Gabriel still used Nikov, though. From time to time.
And it seemed he wouldn’t allow his illegitimate daughter to have his family name, so the mother, to spite him, gave it to her for her first name.
Clever, really. It probably pissed him off, but he couldn’t stop her.
“What are you doing here, boy?”
I walked into Gabriel’s office, Will and Michael at my side.
Two of Gabriel’s guys stood off to the back, guarding the door we just entered through, but my eyes flashed up to Banks, who stood at her father’s side dressed in Damon’s clothes again.
So much made sense now.
But it didn’t make anything better.
“I’ve come for my bride,” I said, staring down at him in his chair. “Let’s get this over with.”
But he just sat there. He didn’t bark or yell like I thought he would.
Instead, he just shook his head, looking weary and lost in thought. “Damon…” he trailed off, breathing hard. “I thought he would grow out of his impulses, and learn that expending energy on small potatoes like you was a waste of time.” He took a puff of his cigar. “He has far more patience than I gave him credit for, though, and he is singular in his desires regarding his friends.”
“We’re not his friends.”
“He won’t stop,” he assured, actually looking regretful about that. “And he scared Vanessa off, so the contract is null and void. You should be happy.”
I leaned down and placed my palms on his desk, feeling Michael and Will close in behind me. I stared at him, waiting for him to meet my eyes.
But Banks was watching me. I didn’t have to look at her to know that.
He finally put his feet down and looked up.
“I’m not relishing being let off the hook,” I replied calmly, biting out every word. “I’m singular, as well, and I’m not running. A deal is a deal, and you’re stuck with me.”
“Well, I have no more nieces to give you.”
I glanced at Banks and then back at him. “You have a daughter,” I pointed out.
His eyes flashed to me, I heard Banks suck in a breath, and goddamn, I nearly smiled.
“And I don’t care if she walks down the aisle in those grungy jeans she’s wearing right now,” I told him. “Get her ass to the church tonight, and you have my word that I won’t hurt your son. But if she’s not there…”
I reached into my breast pocket and pulled out a cell phone, holding it up.
His eyes narrowed. “What is that?”
“Is that…?” Banks stared at it and then looked to me. “You didn’t destroy it?”
I stood back up, tucking it back into my pocket. The cell phone was our yearbook in high school. It held pictures and video of all our deeds, good and bad, including the videos of the crimes that sent Damon, Will, and me to prison.
After Damon escaped last year, we intended to destroy it, but then we decided a little leverage wasn’t a bad idea. After erasing the videos that incriminated us in any further crimes, we loaded a couple flash drives with the ones of him.
And saved them.
The phone was for effect.
Of course, I could use the videos to threaten him like he was threatening me, but I still needed to know where Natalya Torrance was. I needed it dealt with.
I turned and walked for the door, my friends following.