“TBH?”
“To be honest,” Allie says. “She’s emo, and I can’t stand her.” The brunette rolls her bright blue eyes and pulls her knees on the couch. “Are you why mom sent me to that loser’s house? She wanted to see her secret boyfriend?”
Allie is going to hate me. No doubt this kid will want nothing to do with me when she finds out that her mother was fired from her job, and I’m the reason behind it. It’s for the best. I should leave Sadie and Allie alone.
“We just happened to run into each other. We didn’t plan anything for tonight,” I say.
Her eyes narrow, and she nods slowly like she’s listening but not believing a word coming from my lips.
She’s not the only one.
This boyfriend crap is too much, even for me. I don’t do girlfriends. I don’t have relationships. I steer clear of anything that involves handholding and dates.
I prefer a good fuck and then going home after. What I was trying to do with Sadie when Allie rammed in through the front door.
I clear my throat. “It was nice meeting you, Allie.” I grab the door handle, yanking it open.
“You’re seriously leaving? That’s a dick move.”
I doubt her mom would be okay with her using that type of language. “You should head to bed,” I say.
“You’re not my father.”
No, she’s right. I’m not her father. I’m not even dating Sadie. We just slept together, and I was trying to sneak out when I got caught by the bright-blue-eyed teenager who likes to ask a thousand and one questions.
Next time, I fuck a girl at a hotel or in her car. I can’t deal with this drama.
“Night, Allie,” I say, and head out the front door.
That might have been uncomfortable, but at least it wasn’t her husband who came through the front door. I’ve been there, in bed with a woman, and it wasn’t a fun night. That’s one memory I’d like to squash.
I head for the subway. I need to get across town near the bar. I want to see if Luka is working.
I need to see if he’s alive.
I have a few dollars that I managed to pickpocket the previous night. I had snuck out after dark from the hotel, secured a few wallets from unsuspecting tourists, and then returned to my room. It gave me enough money to cover the subway fare, food, and incidentals until I figure out what the hell I’m doing next.
I had tossed the wallets in the garbage, credit cards included. Had I known that asshole planned to kick me out of the free hotel room, I’d have used one of the stolen credit cards to secure a new booking.
It’s dark, and the streets are bare. The trains run all night, and the station nearest her apartment arrives just as I approach the platform. I don’t have any great plan. I tend to work on instinct.
I keep an eye on the time, making sure that I arrive before closing. I don’t want Luka or anyone else who works for the bratva to spot me.
After the short subway ride, I walk several blocks to the club, hiding in the darkened shadows of night. I watch outside, near the back entrance where Luka always leaves from. He may be at home with Hannah and their daughter, Bay. It’s just as likely he’s inside until closing, especially with two less employees, Anton and myself.
Did they hire replacements for us? Are we dispensable to Mikhail?
It’s nearly two in the morning, the club is winding down, patrons are leaving, and the parking lot grows empty except for the bratva-owned SUV.
Luka or any other number of Mikhail’s men could be driving it. Many of us have access to the vehicles registered to his illegal enterprise.
I hide, remaining out of sight as the last person leaves the club. His suit is crisp, with the keys in his hand as he locks the door.
Luka Ivanov.
One of my brothers. I don’t know where we stand anymore. Hell, I was left for dead. Did no one think to check the hospital? I find the entire ordeal unsettling.
My hands ball into fists as I stalk across the empty parking lot, blocking the SUV’s driver’s side door.