Page 13 of The Enemy Protector
As expected, Kirill is waiting in my office.
"Tell me," I say the second I walk in.
"The biker was not mafia. Lower-tier, not one of the usual operators."
I nod and walk to the sidebar to pour something nice and strong.
It shouldn’t bother me. She has protection from her own guards. I shouldn’t be affected.
But I am.
That alone is a problem.
I sip my drink. “Continue.”
"Hired through an intermediary two days ago.”
"Was she supposed to die?" I ask calmly.
Kirill meets my eyes. “Not yet.”
Intimidation. Not a kill—not yet. This was a message. Someone telling Sofia Baranova she isn't as safe as she thinks she is. Whoever sent it wants her to walk away without a war.
It’s a first move. A declaration of intent.
It has Yuri Baranov's signature all over it. He’s been in the city for a week. Time to establish himself. Make contacts. Do something bold to make him look powerful. Announce the game has started.
He's not wasting time.
"I want to know who inside the Baranov circle has been talking about her or her old man. Someone gave Yuri her Thursday routine. If it’s one of her guards, I want to know. I’ll handle it personally."
Kirill writes something in the small notebook he carries everywhere. He refuses to digitize. Paper burns. Phones can’t be trusted. I agree.
"Anton is competent,” I say, almost as an afterthought. “If he’s on her, he’ll keep her safe.”
"He made you."
"I know."
He smirks. “You’re slipping.”
“Not even a little.”
He grins because he knows it infuriates me.
“I want our guys that we have on her to stay sharp. Shorten the shift. Add more men. I don’t care. No one sleeps on this job. Not even for a second.”
That gets his attention. He doesn’t question it. “I’ll make it happen.”
"Yuri will accelerate. Threaten. Intimidate. That was a week-one move. I want to be three moves ahead before he makes his second."
Kirill closes the notebook. "There's the other matter."
Right. The other matter.
The warehouse in Greenpoint.
“I’ll change.”
