Page 75 of The Bratva’s Monster

“I’m going to check in on Nona while I’m here. Alex says she’s been complaining about not feeling well.”

I arch an eyebrow. “You deliver babies?

“Not if I can help it, but I know a thing or two. See you two around.” He winks at Liz, then walks away.

“He’s… convenient,” Liz says.

“He has to be. It’s his job. Come on.”

We follow the sound of conversation until we get to the hall leading to Alex’s meeting room in the west wing of the house. The minute I open the door and see that he’s called all the other brigadiers in, I know that business is in session.

The room looks a lot like Dad’s meeting room used to. Wooden paneling and floors. A long table made from some kind of dark oak. On the walls are paintings, landscapes that I’m only vaguely familiar with. And an overhead light that casts a bright amber tone over everything.

The brigadiers, as well as Kostya, are all seated around the table and my brother is standing at the head, his arms crossed. The moment I walk in, all eyes are on us.

“Good of you to join us,” Alex says. “We were just discussing you.”

I want to tell Liz to run. To back away while I make a distraction. I don’t get the chance because the next thing he does is motion to the chair right next to him. “Sit.”

I glance back at Liz, who looks genuinely frightened. I take her hand and squeeze it gently, then I take my place at my brother’s side.

“You might as well find a seat as well,” he says to her, nodding to the empty seat near the table’s end. Liz takes it.

“As I was saying,” Alex says, “this new information comes from my most trusted source. My brother. Rikki, as you all know, doesn’t take the matter of treason lightly, and no accused has ever been safe from punishment in his eyes.”

The others grumble and Alex says, “I suppose some of you are doubtful.”

“We understand that Gedeon was seen with the enemy,” one of the Brigadiers says. “And we know he had gambling debts to pay.”

“The enemy he was seen with was his brother in arms,” I say. “Stefan Kiselev and he grew up together in Russia⁠—”

“We know the story,” he interrupts. “Some of us just happen to think it’s bullshit.”

“And what about the fact that I don’t think it’s bullshit?” Alex says. The brigadier shrinks slightly, his eyes darting around to the others as if he hoped to be saved. “The matter of Gedeon’s guilt or innocence is squashed. It’s over. And if any of you has a problem with that, then you have a problem with me. Is that understood?”

Nods and grumbles of agreement.

“Now,” he says, sitting down in his chair. “Let’s get back to the actual plan of action.” Before he goes on, I see him glance down the table at Liz. “Stefan Kiselev might not have used any of our people to get over on us, but he did use his own brother. And that, we can use.”

I feel a little like Rip van Winkle. Only instead of falling asleep for seventy years, I fell into Liz’s pussy for a few hours. Now everything is changed.

“We’re using Josef?” I ask him.

He nods and says, “Dad said never to trust anyone. You and Yeva have always been the exception. No reason to stop now. You and your girlfriend over there seem to think that it’s a good idea. Why the hell shouldn’t it be?”

Liz’s face flushes as everyone looks her way. Oh, the Bratva rumor mill is going to turn like crazy about this one.

But the point is that my books are good with Alex. At least good enough for him to decide to listen to Liz.

“Liz,” he says, “You said we should use our guest, and I’ve got just the way. Brotherhood is an interesting thing for us. We all take an oath to stand by and protect one another. But it’s always understood that trust is something that we’re not always afforded. That said, I think it would be interesting to find out exactly where Stefan lies in terms of his relationship with his brother.”

“How close they are is debatable,” says Kostya from his place on the other side of Alex. “Up until about five or so years ago, Josef was living in Russia with their grandmother. Did a little time up there, then got into it with some of their rivals. His brother sent for him to keep him out of trouble.”

“Sounds pretty charitable to me,” I say. “If they weren’t tight, he wouldn’t bother.”

“Not necessarily,” says Alex. “If there was something he could get out of it, it’s reasonable to assume that he would want him here.”

“Like what?” Liz says. All eyes turn to her again. “You said he was a Six, right? Are we sure about that?”