Ultimate Vengeance (Wanted Men Book 4)(30)

It wasn’t until he was in his mid-twenties that he’d gotten a handle on the insecurity. And that was only after he’d brought the subject up with his uncle. Let them underestimate you, Alek. It is a good thing they do not yet know what you’re capable of. You probably don’t even know yet. So you travel through our world in silence. Do what you must, but remember, never make a move you are not willing to best. An enemy kicks the tire of your car? You put him in his place by taking a sledgehammer to his foot. Another hears of this and repeats the insult to see how far you can be pushed. What do you do then? You bring in a small tractor with a front end loader, and you drop the bucket on his legs. Another tries his luck with you? You find yourself a wood chipper, you secure him to a plank, and you send him in up to his thighs. The trick when you’re making an example out of someone; never let them die, because with them will go your message.

Something those patronizing few weren’t aware of was that Alek’s lack of a reputation was a direct testament to the way Vasily had taught him to conducted business. One did things quietly. One didn’t boast or share, because most times if individuals weren’t directly involved in a situation, there was no need for them to learn about it after the fact.

Alek had taken that to heart, which was why he was able to keep his legitimate life separate from this one.

True threats move in silence, son. Do you know of any predators that announce their presence before they attack? Do they drag their kill around to prove to everyone how strong they are? No. You shouldn’t either.

He sipped his scalding coffee and finally asked, “Where is she?”

Maks put his cup down. “Sunnyside.”

“Queens?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what she was thinking, but she’s in a ground floor apartment, wide open to any molester-slash-murderer who’d want to target a smokin’ babe.”

Alek’s skin tightened as he posed his next question to Anton since he’d been there last night. “She’s alone? No roommate?” It didn’t sit right that he had to ask. That he didn’t know every fucking detail of her life.

“No roommate. At your uncle’s suggestion, I had a quick look inside before she arrived. There was no evidence to suggest more than one occupant. The baby supplies were a surprise. Until now.”

Maks nodded as he put his coffee down. “Her caring for children all day—I thought that suited her. Imagine the fathers of those kids when they get a load of the hot babysitter.” He raised his voice a few octaves. “‘Honey, can you pick junior up from daycare on your way home? I won’t have time.” He lowered his voice again, pretending to be the husband. “‘Uh, fuck yeah. Try and stop me, wife.’ Twenty bucks says dad leaves work early on those days so he can linger.” He nodded knowingly, proving once more what a large dick he was. “You’re imagining that now, aren’t you?”

“Did Sydney really say yes when you asked her to marry you?” Alek muttered because he was imagining some horny husband eye-fucking the smokin’ babysitter.

“No. She said ‘yes, please’.”

Daycare. Why would Sacha have gone that route? Yes, she’d been mushy around babies just like every woman, but she’d never mentioned an interest in making a career out of it. Why hadn’t she returned to school to finish her degree? She’d wanted that so badly.

Yeah, and he’d been the asshole who’d held her back. Why? Because he hadn’t wanted his much younger, spectacularly beautiful girlfriend associating with frat boys and football players out to fuck as much pussy as they could. Alek had been gearing up to discuss her returning to classes after Christmas, but only if she would agree to have a Tarasov man on her. They never got there.

“Who else knows you found her?”

He motioned to Micha, who waved but didn’t look up from his paper. “Didn’t want anyone’s bad acting skills to kill my prep so I kept the circle small. Now that you’re up-to-date, you wanna go for a drive?”

“Who’s there now?”

“Grigori and Lucas,” Anton supplied.

“If you want to take the day,” Maks said. “I know where she’s going to be tonight. That Women in Power conference Eva’s been all over this weekend is having their black-tie dinner. Seems Sheppard’s firm has a table booked and Justin has confirmed attendance with a date. A few other notable names on the guest list would be Fane, Moretti, Tarasov, and now Kirov, but the last was a late addition.”

Alek cleaned up some spilled sugar granules and emptied the used grounds into the garbage. Did Maks seriously think he’d take the day? Was he fucked? And it was a damn relief to hear if he struck out this morning, he’d have another opportunity tonight.