Page 77 of Nikola

“Jesus, can the fucking dinging end already?” Sasha grumbled, slurring his words. I vowed never to drink his moonshine again.

Nix and Branka entered the room, wearing their disapproval like it was a fashion statement.

“I hope it teaches you both,” Branka spat.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I cleared my throat and tried again.

“What time is it?” Fuck, I wasn’t even sure if I asked the question in English or Italian.

“Five o’clock,” Vasili answered, refusing the glass that Sasha shoved his way. He must have known what poison Sasha was feeding me because he stopped drinking it hours ago.

Our wives had been in and out of the room all day, pointedly ignoring us.

“You two sure you want to keep on going like this?” the eldest Nikolaev asked, eyeing his brother disapprovingly. “You’re tooold to behave like this, and you’re not going to make your wives happy.”

Great, now he was giving us advice. Just what I needed.

I pushed the full glass away, spilling some of its contents.

“I’m done. I need a clear head,” I said as a beep sounded. I glanced around, frowning. “Fuck, is that clock chiming again?”

Sasha glowered at his drink. “I think so. Time flies when you’re having fun.”

“It’s your phone, you idiot.” Another beep and Vasili fished out his cell phone.

“A message from—” He slid the screen open and shock splashed across his features. My phone dinged next, and I fumbled to reach it on the bar top. I squinted, and it took a few seconds for a name to come into focus.

It was a message from Nikola.

“What the fuck would he want?” I mumbled to myself, recalling our conversation earlier. I wasn’t in the mood for his shit, but I slid the message open and a video started playing. I stared and stared, the fuzziness in my brain refusing to process what I was seeing.

“Where is that little fucker?” I roared, jumping to my feet with the agility of a drunk man.

“Dante—” Vasili never got to finish whatever he was going to say because Sasha bellowed like a general running headfirst into battle.

“I’m going to fucking kill him.” He threw his phone across the room, letting it smash against the mirror in the back of the bar. Glass shattered all over the marble floor. “Where is he?”

Nix appeared next to me, her forehead marred with worry. “What happened?”

“This.” I put the phone in front of her. “Didn’t I say spending Thanksgiving here was a bad idea? The fucking holiday is areunion shitshow of family members you never want to see,” I roared.

My wife stared at the screen, her mouth open in shock while Sasha’s voice grated on my last nerve.

“At least you consider us family. Even though you never want to see me.” He leaned forward, getting into my face.

I didn’t think twice before my fist flew through the air, connecting with his stupid Russian jaw.

Nix shoved my phone into my chest, glaring at me disapprovingly. “What is wrong with you, Dante?”

“Me?” I shouted, cursing the alcohol that clouded my senses. “My daughter is on film having sex with that shithead Russian.”

“Nikola is a good kid, and he’s always been protective of Skye,” Vasili interrupted. “There has to be some kind of misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” I roared so loud my own ears rang. “The video went to the Marchettis. If this fucker hadn’t poisoned me with his damned backcountry American alcohol, I’d take all of you motherfuckers down right now.”

Sasha stood up, swaying on his feet, and grabbed my shoulder. “I’ll help you kill those motherfucking Russians, starting with Nikola. I’ll bury him so deep that not even the devil will find him.”

Vasili shoved him. “You’re Russian too, you idiot. And Nikola is your nephew.”