20. Alik

20

ALIK

I ’m jolted awake by the deafening ring of my phone, my head jerking up while my eyelids crinkle.

Olive’s warm, petite form shifts beneath my arm, and by the time I force my eyes open, she’s already grabbed my phone. She holds it out to me, a hand pressed to her mouth to cover a yawn.

It’s dark in the bedroom. Still nighttime dark, without even a sliver of sunrise peeking in through the window. Not a good sign.

If it’s about Olive…

I clear my throat and ignore the jump in my pulse as I take the cell and hit the green button. “Yeah?”

“My house. Now.”

Squinting, I pull back my phone to look at the caller ID, although Roman’s gravelly voice is easily identifiable.

“Care to fill me in on what’s wrong?”

He hangs up without a response, and I stare at the blinking contact a moment before tossing my phone on the bed. My head spins as the room shifts. Bile pushes up my esophagus like I’m getting seasick on this bed that I swear has started to sway.

“Is everything okay?” Olive asks in her sweet, na?ve voice.

I nod and count myself lucky that she can’t see my face in the dark. It feels prickly and cold, like the blood has drained from it.

This is how fear feels. Nauseating fear.

Nikita knows.

“Alik?” Olive’s hand gently lays over my arm.

“Yeah.” I nod a few times more than necessary before standing from the bed. “Everything’s fine. Just have to go to work.”

“Now?” She picks up my phone. “It’s four in the morning.”

I pull on my pants while my hands sweat.

If she can run…

No. If they knew where she was, they would be here. If she runs, they could be waiting for her.

She should stay put.

Or hide better.

I look around while pulling on my shirt, as if a safe room will happen to catch my eye or something.

“Do you want me to wait for you?” she asks, her knees drawing up.

I turn on the lamp to find my shoes and catch the angelic look in her eyes. Soft. Sweet. Caring. She’s a killer, yet at the same time, she’d never hurt a fly.

I’m helplessly drawn to her by the spell she casts on me, and I promised her last night, in my mind, that I would stop fighting it. It didn’t strike me until now what an irony the two of us are. I once called her the moth to a flame type, but I had it wrong.

She is the flame.

I am the moth.

And I have to protect her even if it kills me.

“No,” I say, slipping my phone into my pocket. “No, it’s all right. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. It could be all day… Tell you what, though, if I’m not back by tonight, call your dad. It should be safe out here for you, but it doesn’t hurt for him to send a few guards.”

“Guards who won’t let you in.” She laughs nervously while I focus on pulling on my jacket.

“Alik?”

I bend down and kiss her lips. “I gotta go. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

I pull away and head out the door, leaving her to sit in her confusion. If I’m not back by tonight, it means I’m probably dead.

During the drive to Roman’s, winding through a random route just in case someone spots me so they won’t have any idea which direction I’m coming from, I repeatedly tell myself they don’t know where she is. If they did, they would’ve shown up.

There are ten or so vehicles parked in Roman’s drive when I pull in, which is … strange. I park behind Maksim then head inside.

My chin is high, and I’m confident the blood has returned to my face, but my heart still races as I weave through his halls toward booming voices.

She’ll be fine.

If they knew where she was, they would be there.

Over and over, I repeat it.

It isn’t until I throw open the doors to Roman’s dining room, revealing all lieutenants sitting at his long table, that the words trail from my mind.

All heads turn my way.

I stare at them, roaming my eyes up the two rows to land on Roman at the head of the table. Every person who holds power within the Bratva is in this room at four thirty in the morning, except Nikita. Which means…

This isn’t about Olive.

Can’t be.

“Did you hear?” Boris, a laid-back man I occasionally work for asks, his hands clasped behind his head as he leans back in the dining chair.

I point my stare at Roman. “Hear what?”

Roman stands. “Nikita has been arrested.”

My eyes narrow slightly.

Arrested?

The Pakhan.

The police arrested the Pakhan.

Is this a joke?

“We’re discussing what to do about it.”

I wander my gaze around at all the lieutenants. “And you wanted my opinion?”

“Sit, Alik.” Roman waves to one of two vacant chairs, and I promptly go to take it.

This isn’t about Olive.

I try not to let it show on my face when relief relaxes my muscles into soft blobs. It’s telling that Olive is more important to me than my own Pakhan.

Maybe I’m not only loyal to the Bratva.

Maybe I’m not loyal to them at all.

Roman sits back down and leans toward me while all the others stare with an eagerness I don’t understand. They want something from me. I can tell that much.

“As you probably know, Vitaly was released from prison recently.”

My eyes narrow further as I nod.

Roman steeples his fingers together. “We discussed it, and everyone here is in agreement that if Nikita were to have someone find Vitaly, it would be you.”

“Why?”

Roman’s eyebrows raise as he lowers his head.

“’Cause you’re his favorite,” Boris answers for him. “And because, come on. We all know you have a bit of a history with the prince.” He gestures to his eye.

I glare at Boris. “I mean , why are you discussing this? Why do you care what Nikita asked me to do?”

“We’re a Pakhan down.” Boris shrugs. “We need to protect our organization.”

“ By getting Nikita out ,” I growl. I don’t like where this is going.

“If they’re willing to arrest him, it means they have solid evidence and an agenda,” Maksim pipes up. “We’re doing everything we can to help the Pakhan. But if he needs a stand-in, it’s convenient that Vitaly may be able to assist. It’s his legacy. We want to preserve it while we deal with this.”

I scoff. “That’s such bullshit.” Pushing from my seat, I shake my head at the cowards, each of them. “You’re feeding your Pakhan to the wolves, just like that, for a man who abandoned you all and has never led a day in his life?”

“Put your personal differences aside,” Roman barks. “You aren’t the only person who’s been wronged by that kid . We’re trying to do what’s best for the Bratva.”

I stare pointedly at Roman. “If Gavriil were still alive, do you think he would agree?”

Roman’s jaw drops to the floor. He lurches from his chair as his fist slams on the table.

“What the fuck did you just say?”

“You think this is bad?” I point to my eye. “I heard your brother’s screams before they killed him. It wasn’t quick.”

“You son of a bitch.”

“Stop.” Maksim jumps from his chair to grab Roman before he can come at me, but I wish he hadn’t. My fists are clenched and hot while my chest rumbles with rage.

I knew some of the Bratva would stand behind Vitaly if given the chance. Cowards choose cowards. It’s how it goes. Those who can’t handle Nikita’s rein will bow to a man unfit to lead a fluffle of rabbits.

But the lieutenants?

All of them?

Roman?

His brother was on the same job I was. He was Vitaly’s friend too, up until Vitaly got him killed.

“If Nikita wasn’t taking heat, we wouldn’t be discussing this,” Mikhail, a lieutenant with a tattoo of a snake wrapped around his arm says. “The Bratva is in trouble.”

“The DEA has been on our asses for months,” Boris agrees. “If they’re taking Nikita today, they’ll be hauling us in tomorrow.”

“He’s probably giving us up right now,” another lieutenant mutters.

“Enough.” Maksim steps between Roman and I, blocking him from my view. He looks at me with a seriousness that sobers my anger.

For years, I’ve respected this man. Now … I have to say I’m let down.

“Alik, just tell us. Did you find Vitaly or not?”

I raise my chin. “Yes. And I’m sorry to snuff out your hopes and dreams, but by now, he’s dead. Nikita sent assassins after him the moment I gave him the info.”

Silence overtakes the room, barring the few sighs. Looks are exchanged. Roman slinks into his chair.

No one is surprised, although what Nikita did is certainly frowned upon.

“We’ll find a way to get Nikita out,” I say, getting no response. “In the meantime, we’ll survive without a leader by staying low and not losing our god damn minds with foolish ideas.”

Roman points a glare my way but doesn’t say anything. I have a feeling that when I leave, the roars will erupt. I turn on my heel and storm away without a dismissal. I can’t bring myself to fake respect for my lieutenants.

Fucking cowards.