Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
“Then we talk business,” Alexey said. “I think it’s time I talked with Vincent.”
“That shit is never going to happen,” Makar said.
“Anything you arrange with Vincent, you can guarantee is going to be an ambush. Right now, you need to think of a way to kill him,” Nikolai said.
“I kill him, we’ve got problems with the whole Morello mafia,” Alexey said. “That’s not a smart move.”
“Trying to have a conversation with that man is not a smart move,” Igor said. “There is only one thing that man wants, and it’s Jane. Unless you’re willing to give Jane up, then you two have nothing to talk about.”
“I’m not giving Jane up. She is not part of this discussion.” He was not even open to negotiation when it came to Jane. He would protect her. And he was not about to tell his friends that he missed her.
“Do you think it is wise to keep her locked up in your penthouse apartment for the rest of her life?” Nikolai asked. “Only letting her out when you have enough guards spread out across a park. I don’t think that’s healthy for anyone. People need to get out. They need to walk and get vitamins from the sun or whatever shit is imperative for their survival.”
“It’ll make her crazy,” Igor said. “She might even attack you.”
“Okay, what is going on right now? Jane saved my life. Against all odds, she was right there when I needed her most, and you guys are, what, ready to toss her aside?” Alexey asked, feeling his anger increase.
“No,” Igor said. “We’re not willing to toss her aside. This shit with Morello, if it continues, is going to make us look weak. If we look weak, then guess what, it’s not long before the Irish attempt to hit out, or the fucking MC that are always circling like a pack of mad dogs.”
He couldn’t believe he was even thinking this right now, but he thought about getting Jane a dog. That might cheer her up when he wasn’t there. It had to be better than her attempting to knit him a sweater, because that thing was just looking ugly. It made his nose wrinkle just thinking about it.
“Whatever you do, we’re on your side,” Nikolai said.
Alexey looked down at the messy photographs. This was not good for business. Vincent was getting sloppy, but it was only a matter of time before he went a step further and started to kill civilians. The three women was one step.
Alexey was pissed. “I’ll handle this.” He got to his feet and made his way out of the café.
Just as he stepped outside, Alexey felt like something wasn’t right. He gazed across the street, and that was when he caught the glow coming off the gun. At the same time, Nikolai had started to make his way outside.
“Alexey, man—”
He didn’t get to finish as bullets started to rain down on them. Glass shattered. Car alarms filled the air. Screams and sirens seemed to go off in unison, and Alexey ran toward his man, toward Nikolai, pushing him down to the street.
It was too late. Nikolai was hit.
He heard his men starting to fire the bullets.
“Nikolai, look at me,” Alexey said.
“Fuck, this one is bad, isn’t it?” Nikolai said and grunted.
Seconds later, Makar and Igor came out, guns at the ready.
Blood pooled in Nikolai’s mouth. “We need to get him to the hospital,” Alexey said.
“Fuck!”
They all started to move together. Nikolai was alive but holding on by a thread. Alexey didn’t have time to count the bullet holes. They got him to a car, and it was then Alexey saw the man with a gun, running toward the park. He shoved several women out of the way, two wheelchairs with kids were shoved, and that just pissed him off. They were civilians, and they were children. Now, his rage went to a whole new level.
“I’ll meet you at the hospital. Keep him alive.”
Makar and Igor didn’t argue with him as he took off running toward the park. He didn’t stop to ask the woman if she was okay, but he followed the path, holding his gun. Nikolai could die. The very thought of it was more than he could take. He didn’t want his friend to die. This was a hit from Vincent, he knew that.
Working his way through the park, he caught sight of some civilians who were cowering from the sound of gunshots.
He made his way across toward the attacker, and the man was clearly distracted, attempting to reload his weapon, which was when Alexey struck. He kicked the gun out of his hands and used the back of his hand holding his own gun to smack him in the face.
“Who do you work for?” Alexey asked.
The man grunted and attempted to crawl away.