money, or power, or anything else.”

---