30. Max

Natalya is fast asleep in my bed, my cum between her luscious thighs. I smile with satisfaction as I sip ice-cold vodka. Warm air drifts in through the open sliding doors that lead out onto my terrace. It's late and I would rather be in bed with Natalya, but I'm waiting on a phone call from Sasha.

He messaged me earlier to let me know he's located the van from the warehouse fire. Kolya and some of the guys were heading over to check it out. We're hoping whoever used it to move the shipment of weapons has left a clue.

Unlikely, but one never knows.

My phone buzzes and I swipe the screen to accept the call.

"There's nothing on the van." Sasha sounds annoyed but I'm not surprised. Whoever this is went to a lot of trouble to hide their identity.

"I'm surprised it wasn't a charred wreck."

"Oh, it should have been. There are scorch marks on the back where someone tried to set fire to it but it looks like the fire didn't take for some reason. They must have left without checking."

"Have you had our friends run it for fingerprints?"

"My tech guys are there now. They'll send the swabs to the lab we use and we should get the results back tomorrow."

I mutter vaguely to let him know I heard while mulling over the possibilities in my head. Whoever did this has connections, otherwise, they'd have problems shifting the weapons. There are very few people who fit the bill.

"Did you find out who hacked the system?" That's another thing that's niggling me.

From the way Sasha goes quiet on me, I'm guessing not. Which is a first. Whoever took the security system down must be good.

"Nope." He says nothing more, which tells me all I need to know.

"Well let me know if you get to the bottom of it. We can't afford to have our security systems compromised again."

"I know," he mutters irritably.

I drop the subject because I trust Sasha to deal with it. We move on to discuss the mayor and his continued evasive behavior. Despite several requests, the fucker is refusing to agree to a meeting. I'd put money on him angling for a better deal because that's the kind of oily asshole he is. I just wish I knew what his end-game was.

Money is the most likely explanation for his reticence, but something tells me there's more going on.

"I hear you went on a date this evening," Sasha says when I tune back in.

That fucker Artem must have said something. "And?"

Sasha laughs loudly. "I take it you didn't get laid then if you're this grouchy."

"I did and she's asleep in my bed, you prick." Not sure why I'm being so defensive, but whatever.

"Ohh I see." He chuckles. "Well I hope you know what you're doing."

My hackles rise at his insinuation I'm making a grave error in judgment. "Meaning what exactly, Aleksander?" It's meant as a rebuke, as he knows damn well I only use his given name when he pisses me off.

There's a long-suffering sigh. "I mean she's a journalist investigating the mayor, who could at any moment discover your connection to that piece of shit. As you well know."

Yes, I do know. "Why don't you let me worry about that, eh?" I snipe.

I know he has my best interests at heart. He is my second, after all, and it's in his job description to warn me when I'm potentially fucking up. Doesn't stop it from pissing me off.

The sensible thing would be to say goodbye to Natalya in the morning and never contact her again. That's what I normally do. That's what I should do.

But I can't do it. My mind is made up. Now that I've had her, I want more. Sasha can go fuck himself. I'm the pakhan, not him. Natalya has no idea who I am and that's how it will stay until I am sure I can trust her.

Or I get bored of her.

Whichever comes first.

"I'm concerned that now she's on the mayor's radar, he'll realize her connection to you." As always, Sasha makes a good point.

"All the more reason to keep her around. If the attempt to frighten her the other night was on the mayor's orders, she's in more danger than she realizes."

"Yes, which makes me wonder how much she's dug up. We both know who the mayor is schmoozing with, and why. Uriov won't stop at paying some street thugs to rough her up. If he thinks he's under investigation, he'll call in one of his guys to make sure she disappears. If you're serious about this woman, then she needs protection."

"What makes you think I'm serious?" I scoff.

"Because you never take women to your apartment and you sure as fuck never let them sleep in your bed three fucking times, that's why."

There are times when I hate Sasha. He knows me better than anyone. The fucker.

"Why don't you concentrate on figuring out who hacked your impenetrable system while I worry about my love life, eh?" If he wasn't like a brother to me, I'd fucking shoot him for being so disrespectful. Nobody else gets away with the shit he does.

"Sure, I'll do that," he snorts before hanging up.

I leave my phone in the kitchen and head back to bed where my angel is waiting for me, still fast asleep.

She stirs but doesn't wake when I wrap my body around hers. For the first time in ages, I feel at peace with the world.