Apparently, my brother is looking for a fight today. “You better watch yourself now, Niko. Don’t go down there alone.”
“You do. Why can’t I?”
“I’m the fucking pahkan. I can do whatever I damn well please.” I’m just being an asshole now for no good reason. Why shouldn’t he try? But I’m dug in and there’s no going back.
He’s silent for a prolonged few seconds. “Fine,” he spits bitterly. “As you say, you’re the pahkan. Just try not to take all goddamn day, yeah?”
He hangs up before I can bite back at him. Alyssa’s lunch takes another hour. I’m at the point where I’m ready to walk in and pull her out when I notice Alyssa signal to the waitress for the bill. I step into the restaurant to intercept the hostess and pay for their meal myself. A few minutes later, both women walk out towards me.
Alyssa has her arm linked with Elle’s, who steps up to me with curious eyes and a careful smile.
“Thanks for the meal,” she says. “You didn’t have to.”
“It was my pleasure. Lovely to meet you, Elle. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Any attempt at sizing me up subtly is quickly abandoned. She sweeps me up and down like she’s checking me for weapons. She’d better not look too closely, though, because she’ll find several. “All good things, I hope.”
“Nothing but good. You’ll have to come and visit Alyssa at the estate one day when you’re free.”
Alyssa looks surprised that I made the offer but she doesn’t say anything. Elle just nods. “I’ll definitely do that. Oh, and—congrats.”
Something inside me blows up like a balloon. It feels suspiciously like real joy. “Thank you.”
Once we’ve said goodbye to Elle and cleared the restaurant, Alyssa turns to me with a grateful smile. “Thanks for letting me do that today. It was much needed.”
“How much did you tell her?”
“Only enough to reassure her that I was not in any danger with you.”
“So you lied to her?”
She snorts. “Not helping.”
I suppress a smile and step on the gas. I already know that the long wait will piss Nikolai off. I’m hoping it does. I’m not in a charitable mood.
The moment we get back home, I escort Alyssa to her bed to get some rest. She goes without a fuss, which is a surefire sign that her little outing has tired her out. Once she’s tucked away, I leave the house again and cross the garden towards the shed.
Nikolai’s already in there, looking blotchy-faced with anger. “There you are!” he snaps, bouncing to his feet. “Fucking finally.”
“What the hell is your problem today?”
I really don’t need to be at odds with Nikolai right now. But he’s making it difficult not to want to wring his neck.
“We have work to do. An enemy pakhan to crack and you’re out there, supervising teatime with the ladies.”
I snatch him up by the collar and pull him towards me so that he can see the fire in my eyes. “You may be my brother, Niko—but that doesn’t mean I won’t kick the shit out of you if I have to.” I push him back hard so that he stumbles a bit. “Now, check your attitude or I’ll check it for you.”
Nikolai straightens up, his jaw set in a tight square. “Can I go downstairs now, sir?”
“Be my guest.”
Scowling, he trots downstairs and I follow close behind. Alan is huddled up on his side of the cell with a pillow placed over his head. He stirs and groans dramatically when we turn the lights on. Boris, on the other hand, looks alert and wide awake as Nikolai opens the cell door and struts in.
I have to hand it to him—the man is a workhorse. He’s been through two solid weeks of torture. He’s had parts of his body flayed, been deprived of food and water for days on end. He’s got a broken leg and probably a few broken ribs now, too. Even waterboarding him for endless hours did nothing.
Through it all, he’d stayed silent. If he hadn’t sold my sister into sex slavery, he might have earned my respect.
As it is, he’ll only earn more violence.
“Back to beat a dead horse?” Boris drawls. His voice gets raspier with each passing day. I like to think it’s the will leaving his body.
“Tsk, tsk. You’re not dead yet, Boris. Nor are you going to enjoy the sweet relief of death until my sister is back under my protection.”
He manages a bloody, toothless smirk. “Pain is all in the head.”