“I’m sure you had plenty of choices, but it could’ve felt that way in the moment.”
“I want back in the family.” The words bit like acid, but I said them anyway. “I can’t stand this shit.”
German nodded slowly. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
“Evgeni never should’ve cast me out. I know I shouldn’t have killed Peter, but after everything I’ve done—”
“Not just killed Peter,” German interrupted. “Killed Boris. Betrayed the family. Protected a mark. You’re supposed to strangle that Doyle bitch, and instead, you’re fucking her.”
I opened my mouth to deny it then shut my jaw tight.
“That’s what I thought,” German said almost sadly. “You’ve been a good soldier to the Morozov family for a long time. Better soldier than I ever was. But you fucked up, Mack. You can’t come back from that.”
“I need to.” I stepped forward and curled my fingers into fists.
I squeezed them tight, just like Fiona showed me.
It helped, though not much.
“What do you want me to say? I’m not the Pakhan. I don’t have that kind of authority, and even if I did, I wouldn’t want you back, not after this.”
“I have an offer.”
He tilted his head and a curious glint entered his eye. Typical German, he could forgive anything if there was profit in it. “Go ahead. If you’re about to give me the girl’s head, that’d be a good start.”
I squeezed my hands even tighter.
Killing Fiona would go a long way. I could shoot her in her sleep, make it quick and painless. The Pakhan might see how big of a sacrifice that was for me and let me back into the fold without much struggle. All I had to do was give her up, finish the job, and I could go back to the way things were.
But I’d never do that.
Not after tasting her lips. Not after feeling her sharp, warm breath on my neck. Her groans, her gasping moans. The way her breasts shook with each heaving breath.
Her eyes in the dark as I pinned her wrists above her head.
The fear and the arousal.
“I’ll take care of this Lionetti problem. I’ll rescue her little brother or I’ll kill him myself and make sure they don’t have anything over Fiona anymore. That’d solve the Pakhan’s problem.”
German grunted and puffed on his cigar. The sweet, sharp smell filled the shop, mingling with the acrid odor of ammonia. “That might help.”
“Then I’ll intercept the Doyle drug shipment and present it to Evgeni as a sign of my loyalty.”
German leaned forward, eyes sparkling.
The bastard couldn’t help himself. He loved a profit too much.
“I’ve heard it’s a big one. Pure, uncut heroin.”
“I don’t give a shit what’s coming.”
“You should. That sort of shipment’s going to have muscle behind it. You’re good, Mack, but you’re not that good.”
“I’ll find a way.” I stepped forward, hands still squeezing. Somehow, it helped keep me from bashing German’s face into an ugly pulp. “Do we have a deal?”
He raised his cigar in the air, trailing lazy smoke up to the ceiling. “I don’t have authority to make that call, but I’ll bring it to Evgeni.”
I nodded once sharply. “The shipment’s coming in less than a week. Tell him I’ll make this happen if he brings me back into the crew.”
“I can’t promise he’ll go for this. He’s angry. Hell, I think he’s hurt.”
I looked away. “Evgeni doesn’t do hurt.”
“I think you’re wrong about that. From what I understand, you’re like a son to him.”
I smiled wickedly. “You don’t know a goddamn thing about any of this. Go tell him what I said. You know where to find me.” With that, I left the shop and strode out into the night.
I kept walking for a while until my hands slowly unclenched. I found myself alone on a quiet block beneath large shade trees in a nice part of town. I looked up through the branches toward the moon and took long, deep breaths, steadying myself.
I was a killer. I was trained to murder for a living.
I didn’t know the first thing about stealing a shipment.
But there were lots of guys in this city that would be willing to help for a price, and I happened to have a lot of cash lying around.
The Pakhan wasn’t a stupid man. He liked Peter, but he wouldn’t throw away a chance at a serious profit just to keep me outside of the circle.
They’d bring me back, and all I had to do was burn the city to the ground to make it happen.
13
Fiona
I caught a glimpse of myself in the bar mirror as I poured a beer. I looked exhausted, my hair flat, big bags under my eyes. I wasn’t surprised—it wasn’t easy trying to sleep in a room next to Mack, knowing he could cross that line any time he wanted and break in through the door. He could pin me down on the bed, a massive shadow in the black night, his hands pressing me hard onto the mattress as he stripped my clothes off, spread my legs roughly, and plunged himself—