Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Preacher didn’t try to own her.
He stood beside her.
He protected her without making her small, and most of all, he made her happy. So happy, she wanted everyone to be just as happy as she was, especially her boys. The idea of being happy seemed incomprehensible to me. I didn’t want to give her any false hope, so I gave her a quick squeeze as I told her, “I have to go. “
“What? So soon? I could make us some coffee or a bite to eat?” She motioned her head towards the upstairs as she said, “Gabby and the girls will be up and going soon. We could…”
“Not today.” I knew she was fond of the girls, especially Gabby, and she wanted me to be fond of them as well. I liked them fine, but I wasn’t in the mood for cordial conversations. “Call the vet.”
I kissed her on the forehead, then turned and headed back to my car. I got inside and drove to the casino. I tried to keep my focus on the road and not all the thoughts that were strumming through my mind. It wasn’t easy. It seemed everything was hitting me at once, and they didn’t improve when I arrived at the Black Crown.
The sun hadn’t been up long, and people had already claimed their spot at the slot machines or blackjack tables. Hell, they’d probably been there all damn night. Money moved through this place, like blood through veins, smooth and steady. It was just the way I liked it.
I continued through the lower floor and made my way upstairs. When I stepped into the office, I found Viktor sitting in the corner, staring at the security monitors. We had people for that, but that didn’t stop Viktor from going over them every morning, checking for any slip ups.
And this morning, he seemed more intent than ever to find something. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, and his dark hair was down in his face, making me wonder how the hell he could even see the damn screen.
The broody bastard looked like he hadn’t moved in hours, but that came as no surprise. He’d always been like that. Quiet. Watchful. Serious. He was tall and broad like me, but heavier in the shoulders and even heavier in spirit. While Nikolai saw shades of meaning in everything, and I tried to find balance in every outcome, Viktor only saw two paths.
Right and wrong.
Black and white.
Loyal and traitor.
He didn’t even look at me when I walked up. He just jabbed his finger at the monitor and said, “There!”
“What am I looking at?”
“Just watch!”
The footage showed one of our floor men glancing around the room before he slipped a chip into his pocket. It was quick and careless, and clearly not his first time. “You’ve been watching him?”
“For weeks,” Viktor answered with his voice low and sharp. “He’s stealing from us, Sergei.”
I didn’t respond. I just stood there silently watching the screen. The kid was young and stupid, probably desperate, but he wasn’t an enemy or a rival. Just a dumb kid who thought he could pull a fast one.
“We need to make an example out of him.” Viktor leaned back, and his eyes were burning with anger. “We need to drag him out in front of everyone. Make him pay. Every man and woman who works here needs to remember what happens when you steal from a Volkov.”
“That’s one way.”
“It’s the only way! Anything less makes us weak.”
“You sound like Father.”
“I sound like someone who doesn’t allow thieves in my casino!”
“We’re not in New York anymore, Vik.” I crossed my arms and sighed with annoyance. “As much as I’d like to, we can’t go around slitting throats.”
“Actually, we could, and we should.”
“It wouldn’t fix the problem.”
“So, what? He gets a slap on the wrist?”
“We make him pay it back, double, and send him on his way.”
“Preacher has been in your ear too much. If you want to play games, go ahead. But I won’t coddle thieves.”
“We’re playing a new game here with new rules.”
He just stared at me. His eyes were hard and unreadable, and after a moment, he folded his arms across his broad chest. “You know, these new rules of yours are going to cost us.”
“Maybe,” I shrugged. “Or maybe it’ll keep us from turning into our father.”
He didn’t answer. But his silence wasn’t out of anger. It was something else. Respect. The kind brothers shared even when they disagreed. In that moment, I thought we could find our way through anything, but the days to come would test us both in ways I never could’ve imagined.
4
ALINA
“What the hell are you doing here, Alina?”
“I need help.”
“What kind of help?”
“I left Alek.” My sister’s eyes widened with disbelief. “I didn’t have a choice. He hurt me. He’s been hurting me. I couldn’t stay there. I had to get away from him.”