Paying The Bratva’s Debt

compromises and showing weakness to little pawns like Thomas Murray. I snarl as I knock back another sip of the whiskey.
One glimpse of his gorgeous daughter, and I’ve gone soft. I grit my teeth and glance down at the bulge that’s been throbbing beneath my fly for the last two hours. Or not so soft, it would seem. And now, with no actual plan beyond wanting her, I’ve brought her back here, to my sanctuary. Now, she’s upstairs, in my home, sleeping under my roof. And I’m not entirely sure how long I can keep myself from her.
There’s a knock at my office door, which opens immediately after. I don’t have to turn to now it’s Lev. Only he would be bold enough to enter without a command, even knocking first. But it’s more than boldness with Lev. It’s almost a family-like familiarity.
He’s the younger brother I never had. We met when I was young and just starting to seek my fortunes in St. Petersburg. I was sixteen, freshly expelled from my last group home, and living on the streets. I spent my days ripping off tourists and drunk businessmen, and my nights fighting off perverts and thugs. I didn’t have two rubles to rub together, and I hadn’t eaten in four days when I found him getting the shit kicked out of him.
Lev was three years younger than me, and yet just as big. But that wasn’t helping much when he’d been caught stealing from a local gang leader. The fucker and three of his buddies—all adults—were laughing as they beat a kid within an inch of his life. I don’t know what made me jump in, or how I even did with how starving I was. But I did.
I took down one with a lead pipe. The other three turned on me instantly, but it gave Lev the only break he needed. I took a knife to the shoulder that day—a wound which still hurts at times even now, nineteen years later. Lev almost lost an eye. But that gang leader and all three of his friends died in that alleyway.
After that, we were truly brothers.
“Want a drink?”
“I’m good.”
I glance at Lev. “It’s the Balvenie fifty. You’re sure?”
“Da.”
I raise a brow but shrug. “Suit yourself.”
“Do you know what you’re doing, Viktor?”
I frown as Lev steps around and sinks into the chair across from me. “Having a drink,” I grunt. “In peace, was the plan.”
“You know what I’m talking about. With her. With everything that happened in that office today.”
My eyes narrow. Younger brother he may be, but our roles are clear. In this empire, I am king. Lev is my right-hand man, but there’s still just one king. And while I normally welcome his questions and his counsel, this is different.
“Something you’d like to say, brother?”
“Yes,” Lev grunts without hesitation. “I’m questioning what your move is here, with her. And no, Viktor,” he mutters as I open my mouth. “Do not tell me she’s collateral. You’ve never once done anything like that. If collateral was to be taken today, we both know it would have been Thomas’s big toe, not a family member.”
“The plans changed,” I growl dangerously. “And I’ve made my decision.”
“I’m well aware of that,” Lev hisses right back. “And I won’t ever question your decisions.”
“Then why the fuck are we having this conver—”
“Because I’m questioning the motive behind that decision, Viktor.”
I grit my teeth. Slowly, I take a sip of my drink, my eyes still on him.
“I saw the way you looked at her, my friend.”
“And how did I look at her, Lev?” I snap.
He smirks. “Like I’ve never seen you look at a woman before.”
“She’s attractive.”
“Nina is attractive. Elizaveta, the bartender at the Cosmonaut Lounge is attractive. Have you looked at your bank account lately? You could buy the affection of almost any attractive woman in the world, Viktor. Fly the Moscow Ballet in for a pool party. Sponsor the Victoria’s Secret fucking fashion show in your own bedroom if you like. But this?”
“What,” I growl with a warning.
Lev looks at me impassively. “This isn’t you, and it’s reckless.”
I clench my jaw and turn away. I push a button on the table next to my chair, and the fireplace in front of us roars to life. Lev says nothing, and we sit in silence for a few minutes until he sighs.
“You know what? I will have that drink now.”
“Too bad. Offer rescinded.”
He smirks at me. “Don’t throw a tantrum because you know I’m right.”
I glare at him. “Fine.”
“Fine what?”
“Fine, have a drink. And fine, I’m fixing this situation with Thomas’s daughter.”
One of his eyebrows raises. “Oh?”
“Yes.”
I stand and knock back the rest of my drink. “She’s gone, tonight.”
“As it happens, I’ve just dug into her a bit more.”
I glare at him. “And?”
“She’s very smart.”
“She’s twenty-two and just graduated law school, Lev,” I grunt. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“I didn’t just say she’s smart, Viktor. I said she’s very smart. She was homeschooled, but all of the standardized tests she took over the years she aced. Perfect score on her SATs. Perfect 4.2 GPA at Princeton, despite taking her classes remotely. She was the absolute top of her class for the two years she was there.”
I frown. “College is four years.”
“She did it in two. All credits, even electives. All straight A’s, with extra credit. Perfect score on her LSATs, early acceptance at age twenty to Columbia Law. Graduated with perfect marks and a glowing commendation from the fucking Dean.”
My brow arches. “Interesting.”
“Very.”
“And your point?”
“My point is, since even with this little stunt of yours, of stomping up there to throw her out, I know she’s not actually going anywhere.”
I glare at him. He smirks back at me.
“I know you too well, brother. So, let’s assume she’s staying.”
“I don’t make a business of assuming things, Lev.”
“Humor me, then. If she’s staying…” he shrugs. “Perhaps she can be of far more use than a forbidden temptation for you.”
“Need a tutor, Lev?”
“No, but you need a