“Unfortunately, if Franco disappears now, the cops will look at Sevastyan first. He’s already gone to your house, Sevastyan, and he hit your woman.”
“She didn’t report it,” Mitya said when Sevastyan didn’t so much as stir in the shadows. “And she isn’t going to.”
“That will still come out if Franco disappears,” Drake said. “You can bet there’s footage of Franco assaulting her. His people would have taken it. They can twist these things to their advantage. That footage would be produced and questions would be asked. Sevastyan would be looked at long and hard. Their side would have video of Franco pounding on the front door and Sevastyan spraying him with water. These things look bad when a body has disappeared. Already, the Amurov family is under suspicion of being mobsters.”
“That’s because we are,” Mitya said, leaning forward. “I’m so sick of having to let these pricks hurt our women and stomp on us because we want to look good for the cops. The cops come into our homes and put listening devices in our living rooms. It’s bullshit, Jake. We’re trying to be the good guys and they’re acting worse than we ever did. Why aren’t they going after Matherson? I’ll tell you why. He’s fucking bribing them. That’s why.”
“We can’t bribe them,” Fyodor pointed out. He glared at Drake. “Because we’re somehow supposed to be the good guys. But we’re still the bad guys. Makes perfect sense to me. Especially now when we’ve got some psycho trying to kill Sevastyan so he can steal his woman.”
“Let me find out who the cops are that are backing Matherson,” Jake said. “Eli can help me. He was in law enforcement and he’s still got friends there. Give me a few days. Meantime, Sevastyan, keep Flambé close to you.” He put his hands on the tabletop and pushed up. “I’m heading home. If there’s anything else I can do for you, let me know.”
Sevastyan didn’t say a word. He was a bodyguard, not one of the men running one of the territories. Jake didn’t run any territory. He was as clean as they came, but he shut down companies for them, took them apart or put them together, depending on what was most beneficial. He could tell within minutes of learning about a company how best to utilize it. How best to make money from it. Whether to keep it running and revamp it, or to sell it off piece by piece.
Drake Donovan stood up to go as well. He was the most trusted man of all of them. He ran the international security agency that had brought them all together, and he had been the one to conceive of the idea of removing the worst of the mobsters, especially shifters running the crime syndicates, and replacing them, hoping to slow down or even stop the worst of the traffickers. At the moment, those in the room were feeling very discouraged. It seemed that as fast as they removed one head, another took its place.
They were always in danger. Worse, their families were always in danger. No matter what they did to protect them, the women, and now their children, had to live surrounded by guards day and night. There was no way out for them. If they left the protection of their family, they wouldn’t last alone and all of them knew it.
Sevastyan knew he would be bringing Flambé into that world. He didn’t like it. He didn’t want that for her. On the other hand, he could protect her from the Mathersons of the world, the ones who thought they were above both human and shifter law. He waited until Drake and Jake and their bodyguards had left Mitya’s home before he moved out of the shadows and toed a chair around to sit at the table with his cousins. Gorya and Timur, two more cousins, joined them.
“What’s the plan?” Fyodor asked.
“The plan is, you and Mitya stay in your homes with your wives where you’re supposed to be,” Sevastyan said. “That’s the plan.”
“Don’t be an ass,” Mitya hissed. “I want to know what the hell you’re up to, Sevastyan.”
“What I’m up to is getting my woman home and putting her to bed before she falls asleep on her feet. She’s nervous and uncertain. I want to reassure her. I hope tomorrow I can introduce her to Evangeline and Ashe. Get her feeling comfortable with our side of the family. She can start work on the property. Her crew is going to come in with the supplies she needs in a couple of days. I want to make certain it’s safe for them before she brings them in.”
He was careful not to give out too much information, because Mitya would never buy it if he talked too much. He wasn’t a talker. His family knew that. He had to say something. Put them off as if he were going to listen to Drake. Everyone listened to Drake. Ultimately, he called the shots in the roller coaster and dangerous game they played. Unfortunately for Drake, Sevastyan wasn’t part of his crew. He wasn’t a vor. He wasn’t a don. He wasn’t a territory holder. He wasn’t anything at all but a bodyguard who loved his cousin. His sole loyalty belonged to his family.
Mitya sighed. “That sounds like a good plan. Ania was excited to meet her tonight. She has always been interested in how the trees and brush were developed on the properties.”
“I’m particularly grateful for the underground tunnel her grandfather came up with,” Sevastyan said, allowing tiredness to edge his voice. “I’ve been doing some exploring and found two other escape routes, Mitya. They need work. One has partially collapsed and needs to be reopened, but it leads to the main road. It comes out several miles above a neighbor’s vineyard, very close to the exit leading to the freeway. At the time the escape tunnel was constructed, there was no way of knowing a major highway would be put in right there, but it worked out nearly perfectly.”
“You have to be careful,” Mitya said, narrowing his eyes at his cousin. “You take too many chances, Sevastyan. Those tunnels could collapse completely and you could be buried alive in them without any of us knowing you’re down there.”
Fyodor and Sevastyan exchanged an amused look with Gorya. “You sound like an old hen, Mitya,” Fyodor cautioned. “Always worried.”
Mitya glared at him. “The tunnel did collapse, you cretins. Someone has to think for you. None of you think in terms of safety. Those tunnels are fifty years old. Who knows how they were constructed? They need major renovations before they can be used.”
Sevastyan hid a smile. “Mitya is right. I’m being careful. I’ve got someone I trust, an engineer, looking them over. We’re shoring the tunnels up and then retrofitting them section by section. I have no intentions of being buried alive, but I think having ways for us to exit our homes without being seen, or traveling between the two properties without being seen, are major advantages for us.”
“I have to agree,” Mitya said. “But, for now, I think you need to get your woman home. You look tired, Sevastyan, and that’s a rare thing.”
Fyodor nodded. “I have to agree. You’re working too hard. Maybe you should take a little time off. Turn over Mitya’s security to Gorya for a week or two. Let him handle it while you see to Flambé. You’ve been renovating your home and working long hours for some time now. Give yourself some time off.”
Mitya nodded. “I think that would be a good idea.”
Sevastyan pushed himself away from the table as he rose. “I’ll think about it.” He turned away from his cousins. The men in this room were his family—the ones he cared most about in the world—the ones he could count on. He could hear the affection in their voices, the genuine concern. He did his best to stay apart—emotion didn’t work when one was a bodyguard—but it was difficult when these men were all he had.
Now, apart from Gorya, each of them had found a woman. Fyodor had Evangeline. She was amazing. Sevastyan had done his best to keep his distance, but it was difficult when she was so genuine. Then Timur had fallen hard for Ashe. That had been unexpected. Like Sevastyan, Timur was a bodyguard, and he took protecting Fyodor seriously. Mitya had found Ania on the side of the road in a rainstorm. She had a flat tire and he had stopped to help her, against Sevastyan’s advice. Mitya had ignored the head of his security as usual, and this time, it had turned out to be a very good thing. Ania was amazing for Mitya. She suited him perfectly. Sevastyan could only hope that Flambé would suit him just as well as the other women matched his cousins.
Ania and Flambé were in the drawing room, both seated beside the warmth of the evening fire. It was on low, and the two had their chairs close and were talking in soft voices whe
n Sevastyan strode in. He saw Flambé’s gaze jump to his face. He could see her instant relief in his presence. She was glad to see him, but there was wariness too, as if she was uncertain what to do.
He held out his hand to her. She rose and crossed the room to him, but she didn’t take his hand. “Did Ania take good care of you?” He bent to brush a kiss across her temple. “I tried not to be too long.”
Ania joined them as well. “I really enjoyed meeting Flambé,” she said. “Thanks for bringing her over, Sevastyan. She knows so much about plants. Indoor and outdoor.”