Satin Princess(97)

“You’re leaving now?” I ask.

“Yes. I’m going to put an end to this.”

I nod. “Please come back.”

His expression softens just a little. He steps towards me and cups the side of the face with his hand. “You need to stay safe, kotyonok. You need to stay here. You understand me?”

“I understand.” He’s about to release me, but I grab his hand and keep it fixed against my face. “Anton, please. Promise me.”

“I’ll come back to you,” he says. “I swear it.”

He dips his head down and catches my lips with his. He kisses me hard and then pulls away abruptly, leaving me wanting so much more.

Then he turns and disappears the same way that Yulian did.





33





ANTON





Meeting in the armory has become something of a ritual before any meeting of significance. It’s calming, to be here among the tools of our trade. To see guns and know I can use them. To see knives and know I can use them.

It reminds me who the fuck is in charge.

I am.

Lev is standing alone when I walk in. “Where is Yulian?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I thought he’d be with you.”

“I was talking to Jessa. I expected him to be here already.”

“Something wrong?” Lev asks.

I’m not sure. I have an instinct for this kind of thing, for trouble. And something seems wrong. But there’s no proof yet. Nothing but my gut.

Not that it’s ever let me down before.

“We’ll have to see,” I say vaguely.

“How is Jessa?”

“She’s going to remain here with a contingent of men protecting her. I’m taking you and Yulian for this mission, so I’ve doubled the guard around the mansion.”

“If you want one of us to stay, you know we will,” Lev says at once.

I know how much Lev hates to be left out of this kind of thing. The man was built for action. He doesn’t do well as a watchdog. But he’s loyal and devoted. He’ll do whatever needs to be done, which means I need him by my side even more.

“I know that. But this time, I need both my righthand men with me.”

Lev nods. “She’s not going to get away this time.”

“We’ll make sure of that,” Yulian says, walking through the door and taking his place between us.

“Where were you?”

“Checking on the men,” he says. “I wanted to make sure everything was in order before we move out. Did you double the guard around the mansion?”

“I did. Jessa is here, I want to make sure she’s safe.”

Yulian nods in agreement, but I notice he’s a little pale. Battle has always made him more nervous than he likes to let on.

“Jessa remains in the mansion at all times,” I instruct.

He sighs. “I was just trying to make her feel better. I thought a drive would help. She’s going crazy in this house.”

“It’s a necessary precaution,” I say. “She won’t need to be locked away in here once Marina is six feet under.”

“As long as she can make it until then. She’s spiraling.”

“Spiraling?”

Yulian raises his eyebrows. “Sometimes, you get so wrapped up in this Bratva, you forget about everything else.”

“You want me to take my eyes off the ball when this bitch is on the loose and she just blew up Jessa’s apartment?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time you let a woman come between you and business,” Yulian mutters.

But he doesn’t do it quietly enough. I’m on him in a flash, hands fisted in his shirt, pinning him against the wall and snarling in his face, “What the fuck did you just—” when Lev steps between us.

“Respectfully,” he says, “we don’t have time for the two of you to fight.”

Yulian glances at me. “He’s right.”

“I know he’s fucking right,” I spit. I sigh and let go of my brother. “Pick your weapons. We move out in the next fifteen minutes.”

I head to the back wall where my favorite guns are kept. Lev and Yulian go to their respective corners. We each have our preferences, our own specific skills, our own sets of tools.

Yulian favors guns, like I do. Quick and simple. But Lev likes a good fist fight, so he chooses to deck himself out with little accessories, blades and brass knuckles and the like.

“What did Yaromir say?” Yulian asks as he holsters a gun at his hip.

“That Marina made contact with him minutes before he called me,” I tell both of them. “She asked if they could meet and talk. She said she wanted to explain what happened back then and why she’s back now.”

Lev snorts. “Like we don’t all know what she’s doing here.”

“Did Yaromir say how she sounded?” Yulian asks.

“Sugary sweet. She’s going to do whatever she thinks it will take to get what she wants out of him. In her eyes, he’s easy pickings.”

“She could just as easily kill him to get what she wants,” Lev points out. “That would give her command of the Ivanov Bratva as well.”