CHAPTER NINE

X ander sipped his coffee and watched his wife’s lips flapping from across the dining room table.

Blah, blah, blah.

“... because we have the gala dinner in November, so we need to be back there to help with the organizing. Well I have to help. You’ll be working of course,” Suzanna said. “ Plus , I’ll need to be fitted for my dress. These things take time, Xander.”

God help him.

“Can’t you just buy something online?” he asked, not really giving a fuck.

She gasped as if he’d asked her to do something illegal. He wished she’d do something illegal with that mouth of hers. Apparently, it was too good to suck cock. Well, more than once a year. She thought it was a nice Christmas or birthday treat for him.

Frankly she was terrible at it, so whatever.

Lately he’d been thinking a lot about Elizabeth—his finance manager who was based in Italy. It had been too long since he’d been buried inside her. Their weekly video calls were just teasing him.

“My point is, we need to head to Seattle. We’re always there this time of year. Xander . Are you listening to me?”

Unfortunately, yes, he was.

And unfortunately, they had to stay in Baltimore where it was safe. No one—meaning the vampires—knew where he was. They’d been watching him for a long time and made their move only hours after they had left Italy. He’d been lucky. But after Ari Moretti’s recent verbal threat over the phone he wasn’t taking any risks.

“My business is nearly complete here, but until then, we will need to remain here, cara moglie ,” he said, even though his wife wasn’t his darling.

She did have one thing right. They needed to attend the gala, so he had to organize some tighter security or a way to move around the country, and the globe, undetected.

His new investor may be the perfect contact, but he wasn’t about to ask for any favors just yet. With men as dangerous as the investor, it was about taking your time and waiting for an opportunity to arise.

His phone rang.

“Enjoy your day. I will be in my office,” Xander said, standing then walking out of the room. When his office door closed, he answered.

“ Buongiorno , Nikolay.”

“English, Tomassi. It’s hard enough for me to translate with your accent,” the man replied firmly.

Well, good fucking morning to you, too.

Except he’d never actually say that to Nikolay Mikhailov. The guy was the head of the Bratva—the Russian mob—and was one of the most dangerous men on the planet.

Wanted by the FBI and rumored to be aligned with the Russian president as well as other world leaders, Nikolay was known to be a ruthless and cold enemy. When his father and former mob boss, Boris Mikhailov, was assassinated, there was no second-guessing who had done it.

Or so the story went.

Whether it was true or not was beside the point.

Mikhailov was dangerous.

And Xander’s new investor.

How he’d known BioZen was involved with the experiments on vampires, Xander had no idea, and he’d been wise enough not to ask. Still, he recalled their first conversation, which had been chilling.

“Mr. Tomassi,” a powerful and dark Russian-accented voice had asked when he’d answered his phone.

“Yes. This is he.”

“I hear you have a vampire product I could be interested in.”

He’d stilled but thought fast.

“Are you? Interested in vampire products.”

“Yes,” the man said. “And I want my order to be prioritized.”

Xander’s brows had risen, but he was smart enough to know it wasn’t a request, but an order.

“How many units are we talking?” Xander had asked, sitting down abruptly in his office chair.

“Two hundred, immediately. Then I’m talking thousands,” the Russian voice said. “My name is Nikolay Mikhailov. Consider me your new partner, Mr. Tomassi.”

Xander had rubbed his lips nervously.

He had been looking for an investor, so the timing was right. But he knew exactly who Nikolay was. A quick Google as they were talking removed any doubts.

He was a dangerous, wealthy, and powerful man. Tall, broad, chestnut-brown hair with silver-blue eyes that made you look twice to ensure he was human.

Ironically.

He had no doubt this man drew women to him like a moth to a flame. Men like Mikhailov had an aura about them that melted panties and parted lips. Women lusted after power.

Perhaps he was too powerful for Xander. He didn’t like that. However, the vampires were a powerful enemy, so it wasn’t a bad thing to partner with the mob.

Now they had an agreement and Xander had to deliver. They were on a timeline and Mikhailov wanted everything yesterday.

“When will I get my first shipment?” he demanded.

Jesus.

They hadn’t begun producing the product yet.

He slipped his finger under the collar of his shirt and tugged. “Few more months, we think. I will have solid delivery dates in the next few days.”

He heard a grunt.

“Don’t make me wait, Xander.”

Did the guy think creating a new species of humans with vampire DNA happened overnight? They weren’t making flavored fucking popcorn.

“You’ll get the first batch of the hybrid soldier. You have my promise,” he said.

And he would, because Xander knew you didn’t fuck with Nikolay Mikhailov.