Page 16 of Hunt Me (Dmitriyev Bratva #1)

M ikhail

Soldiers surrounded the property, prepared to keep the family safe.

In other words, shoot to kill.

I’d required more of my men on duty because my instinct continued to raise a red flag. Family celebrations were ripe locations for a catastrophic attack. I’d remained on edge for years and refused to ignore my gut.

While the soldiers were attempting to blend in, including two landscapers who were actively working on cutting back shrubs, I could see the bulge from where they’d hidden their weapons.

For some reason, it brought a laugh. We’d come so far in the world of legitimacy, yet the old ways remained indoctrinated into our systems. Not necessarily by choice.

I shut down all thoughts of business if only for an afternoon, turning my attention to my uncle-like duties.

Pink and purple.

The colors were certainly nothing I’d ever thought I’d see in my possession.

As I grabbed the colorfully wrapped packages from the backseat of my car, the spectacular wrapping courtesy of one of my female employees, I wondered if parts of my house would eventually be covered in the very shades that I loathed.

Kids.

They certainly weren’t part of my repertoire but would be necessary at some point in my life.

It was an old requirement of the Russian Bratva, and my father and uncle were determined to keep the old legacies alive.

In days of old, every Pakhan was supposed to have a family.

For most, they also had at least one mistress on the side.

That was nothing I had any interest in, but knew I’d heard about my disrespect for the honorable state of marriage at least once.

Usually the marriages were arranged, a useful tool when creating alliances. Even today, various Bratvas throughout the country carried on the tradition. While I wouldn’t admit my distaste to my father, I wanted no part of the traditional yet Neanderthal ways.

I had to wrestle with the stuffed unicorn before managing to jerk it from the passenger seat of the car, immediately slamming the door with my foot afterwards. Maybe I’d gone a little overboard with presents, but I adored Nina. Maybe kids weren’t so bad after all.

I sighed as I glanced at the array of cars parked in front of my uncle’s house, the lavish estate competing with my father’s for being the largest in the city limits, I shook my head.

The entire family was here. Great. While I adored my family, two huge celebrations in a close timeframe were suffocating.

The music was lively, the lilt of children giggling and screaming permeating the front courtyard.

Since Nina’s birth, Uncle Ivan and Aunt Galina had gone all out on lavish birthday parties.

Christmas was a magical fairyland. With only one grandchild in the family, the entire Dmitriyev world seemed to revolve around the little girl.

I could imagine what it would be like when she was older. Especially if there were no other children in the fold.

When I flexed my hand, I noticed the tattoos on my fingers.

As of the past few years, I barely paid them any attention, but when I’d been adorned just after making enforcer, I’d been proud to show them off wherever I went.

They meant I’d become someone of importance in the dangerous world and to the other members of my family.

Then they’d become nothing more than permanent jewelry. For some reason on this beautiful afternoon, I had a moment of pride and respect. What I’d told my beautiful, mysterious angel had sparked memories of the past. Maybe I was just getting old, too settled in my ways.

I carried a laugh as I headed to the front door. One of the estate employees had sensed my arrival, perhaps because I was fashionably late, and already had the door opened for me.

“ Dobro pozhalovat’, Pakhan ,” she said demurely. I’ll be damned if she didn’t act like she was going to curtsey.

“Irina. I’ve known you since I was an ugly teenager. I think you can call me Mikhail.”

She blushed and shook her head. She’d been with my uncle and aunt for as long as I could remember. “Not allowed, good sir,” she teased. “Your uncle wouldn’t approve.”

I laughed as she took the packages from me. “My uncle is an old doddering fool and it will be our little secret.”

Her smile was quick, brightening her entire face. “Should I take the unicorn from you? Pakhan?”

Groaning, I shot her a look and winked. “No, I think I’ll give this to Nina myself. I take is she’s in the backyard?”

Irina nodded. “Your aunt and uncle have outdone themselves this year. Everyone from the neighborhood was invited.” She closed the door behind me.

“Wonderful,” I growled and kept my teeth gritted as I headed for the backyard, managing to make it outdoors before being stopped by a member of the family.

“Miki!” Nina squealed as soon as she saw me. She’d yet to be able to pronounce my name, and was the only person allowed to use Miki.

“Baby girl.” The unicorn was bigger than she was and with the fluffy, colorful feet on the ground, I crouched down to Nina’s size. When she threw her arms around me, I squeezed her tight. “You’re getting too big.”

“I grew an inch.” She pulled away, smashing both her little hands against her mouth, jumping up and down as she stared glassy-eyed at the unicorn.

“An inch, huh? You’re a big girl now. Do you like it?”

“It’s butiful!”

There had to be twenty kids running around the backyard. Nina was in her prime element. I’d never seen her so happy.

“You just had to buy her another damn stuffed animal. Didn’t you?” Sasha asked as he slipped by my side, a beer in his hand.

“Daddy! You cussed. Not good.”

As soon as Nina chastised him, I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re right, baby girl. Tell your daddy.”

Sasha growled on purpose, acting like he was going to race after her, turning into a big, bad monster. Nina and half the kids squealed.

“Jesus. A bounce house,” I muttered. Suddenly, an arm was slid around my waist.

“You should try it,” the female voice cooed. “Hiya, big brother.”

“Katya.” I kissed her forehead, squeezing her when I did. “How is my favorite sister?”

“Don’t you dare let Lilia hear you say that. I’m fine.” She punched me in the gut. “How is the big business tycoon?”

“You mean a brilliant mastermind. Right?” Katya was the baby of the family, her birth considered a miracle. She was entirely Americanized, barely learning any Russian and she had no accent.

“I think you’re a little hardheaded if you ask me.”

“She’s right,” Alexsey said as he approached. “Very hardheaded.”

“I heard you had a date the other night,” Katya teased, twirling away from me before I could grab her.

“Does this family have anything better to do than talk gossip?” I glared at my brother who shrugged.

“Not when it comes to the Pakhan,” Sasha offered.

“That’s my cue to leave. Just a reminder, boys,” Katya stated in her chastising voice she’d gotten so good at performing. “This is a birthday party. Try and pretend you’re having a good time.”

“We are having a good time. Aren’t we?” Alexsey threw out.

“Right.” Katya tossed her blonde hair, blowing us a little kiss before walking off.

I turned my attention to Nina, even noticing there was a pinata. My God. How things had changed since the little girl was born.

“You seem pensive,” Alexsey said when I remained quiet.

He was right. I’d been that way since dealing with Jax. Something about not only his blatant thievery but his lack of fear about being caught continued to bug the hell out of me.

“I have reason to be.”

“Sasha mentioned your run-in with a thief.”

“Possibly not just any thief. He’s Irish.” I noticed Kazimir in an animated discussion with our father and uncle Vissarian standing close. “What’s that about?”

Sasha sighed, taking a moment to ensure Nina wasn’t getting into any mischief. “There’s more talk on the street.”

I turned my full attention to him. “Why do I have a feeling I’m going to need a drink to hear this?”

“Your instincts are right. The talk is about the Irish making an underground move.” Sasha kept his voice lower, his eyes on mine until Nina suddenly bounced hard onto the ground, her sharp cry immediately drawing his attention. “Excuse me for a minute. Fatherly duty calls.”

One of the bars was off to the right. I immediately headed for it, Alexsey following.

“Whiskey, neat,” I told the bartender before turning toward my brother.

“If what Sasha said is true, then we need to provide another extremely clear message they aren’t welcome here.

If the man I interrogated last night is working for him, he’ll likely provide a preliminary warning, but it might not be enough.

We’re signing the damn contract with the Italian gorillas tomorrow. You know the subject will come up.”

“Then we need to ask them if they’re having any issues.

Keep in mind they aren’t our enemy, Mikhail.

There’s other talk on the street about drugs coming in.

Maybe you need to have a chat with your cop friend.

It’s entirely possible Tristen is simply taking another swing at you for what happened at that damn park.

Now that Ecstasy is considered toast of the town, a destination for vacationers, it’s like rubbing salt into a wound.

” He lifted his sunglasses, giving me one of his hard looks, all while grinning as if he’d caught me in a secret.

“I get it, but that was a long time ago.” Everyone knew what had occurred twenty-two years before. With Ryan O’Shaughnessy’s murder, Tristen had sworn vengeance and he’d tried over the next two years only to have his entire operation face another round of extinction.

With the glass in my hand, I turned to face the party.

“Maybe so, but the need for revenge doesn’t have a time limit,” Alexsey noted. “I’ll take one of those,” he said to the bartender. “Birthday parties make my skin crawl.”

“Yes, they do.” Celebrations were ripe for assassination attempts even though things had changed in our business practices.