Work. The underground fights. Marco fucking Bianchi and his arrogant, abusing ass.
I heard the back door open and slam shut, followed by heavy footfalls coming closer. I sat up on the bench, panting, my body completely soaked with sweat and my short hair plastered to my forehead. Nikolai strode in wearing a three-piece suit, his hands in his pocket and a sardonic smirk on his face.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
Nikolai leaned against the wall and looked around the gym. “Who the hell wants to sleep when I have Amara?” He grinned slowly.
I didn’t bother responding, just grabbed a towel and dried myself off before chugging down a bottle of water.
My brother was only a year younger than me and a crazy fuck and recently married. But he was loyal to a fault, and I knew he was the only one who genuinely had my back. We’d also had the same goal in mind our entire lives.
To take down our father and get control of the Bratva.
And we’d fucking succeeded in that.
As if he knew where my thoughts were, he tipped his chin toward the back and I followed him into the office. I shut the door, and he took a seat on the leather couch.
“Already checked for bugs. It’s clean,” I said as I saw his gaze sweeping across the room. I sat opposite him and leaned forward, resting my forearms on my knees and stared at my taped-up hands.
Despite my knuckles being covered, my skin was red, the ache and throb settling deep in them something I relished. I flexed my fingers and curled them in repeatedly.
I wasn’t a masochist, but I fucking loved the pain I felt in that moment.
“How’s married life?” I asked my brother and glanced up.
Nikolai leaned against the couch and threw his arms over the back of it, his grin slow and totally fucking satisfied.
“I guess that answers my question.” I ran a hand over my face, the scruff along my cheeks and jaw scraping over my fingers. “I’d ask if that pretty Italian wife of yours is treating you well, but clearly she is.”
Instantly the grin was gone, and a hard look crossed my brother's face. It was my turn to lean back on the couch and smirk.
“Watch your fucking mouth.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Damn, Nikolai. You’ve gone and got yourself pussy whipped all in a matter of a week.”
My brother growled, but I could see the seriousness in his face.
I grinned but held my hands up in surrender. “Fine, I’ll behave and keep my mouth shut where she’s concerned.”
He grunted as if that placated him, and leaned back once more.
“What’s happening in the underground?” I shifted on the couch and scrubbed my hand over my damp hair. Nikolai was my partner. We were dual Pakhans who ruled over Desolation.
I controlled the legitimate side of things and dealt with our business associates who needed a discreet way of concealing their illegal activities: embezzlement, racketeering, money laundering, and the sort.
Nikolai ran the underground, working in close company with the Ruin, an organization that was a hub of illegal activity. My psychopathic sibling had a penchant for blood and death. I was pretty sure the crazy fucker got off on that shit.
Nikolai was silent for a moment, throwing his arms over the back of the couch once more. Then he got settled in.
“Well? How much of a resistance to the change of leadership do we have on our hands?”
Nikolai looked almost bored, but I could see his expression was one of him thinking things over. He might come across as playful in a psychotic way to those closest to him, but he had a brilliant mind and was one of the most violent men I knew.
Right up there next to me.
“Well, you know we have some people going against the grain.” He drummed his fingers on the leather, still looking bored even though I knew he was anything but. “But we’ll weed them out.”
The majority were ready for change. The ones who were against it had a lot to lose. They had status with Leonid. They made a lot of money going behind his back and bartering deals with others. That stopped now.
I made a noise in the back of my throat as I thought about what he’d said. “We have to take them out. I’m not about rehabilitating. If they’re against us now, they’ll always be against us. We need to dig out the rot before it spreads.”
Nikolai grunted his agreement. “I can have it taken care of tonight.”
I nodded.
“Get it done. Quickly. But make sure you send a message. I want everybody to know what will happen if they go against us.”
Nikolai slowly grinned, that sadistic streak that ran in both of us coming forth in a burst. “I’ll make sure it’s done exactly how we want.”