Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

A leksei

The Iron Wolf Tavern had a particular scent—dark wood, leather, and the faintest bite of smoke, even though the place was a no-smoking zone by Boston’s standards. Stepping inside felt like slipping on a second skin, the energy as familiar as the well-worn booths and the glint of Russian vodka lining the shelves.

I nodded at Yuri behind the bar as I passed, his eyes giving a flicker of recognition before he went back to polishing glasses.

My older brother Maxim was already at our usual table in the back, a glass of neat vodka in hand, his expression as unreadable as ever. Sergei sat next to him, leaning back with his arms crossed, his gaze flickering to me as I approached. Ivan and Nikolai sat on the other side of the booth, both deep in conversation, their faces lit up with excited intensity with whatever they were talking about.

“About time you showed up,” Maxim said as I took a seat, his tone dry but edged with a smile. “I was beginning to think our charming art dealer had forgotten what real business looks like.”

I smirked, ignoring the jab. “You know I’m never far,” I replied, settling in. “Besides, someone has to keep our hands clean.”

Nikolai chuckled, clapping me on the back. “You keep those hands dirtier than most, Aleksei. Just not the way our brother here does.”

A small grin played on my lips, but it vanished quickly as I leaned in.

A petite waitress approached our table, her steps careful, her smile a little too eager as she set a tray of drinks in front of us. She was young, fresh-faced, pretty, which was every new girl Yuri hired. Her gaze flicked to each of us, lingering for a moment longer on me. I gave her a quick nod, and she blushed slightly before stepping away.

But my thoughts were elsewhere.

On Amy…

“The gallery’s revenue has spiked this month,” Maxim said, studying me with his usual intensity. “It’s bought us some breathing room.”

“More than breathing room,” Ivan added, his voice thoughtful, though his gaze remained on the tablet he was scrolling through. “Moving the money through your auctions has been smoother than we expected.”

I shrugged, leaning back and taking a sip of the vodka that had been set in front of me. “The art speaks for itself. That makes it easy.”

Then they began to talk amongst themselves.

I glanced at my brothers, each focused on the plans laid out on the table before us. Sergei was talking about tightening security around some of our more vulnerable assets, his voice low and steady. Nikolai was murmuring something about a contact who’d need ‘persuasion,’ his grin a little too eager. But my mind wasn’t on the business at hand, not really.

My thoughts wandered to Amy, and the way her cheeks blushed bright pink the moment I stepped just a little too close.

A voice snapped me back to reality.

“So, Aleksei,” Maxim said, his tone more cutting now, “the next auction’s set for Friday. You’re handling it?”

I nodded, slipping back into focus. “Everything’s in place. The crowd’s been carefully selected—buyers we can trust, and enough outsiders to keep it looking legitimate.” I let a small smile play at my lips. “And I’ve brought someone in to keep things interesting.”

Maxim’s eyebrow lifted, though his expression remained neutral. “Oh?”

Nikolai leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Is she pretty?” he asked, his grin widening as he caught the look that I shot him.

I smirked, shaking my head as if to brush off the question, but Sergei caught on. “That’s a yes,” he said, his rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Our little brother’s got someone worth noticing. Should we be concerned?”

“It’s not like that,” I said, but even I could hear the hint of something that betrayed my casual tone.

“Oh, come on,” Ivan cut in, tapping a finger against his glass. “Spill a few details, Aleksei. If she’s running the gallery, we should know more about her, no?” His grin was sly, though he was only half-teasing. Ivan always wanted to know exactly who was involved in our business.

I sighed, unable to dodge them entirely. “Her name’s Amy,” I said, keeping my tone even, though I knew this would only make them dig deeper. “She’s intelligent, knows the art world inside out. Competitive as hell, too. The kind who hates to lose.”

“Sounds like she’ll fit in perfectly with this family,” Nikolai laughed, slapping the table. “And just how much of that world famous charm have you laid on her, Aleksei?”

Maxim’s gaze didn’t falter. “As long as she doesn’t cause complications, I don’t care who she is.” His words were flat, but his eyes held a warning.

“She’s an asset,” I said, keeping it professional, even though my mind lingered on the way she’d looked at me yesterday, trying to size me up. “She’s good with clients, knows how to work a room. And with the buyers we’re bringing in, her expertise keeps things running smooth.”

Nikolai shot me a knowing look. “Oh, I bet it does.”

I leveled him with a stare. “My interest here is business. If she’s good at her job, she stays.”

Maxim took a measured sip of vodka, eyeing me over the rim of his glass. “Good. Because we have more important matters to deal with.” He leaned forward, his tone sharpening. “Our contact in Brighton says there’s some movement with the Orlovs. We’re watching their assets, but if they start making moves here in Boston, we’ll need to send them a message.”

Sergei’s expression turned serious, his jaw tightening. “I’ll arrange for extra security, have eyes on the key locations. They make one wrong move, we’ll know.”

“Let’s be clear,” I said, catching each of their gazes. “Their crew is unpredictable, the kind that’s just dumb enough to think they can pull something. We need to keep everything tight, no loose ends. The gallery included.”

Maxim gave a curt nod. “Consider it handled. And about this auction, Aleksei—there’s a lot riding on it. Keep your ‘new asset’ in check.”

I gave a nod, but in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake the image of her determined blue-gray eyes, her chin lifted in defiance. The last thing she’d want was to be kept ‘in check.’ But she’d fall in line.

I’d make her.

After a while longer, the five of us sipped through the rest of our drinks and finished talking through the logistics of a few more items of business before my brothers got up to leave.

Ivan, Sergei, and Nikolai headed out first. Maxim lingered, his eyes fixed on the last of his vodka as if turning something over in his mind. I could tell when he had something to say. So I waited. Maxim’s silences were often as weighted as his words.

After a moment, he motioned toward a quieter corner of the Iron Wolf, away from the prying eyes of the few remaining customers. I followed, curious. Maxim rarely pulled me aside for anything unrelated to business.

When we reached the back, he turned to me, his expression softer than usual.

“Aleksei,” he began, leaning against the wall, his scar catching the dim light. “So, this girl. She’s more than just an assistant, isn’t she?”

I tried to brush him off. “You’re reading too much into it, Maxim. She works for me, that’s all.”

He shook his head with a small, knowing smile. “I don’t think so. You’re good at hiding things, little brother, but I know the look. Hell, I had it myself.” His tone softened, and he glanced away for a moment, as if the memory was as vivid now as it had been years ago. “When I met Riley, I knew. I knew right then she was different. She wasn’t just another pretty face or a fling. She was… everything I didn’t know I needed.”

His expression grew more serious, that intelligent, calculating edge in his steel-blue eyes that could make anyone stand straighter. “But knowing she was special didn’t change the danger she was in. You remember what the Orlovs wanted to do. They knew she mattered to me. And I realized that if I didn’t claim her, if I didn’t protect her—fully—they’d hurt her. Quite possibly even kill her…”

He paused, letting that sink in. “You remember what happened. I married her,” he continued, his voice resolute. “I didn’t give myself the time to second-guess it. And I knew it was the right decision, not just for her, but for me. She’s the reason I have something real to come home to, a life beyond all this.”

He gestured around us, taking in the dark walls of the Iron Wolf and the world we’d carved out together. “She keeps me grounded, keeps me sharp. And she’s smart, smarter than I’ll ever be in some ways. Having her around made me a better man, a better leader. I’d have been a fool to let her go.”

Maxim had always been a fortress, someone who kept everyone at arm’s length. But ever since he’d met his girl, she’d changed him, given him something I’d never thought he needed: a reason to soften, to let down his guard.

“And what I’m telling you, Aleksei,” he continued, his voice now edged with authority, “is don’t be a fool if this girl means something to you. Don’t let some notion of ‘business’ keep you from seeing what’s right in front of you. She might be your assistant, or maybe she’s something more. Only you know. But don’t waste time if there’s something there. When you know, you know.”

I opened my mouth to deflect, to brush it off, but he held up a hand, cutting me off. “Look, I know our lives aren’t simple. We protect what’s ours, even if that means taking a risk and pulling them into this world. But don’t let your pride or caution stop you if you’ve found something real.”

He clapped a firm hand on my shoulder, his grip heavy, grounding. “Just think about it, little brother.”

I nodded, unsure what to say, his words lingering as he finally gave a quick nod and turned to leave. As his figure disappeared out the front door of the Iron Wolf, I leaned back and downed the rest of my vodka.

Fuck.

Maybe he was right.

That didn’t change the fact that with Amy, I’d need to be patient. She’d need more than just a firm hand to realize that the control she clung to so fiercely was something she could let go of, that she’d be safe with a man like me taking it.

With Amy, it wouldn’t be about conquering or forcing; it would be about guiding her, letting her feel the freedom that comes with surrendering to someone who knew her better than she knew herself. I’d need to watch her, to catch every tell, every flicker of uncertainty, and be ready to show her that she could trust me to lead.

But I knew patience alone wouldn’t be enough. Amy was strong-willed, guarded, and too proud to admit she wanted anything outside the walls she’d built for herself. I’d need to wear her down slowly, test her resolve, challenge her mind until she was as intrigued by the thought of surrendering to me as she was afraid of it.

This was a game that required skill, and Amy was a worthy opponent. In the end, I’d bring her to the point where she couldn’t deny what she wanted, what we both knew she needed.

She needed someone who could match her, someone who could push back, someone who could put her in her place.

And when that moment came, when she was ready to give in, I’d be there to catch her.

She’d be mine—but only when she was ready to be.

I thought about going home and stroking my cock to the thought of her, but I thought better of it. Sure, that would be enjoyable, but I was going to save my cum for that pretty little mouth.

And that tight little ass…

I couldn’t wait to go into work on Monday.