1. Ivan

1

IVAN

S tanding toward the back of the reception space, I glanced over the guests mingling throughout the area. Unease crept up my spine. I couldn’t shake it. This sensation of looking in from the outside set deep inside me, and it made no sense.

All the guests dancing, talking, and laughing here were acquaintances of the Valkov Bratva. This celebration of my brother Nickolai marrying Amy was a day to be shared with friends and family. I belonged here, but I couldn’t chime in with the idea behind it all.

Marriage? It wasn’t in the cards for me. I knew that down to my core. Nor would I ever be the groom over there, at the head table, smiling and kissing the one woman who’d be mine and only mine forever.

Monogamy was a goal, but as of yet, I had no reason to give up my preferences for staying unattached and focused on serving my family. Someone had to handle the Bratva’s sex clubs. They turned too hefty of a profit to shut them down, and with Aleksei taking over as the Pakhan , he was all about increasing our wealth and power.

I just couldn’t see it, standing around in a tuxedo, showing off the one woman who’d be at my side forever. I couldn’t envision being a groom at a big, fancy reception like this, smiling and?—

I furrowed my brow.

Wait a second.

Watching Nik frown further, I wondered what had made him take a call now. Amy peered at him, but I had to give her credit. She didn’t pout or make a fuss out of it. She was a nobody before she met Nik, but she was proving her worth as a true Bratva woman, not interfering with our business.

I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed Nik’s reaction to whatever call he’d deemed so important that he had to take at his own wedding reception. Stepping further away, he tipped his chin at Alek who, like me, watched Nik. All five of us brothers were forever alert, even today at a highly guarded celebration.

Now what? Nik and Amy had a hard enough time getting to this peaceful and sappy day of matrimony. If anyone was trying to stir trouble, they’d have hell to pay.

Alek reached Nik first. We moved off to the side to speak, and I waited for Nik to hang up.

“That was Yusef.” He looked past me, likely checking on Amy as he scowled and rubbed his face. “I asked him to keep an eye on Murphy’s whereabouts.”

At the name of that fucker, I gritted my teeth. Steven Murphy, crooked cop extraordinaire. He’d worked for the NYPD for his whole career, and he’d made it known that he wanted to be the one to bring the Valkov Bratva down.

“Nik. It’s your wedding…” I said with a heavy sigh. “And I already told you. I’ll handle Murphy.” And I would. I volunteered to bring that asshole down, but it seemed Nik struggled to let go of it. My older brother actually would be better for this job. Nik was stealthy, skilled with disguises and hiding and spying. I’d stepped up at our previous meeting, though, because even if he wasn’t a man newly in love with the woman he almost lost several times, he was also a father-to-be.

“I know. I know.” He held up his hand and waved it at me. “But Yusef still reports to me. I’ll tell him to address you from here on.”

Alek crossed his arms. “What did he say?” He was straight to business, as ever. He knew he could count on all of us to pull our weight and get things done, but he was extra eager to stop Murphy from messing with us anymore.

“He’s been hiding,” Nik answered.

As he should be. If the cop knew I was about to be on his ass, he should be trying to hide or run. Our previous Pakhan was an idiot who abused and lost power, but under Alek’s hand, we’d remind everyone that the Valkovs were an enemy no one should dare to cross.

“After we busted up that branch of the Ortezes’ trafficking operation, Murphy’s been hiding,” Nik said.

Alek nodded, sighing. “Yeah. We overheard him talking with someone about getting a cut. I bet he’s still trying to get something from the traffickers, just not with the Cartel anymore.”

“I agree.” Nik glanced in Amy’s direction again, as though he hated to be away from her on this special day. “We interfered with that specific line of business, but he’s still involved. It seems that Murphy’s distancing himself from the Cartel, though.”

I narrowed my eyes. “For good?”

Nik shrugged while Alek shook his head.

“He’s got his hands in a little bit of everything,” Alek replied. “He always has. I doubt that asshole has ever been a clean cop. As soon as he started on the force, he’s been crooked. Don’t you remember Dad trying to tell Pavel about his concerns?”

I thought back, trying to recall whatever memories Alek was referencing. Thinking about our father wasn’t pleasant. He’d been taken from us too soon, and I hated the pang of grief that lingered despite all the years that had passed. We were only teens, young men, when Pavel arranged for our father to be killed. Pavel had wanted all the power of the Bratva, and even though our father was the smarter, more level-headed man with a brain and heart for leadership, Pavel was too greedy and coveted it all.

While I didn’t remember any particular warning our father might have shared with us about Murphy, it wouldn’t have shocked me if he’d only confided in Alek—the oldest—about his worries.

“He’s not loyal about which crime organization he caters to,” Alek added, rubbing his jaw and seeming more than irritated about this topic.

“No shit,” I agreed. “First, he teamed up with Sergei Kastava to fuck us over at the Colver dock with that arms shipment and the sting that he prevented from happening.”

They both nodded, grumpy about the reminder.

“Then, he collaborated with the Ortezes to attack our businesses.”

Nik raised his brows at me. “And also wanted to continue getting a cut of the trafficking operation as it continues elsewhere within the Cartel.”

“And that’s just this year,” Alek complained. “It’s time to finish him once and for all.”

I didn’t cower under his direct stare with those words. I heard him. And I’d damn well take care of it.

“But Yusef seems to think Murphy’s angling with the Rossinis now.”

I rolled my eyes. Those fucking Italians. “Haven’t they all killed each other by now?” All of the Families battling for power in New York suffered from infighting, but not as often as the Rossinis did.

“Yusef seems to think that this isn’t anything new,” Nik added. “Murphy’s hiding, but with the tracking software Dmitri arranged for Yusef, there is a long record of correspondence with members of the Rossini organization.”

Nothing seemed off about that. Murphy was an opportunist. He’d dance from one group to another, wherever he could count on the best benefits and rewards. Loyalty wasn’t a part of that cop’s makeup. He wasn’t loyal to his job, any of the “bad guys” he was supposed to bring down. No one. Steven Murphy was a solo operator, and that would make finding him that much harder. If he was so flaky and two-timed his associates and connections, no one would want to offer him refuge and help him hide.

“I bet he’s got records of talking with all kinds of people,” I said.

“True,” Nik replied, “but Yusef is starting to piece together a long track of correspondence with the Rossinis, even before the worst periods of their infighting and own drama.”

“Maybe a long-standing scheme, then,” I guessed. It hardly mattered what the asshole was doing. Whatever Murphy was up to, it was about to come to a stop when I ended his life.

Alek sighed, looking over the guests at the party. Even though we were over here talking about business, we all three tried to keep our expressions as neutral as possible. Mila, Alek’s wife, was sentimental and emotional about this wedding. Both Mila and Amy were prone to the effects of hormones wrecking their bodies and minds. They’d cried throughout the events of the day, and I knew those pregnant women would be even more upset if they knew we were talking about missions and hard jobs over here.

“I’ll contact Yusef,” I told them both, eager to wrap up this conversation. It wasn’t the time nor place for it. “And it doesn’t matter what that fucker is planning with whoever he wants to pretend he’s friends with.” The Ortez Cartel wouldn’t mess with us anytime soon. The Kastava Family had been cut down with the death of their leader. If Murphy wanted to bring me into some stupid plan with the Rossinis, so be it. “Regardless of any plans Murphy’s making, he’ll always be the enemy and no one will be able to protect him.” He’d made his bed as a crooked cop, and he’d damn well lie in it.

Alek clapped his hand on my back. “Good.”

“The Rossinis are never easy to follow, though,” Nik said. He didn’t react to my optimistic, get-it-done comment. Even though he was a married man, house hunting and committed to the preparations for being a father, he seemed to struggle with letting go of this enemy.

“But it’s a start.” I watched him closely, curious whether he’d struggle to let me handle this one for the family. “And I’ll focus on looking into whatever he might be planning with the Rossinis and root that fucker out from wherever he’s hiding.”

Nik pressed his lips together and exhaled through his nose.

“No one can hide for good.” I smoothed down my shirt and straightened my cuffs. “Not when the Valkov Bratva has targeted them.” Especially me. Pavel used to brag that I was one of the most vicious killers they had in the family. No one ever wanted to cross me, and no one ever interfered with my preference for the darkness. At the sex clubs. At the scene when someone had to be tortured or killed. I was the sick fucker of us all, and I wouldn’t suggest that anyone forget that anytime soon.

“Leave this one to me, Brother.” I patted his shoulder, then gestured to the party. “Enjoy your wife.” A glance at Alek showed he was smirking. “You too.”

Alek scoffed, shaking his head. “Just see that you don’t get sidetracked like Nik and I did.”

I doubted he meant it. Meeting Mila and making her his wife wasn’t an accident of being sidetracked. Alek loved his wife, and I had no doubt he was grateful for her in his life, her and their unborn daughter.

Nik chuckled wryly. “We’re all getting distracted with women lately.”

Speak for yourselves. “Not me.” I’d made my peace with my future. A lifetime of bachelorhood was all I had to count on, and even though I felt like the odd one out here, without a plus-one or even any interest to chase a woman at the party, I was fine with that.

I’d never find a woman who’d suit my dark needs. Someone who’d welcome my rough attitude and need for pain. Who’d accept me for who I was and not try to change me into something softer and domesticated.

“No worries on that count,” I told my skeptical brothers.

“Never say never,” Alek warned.

I smirked at him. He had no room to tease me. As the leader, he would have been forced to settle with someone at some point.

“You don’t know when it could happen,” Nik taunted good-naturedly.

“More like if that would ever happen. And it won’t.”

Because there’s no way in hell a perfect woman is waiting out there for someone like me .