“Yes, I know,” Roman said. “Why?”
That was a fair question. Vlad might have been fired from his previous job, but he was good at what he did and didn’t exactly lack job offers. Normally he wouldn’t still be unemployed. He had simply been waiting for the right offer. He could afford being temporarily unemployed.
Vlad smiled. “They all wanted me to sell you out.”
There was silence on the line. They both knew that Vlad knew too much about Roman’s business dealings—both legal and illegal. He could have made a fucking fortune on selling Roman out.
“Why haven’t you?” Roman said, sounding unconcerned, as if he hadn’t doubted for a moment that Vlad wouldn’t do it.
Vlad scowled and took a gulp of beer. “Because apparently I’m an idiot.” He really was an idiot to stay loyal to the man who had kicked him out over a fucktoy.
“Good,” Roman said curtly. “I have a job for you.”
Vlad tipped his head back, frowning at the dimly lit ceiling. “A job?” It wasn’t like Roman to forgive someone who had wronged him.
“Look,” Roman said in a clipped voice. “Don’t think for a moment that I have forgotten what you did, but I know that you—mistakenly—thought you were acting in my best interests. I’m giving you a second chance. Your last chance. Don’t fuck it up.”
“What, exactly, is the job?” Vlad said, suspicious but curious. “What happened?” Roman was a proud, stubborn man who rarely changed his decisions. He wouldn’t be offering Vlad a second chance if he genuinely didn’t need him.
“I don’t know if you’re aware or not, but I’ve moved the headquarters from Switzerland to London.” Roman’s voice was cool and calm, but Vlad could sense tension in it.
Vlad said, “And?”
“I need to leave London for a month, but there’s a...situation here, and I can’t leave Luke unprotected.”
Vlad sneered. Of course. He should have known. He should have known only that English brat had the power to make Roman change his mind. It was kind of ironic that Luke Whitford was the reason Vlad had lost his job and was the reason he was getting it back. Or was he?
“What sort of situation?” he said gruffly. He still didn’t understand. Roman had hundreds of people in his employ.
“It’s all over the news,” Roman said with a sigh, impatience creeping into his voice. “Three gay men have been beaten to death. All of them were publicly out, and all of them were influential one way or another, advancing LGBT causes. The authorities believe it’s the work of some anti-gay cult.”
Vlad rubbed at his temple. “And you think your boy is targeted?”
A pause.
“I don’t know,” Roman said. “But Luke is publicly out and has been all over the news since the beginning of the summer as the sole heir of Whitford’s business empire. He’s an obvious target.” His voice acquired a steely edge. “Even if he’s not targeted, I’m not going to risk it.”
“Why me?” Vlad said. “You have other people. You have Anna.”
“Anya will be accompanying me,” Roman said. “I need her with me in Peru. She can’t be in two places at once.” He paused. “I didn’t fire you because I doubted your professional abilities, Vlad. I fired you because I didn’t. I know how good you are and that’s why I didn’t believe that you had nothing to do with Luke’s disappearance while you were responsible for him.”
Vlad took another sip from his bottle and decided he hated Roman Demidov. Roman knew all too well how to manipulate people into doing what he wanted. But even knowing that Roman was manipulating him, it was still working, dammit. Roman wasn’t one to give compliments lightly.
“And you would trust me with the boy’s safety after I got rid of him last time?” Vlad said. “After I roughed him up a little that other time?” He knew Roman hadn’t forgotten it. Roman never forgot anything.
Roman didn’t reply immediately.
“I wouldn’t if I had another choice,” he said, his voice like ice. “I don’t trust you with him, but I trust you to keep him safe.” A pause. “The murders aren’t the only reason why I need you to bodyguard Luke. Charves has been a nuisance lately. Some of his people were seen in London.”
Vlad frowned. Charves was a Peruvian gangster with a personal vendetta against Roman. He was also ape-shit crazy and therefore unpredictable.
“You and Anna are the only ones who know how his mind operates,” Roman said. “I’m going to Peru to deal with him and I can’t afford to be distracted. And I will be if I’m worrying about Luke’s safety.”
Fucking hell. That English kid had Roman completely whipped. Who would have thought?
“Fine,” Vlad said. “But I’ll need a visa.”
“It was already taken care of.”
Vlad laughed hoarsely. “You’re such a smug asshole.” Of course Roman couldn’t even imagine anyone saying no to him.