Page 38 of Ace of Shadows
“Stop checking your damn phone,” Valentina hisses at me out of the corner of her mouth as we walk down a long, winding hallway within the Sidorov estate.
I ignore her and continue to do so.
Not liking being ignored, Valentina snatches my phone from my fingers faster than I can blink. She holds it aloft ,which is her first mistake because I’m taller than her even in her heels. My hand seals around her wrist and with the right amount of pressure, the phone slips from her grasp and lands in my open palm.
“Asshole,” she mutters, massaging her wrist when I release her.
“You steal my phone and I’m the asshole?”
“We’re about to face down a Pakhan and you can’t keep your eyes up for two seconds.”
“I’m just checking that there’s nothing from the others.”
“No, you’re checking there’s nothing from Ivy. She’s with the others so she’s fine. Stop obsessing.”
“I’m not obsessing.”
“Really?” She narrows her perfectly lined eyes at me as we reach a set of oak double doors and speaks in a whisper. “You left her two hours ago and not once have you seemed focused. I need you here with me, Ruslan. You’re the entire reason we have to talk to this guy in the first place.”
I know she’s right. Sighing deeply, I pocket my phone and adjust my waistcoat. “Right. Let’s do this.”
Valentina knocks swiftly on the door, and we wait as the sound of creaking floorboards rises up from inside. A moment later, the doors open and we’re ushered inside by a chunky bald man in a black suit.
The lavish office is decorated from floor to ceiling in deep reds and golds, but what immediately draws my attention is the gigantic stuffed bear statue behind the desk at the far end, across from three bay windows. The bear stretches up to the ceiling, and I track all the way up to its open maw and razor-sharp teeth while we walk around ornate chairs and a mahogany coffee table to reach the desk.
The Sidorov Pakhan, Kraven, sits at the table with his meaty fists resting against the desk. Sunken eyes peek out from an impressive gray beard that wobbles as he noisily gulps a copper-colored liquid from his glass.
“Liquid courage?” Valentina asks as she stops at the desk and cocks her hip.
“Valentina, my dear.” Kraken lowers his glass and wetly clears his throat. “To what do I owe a visit from the Queen?”
My lips part to answer, but Valentina is as quick as a whip and she gets there first.
“You know why we’re here. Men bearing your ink kidnapped the Ace.” She jerks her head toward me, sending her auburn hair rippling down her back like a wave. “And you tortured him. Before you try to cover it up with any lie you want to spin, I don’t care to listen. One of your little Russian birdies sang as I chopped his balls off, so think very carefully about what you’re going to say next.”
Kraven’s eyes narrow. “You come here, just the two of you, with accusations like that?”
“If you think we came here alone,” I say, “you’re very much mistaken.”
Kraven sends a nervous glance out the window at the lavish garden surrounding his estate, then he nods his head just once. “Had they known you were the Ace, they wouldn’t have touched you.”
“Are you admitting that your men are so ill-equipped that they can’t recognize a member of the Suit?” I ask tightly. “Because that doesn’t bode well for you.”
Kraven’s jaw works back and forth, causing his beard to twitch rapidly as if he’s rolling an argument around on his tongue. After a long moment of staring at my face as if assessing my bruises, he shakes his head. “You are right. This… never should have happened.”
“No,” Valentina says coldly. “It really shouldn’t.”
“You have to forgive me. Never would I have expected the Fifth Suit to be involved in something like this.” Kraven lifts his head higher. “It’s unprecedented.”
“You’ve been waging war with the Romas for over two years, and a plane came down in the middle of a park, killing over a hundred people. Did you really think something like that could be ignored? Especially when it alerted the cops to how drugs are getting in and out of the country?” I scoff. “You should have expected us.”
“Should I have?” Kraven grumbles. “We are but small fries in the grand scheme of things.”
“Yes, you are,” says Valentina, cutting in before I can respond. “But you’ve placed us in a dangerous position now. Attacking the Ace, even accidentally, breaks one of our oldest rules. Rules you swore anoathto follow. You know what this means.”
Kraven’s jaw works back and forth once more as he nods. “I do.”
“We have to step in and clear up this mess before anyone else gets hurt.”
