Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

N ikolay

What the fuck?

Among the score of mistresses and eye candy at the party, I'd managed to fuck Vissarian's daughter. No, she wasn't blood. I had to keep reminding myself of that. However, the forbidden aspect had lurked in the background of my mind for fucking hours. I'd never done anything so impetuous in my life.

I scrubbed my jaw and remained tense.

Reminding myself she was a beautiful adult and nothing else had been a mantra of sorts but it hadn't soothed the beast inside.

The single taste hadn't been enough.

What did that make me?

Oh, yes. A beast.

"It's just a rumor at this point but to hear from two sources that someone significant is attempting to weasel their way into our businesses using underhanded methods pisses me off." Vadim was hot under the collar.

I was yanked out of my private horror show.

"Yeah, and those sources are credible too. I've double checked with our accountant, our bankers, and all the heads of the various departments. Nothing is askew yet," Aleksander Semenov stated. He was the Councilor, the regime attorney, and also held half interest in the most well-respected and sought after law firm in all of New York.

Another moment of awkward silence. Just like the one I'd had with Chantel.

"Earth to Nik. Are you with us?" Vadim's voice finally pounded in my brain.

"Yeah. With you. Someone weaseling into our businesses." Christ. I had to concentrate.

Vadim chuckled. "Correct."

"Wow. He is out of it," Aleksander said.

He'd taken a leave of absence to concentrate on Bratva business and I was daydreaming.

Concentrate.

I managed to shove her out of my mind, putting all my thoughts into the conversation. I admired Aleks as much as I did Vadim, the Pakhan easy to respect.

The lady of his life was Raphaella Bernardi, who just happened to be the estranged daughter of the oldest Italian Cosa Nostra in the city. Her grandfather had come directly from Sicily, her father, Luciano Bernardi still holding court although he was getting close to retirement or being killed given he'd grown fairly careless.

Because of her connection with Aleksander, she'd been initially ostracized to a point but there was always a method to the madness when two distinct crime syndicates were involved. The connection had been well worth the risk, an unlikely alliance formed.

Plus, they were madly in love, planning a huge family.

"I don't like what I'm hearing," Vadim said.

"We'll keep an eye on it," I managed.

"Good. I don't like surprises," Vadim said, still eyeing me carefully.

My thoughts once again drifted to seeing Chantel two nights before. When I'd last seen her, she'd been wearing pigtails and braces. Now? Shit. I'd fallen asleep after the dinner and had fantasized about her. Since then, I'd done what I could to keep myself awake.

Vissarian would kick my ass for the lurid thoughts I'd had, visions that could burn down the world.

"Find out as much as you can. The last thing we need to do is jump to conclusions," Vadim said. "However, if we have issues, we need to deal with them quickly. We have our largest ever shipment of pink diamonds coming in from South America in two weeks with buyers lined up. We can't fuck that up."

"That's what I'm worried about," Aleksander growled. "I have a feeling that's what they're really after."

"Don't jump to conclusions. Remember?" I finally piped in, although most of me was still miles away on that patio. Goddamn it. What the fuck was wrong with me?

"I heard something from Danny about Bobby the asshole?" Vadim asked.

When I didn't respond right away, he moved in front of me.

"Sorry. Yeah, I need to deal with good ole Bobby the Snake. His loan shark business is getting out of hand along with his interest rates. Somehow, he's gotten several people from Brighton Beach who will never be able to afford to pay him back. He's doing some false advertising."

Vadim chuckled. "He's such a fucking hack. Yeah, deal with him. I'm sick of him acting like he's been in our favor for years. He uses that shit."

"Yeah, I know." I looked away again and my cock was twitching just thinking about her. What the hell was wrong with me? Every seductive thought was strictly forbidden, for God's sake.

Vadim was forced to touch my arm just to get me back into the fold. "What is going on with you? I've never seen you so preoccupied."

I laughed, hating the fact that my balls were tight. "Vissarian came into town with his wife and we had dinner. He's doing business here."

"O-kay. Did you guys have a fight?"

Sighing, I was suddenly quite grateful there were no soldiers of any kind in the room. "No, but he'd beat my ass."

Vadim snorted and Aleksander laughed.

"What are you talking about?" Aleksander asked, fully amused. "Your brother actually came into town to see you?"

"Not just me. My brother never does anything without dollars being attached. Yes, he's here. And for kicks and giggles, along for the dinner and moving to New York for a job is Chantel Kuzmin."

I could tell neither one had any clue where I was going with this.

"Vissarian's adopted daughter who used to sit on my knee, while I read stories to her?"

"Isn't she a little young to be moving to New York by herself?" Aleksander asked.

I could instantly tell Vadim was calculating years and birthdays. "Nope. She's what, twenty-four?"

"Very good. She'll be twenty-five in two months. Graduated with honors with not one but two master's degrees. She found some crappy job in advertising."

"Oh, fuck. Let me guess," Aleksander piped in. "She's not a little girl any longer."

"Uh, no. I didn't even know who she was in her skintight emerald green dress that highlighted every curve God gave her and legs that were meant to wrap around a man's waist. Until it was too late."

Vadim sucked in his breath and whistled. "You didn't…"

"We… Got a little close. Too close. Carnally close."

"Oh, shit."

"Don't remind me. We didn't know. We weren't paying attention. It was impetuous."

"I'll say."

"There was so much electricity soaring between us we were completely drawn to each other. Even now, my thoughts definitely aren't pure."

Aleksander tried to keep from laughing, even walking toward the bar as an excuse, although it wasn't even noon. I might need to join him at this point. I threw him a nasty look and caught Vadim's, pointing my finger at him. "You know how to jump into the fire with both feet," he teased.

"Don't look at me that way. Need I remind you that Caroline, your lovely now wife was and still is one of your grown daughter's best friends?"

"Uh-huh. At least she wasn't family."

"Neither is Chantel! Not like that!" Now I was snapping. Next, I'd be growling.

Vadim was also amused and I was suffering. What the fuck was I going to do? Avoid her. That should be easy. We wouldn't be running in the same circles.

"My friend, let me give you a piece of advice. You're close with Vissarian. Right?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, to a point. He's my half-brother, but we haven't spent much time together."

"But you have a good relationship."

"Very much so."

"One that you don't want to fuck up. Right?"

"Of course not. I know what you're doing," I told him.

"I'm trying to save your butt and your heart. Don't touch the girl. Again. Under any circumstances."

Aleksander coughed. "For what it's worth, I agree. And don't you dare remind me who my wife is. It worked out great."

After a lot of trials and tribulations at the time.

"There are lots of decent fishies in the sea," Vadim added.

I just glared at him. "You know what bad luck I've had with women."

He chuckled. "Okay, you have, but your niece, or whatever you want to call her isn't the way to go."

"She's not my family that way. No blood relations."

"Do you think Vissarian will see that?"

Groaning, I closed my eyes briefly. "Hell, no. I think I'm going to work off some unwanted energy."

"How?" Aleksander asked, now openly laughing.

I threw him my middle finger. "First, I'm going to use my magic on a bad loan shark. After that, I'm headed home to my gym."

After that, I just might drink myself into oblivion to avoid thinking.