She clutched her beer bottle tight and forced her face to relax. Alex was still talking about his favorite superhero movies. He really seemed into it. Sofia tried to ask him questions every now and then, but her mind was far away.
Sofia wanted vengeance for Aurora’s murder. Retribution. God. Was this how her father felt after her mother was killed? Was Lorenzo so filled with hate that he could focus on nothing else?
Focus on your task. Giovanni brought up something interesting, and Sofia thought she overheard him mention the Fedorovs. Alex froze, suddenly breaking from his narrative.
Sofia sucked in a breath as one of the men playing cards started to approach Alex and her. She clutched Alex’s arm, and Alex looked to her, then to the approaching man.
“It’s time you two leave. You two have had enough drinks for the afternoon, don’t you think?” the thug asked Alex.
Alex tensed, and Sofia saw he was beginning to reach for the gun tucked in his belt. She couldn’t let this situation escalate to further violence. They were sorely outnumbered and for now, this thug seemed to think of them as nothing more than idiots who accidentally stumbled into the bar.
“Hey, we don’t want any trouble. Just wanted to get a drink or two before seeing a movie,” Sofia said, purposely slurring some of her words. Alex put his hand down and looked at her worriedly.
“It’s our first time here in Giland City. We drove all the way from Arkansas and my girlfriend’s just excited,” Alex explained. “We mean no harm. Say, can you point us to the Maverick Theatre?”
The thug snorted and started pushing them toward the door. “Damn tourists,” he grumbled.
Sofia never thought she’d see the light of day again. They stood blinking on the dirty sidewalk. Alex recovered first and started pulling her to his car across the street.
Once in the safety of the car, Alex didn’t turn to look at her. “I’m sorry, Miss Sofia, but we’re never doing this again. I will need to report this to Maxim.” Alex started the engine and didn’t wait for her reply. Arguing and pleading was useless. Ultimately, Alex’s loyalties lay with Maxim and the Semenov Bratva.
Sofia leaned her forehead against the bullet-proof glass and said nothing. Her mission turned out to be a success.
She had gotten the information she wanted. Now she only had to face her husband’s wrath.
****
“Maxim,” Lev greeted. His brother entered his private office, the one above a newly acquired club the Bratva recently purchased.
Lev walked to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offered an excellent view of the city’s entertainment district.
“You bring good or bad news?” Maxim asked. He’d just gotten a call from Alex, one of his younger associates. The report Alex had given him had put him in a foul mood.
Maxim had been tempted to head right home and confront his wife about her recent activities. In the end, he decided to let her sweat a little. To think about what she’d done a little more.
As for Alex, Maxim wanted to strangle the other man for agreeing to accompany Sofia to a bar owned by the Rossi Familia. Fortunately for Alex, his father and grandfather had also served Maxim’s father and grandfather. Loyalty meant everything to Maxim.
If he’d been a nobody, Maxim would’ve put a bullet in his head for putting his new wife in danger. No, that wasn’t exactly right. Sofia probably told Alex she would drop by that bar whether or not he followed her. That sounded just like his feisty little wife. It was clear to Maxim they needed to have a private talk.
“Good news,” Lev said, settling on one of the chairs facing his desk. “I like your new office. By the way, I never asked. How did you get this place for so cheap?”
“The previous owner was killed in this very office,” Maxim explained. “The realtor had a hard time selling this particular property for that reason. Ghosts don’t scare me.”
“It was a good deal,” Lev agreed.
“Stop stalling and tell me what you found out.”
“I’ve finally heard from my contact in the docks. The Fedorovs’ next shipment will arrive next Thursday at 9:00 PM,” Lev said. “My contact will inform me if there are changes to the schedule.”
“Perfect. Dimitri and your team will be on standby that evening,” Maxim said with a nod.
Lev glanced at the glass of half-finished vodka on Maxim’s desk and the cigarette smoldering on an ashtray. “It’s only four and you’re already drinking. What’s wrong?”
“Just some personal issues I need to settle with my wife,” Maxim replied.
“I have heard from Joseph,” Lev said, referring to Alex’s brother. “The kid is worried you will have him killed. Do you want me to deal with him?”
“No,” I said. “Alex made one error, and I will forgive him for that. If he makes another, well. Then he will need to be eliminated.”