Page 21 of Devious Corruption

It’s not much to worry about, really, if I think about it. If he wanted to hurt me or the boys he would have done it already. It’s not like the man has any patience. His little threat of ‘or else’ was for his ego. A way for him to let me have what I want without him having to give up anything.

It was an idle threat.

It has to be.

Or else?

I swallow, remembering all the tattoos on his hand, the way his heated stare roamed over me as he thought about his next move.

What couldor elsemean?

“What’s put the sourpuss on your face?” Kaz Volkov takes a seat at the table with me and two of my men.

We’re in the game room in the lower bowels of Obsidian, an elite club the Volkov brothers run. If there’s secrets to be found, this is the place to find them.

“Not what, more like who,” Vas grunts.

“Who?” Kaz’s eyebrows lift. “The one with the glasses? Vivienne’s friend?”

Vas raises his eyes from his cards, meets my stare then goes back to his hand, but not before muttering, “that’s the one.”

“My mood has nothing to do with Maxine.” I throw down my cards, folding the hand.

I’m not in the right frame of mind to be playing. Not while I’m sitting here waiting like a teenage girl being stood up for the prom.

“I came across a Glock 18; modifications point to an Armenian sale.” I take a long sip of vodka from my glass.

“How many?” Kaz leans back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.

“Just one.”

Kaz laughs. “You’re this pissy because you found one piece?”

“It could be the beginning of more,” I say.

Kaz moves his gaze to Vas, then with a smirk he returns his attention to me. “So, it has nothing to do with Vee’s friend? The one you hurried off to help with a locked door last week? Not her?”

“I found it in her apartment, but otherwise no.”

I’m not sure I can hold onto that lie for much longer. My dark mood has more to do with that woman than I can admit. Ever since I met her, nothing but irritation has gripped me. It was fine when she was only a friend of my little sister. A small annoyance here and there when I dropped Nicolette off. A bigger annoyance when I had to drag them both home drunk from a bar.

It was no secret Maxine’s brothers were trouble. Back when Ivan was still trying to get Vee to move in with him, his security team had been stationed across the hall from their apartments— and they had detailed records of thebrothers’ comings and goings. Those two assholes barged into Maxine’s life at all hours, day and night. Each time, fists banging on the door.

They don’t have a key, so in order to get her to let them in, they pound on the door. More than once, Ivan’s security stood ready at the door to intervene because the thinner of the two sounded like he was about to get physical with her.

“What was she doing with it?”

I deadpan. “Her idiot brothers left it behind.”

“They have something to do with the Armenians?”

“I don’t know. I have some men watching them. And her. I’ll find out more soon.” I push my cards toward Vas.

“If they’re working with the Armenians, this girl could be trouble.”

“Maxine.” I grit my teeth. “Her name is Maxine.”

Kaz flashes an arrogant grin. “I know. I wanted to hear you say it.”