Page 67 of Plaintive Vow

I pull out my phone and call Alexei. I haven’t spoken to him much since the day after Savage opened, and I don’t want to now, but I can’t let this farce with Pavel continue. And though we get on each other’s nerves, Alexei doesn’t deserve to be left high and dry when I blow us all to hell.

“Whatever you have to say, I don’t want to hear it,” he answers as I pinch my temples.

“What would you say if I ever had good news?”

“Do you?”

“Of course not, are you fucking kidding me?”

“Figures. You’ve never had good news in your life.” A sigh. “If you’re trying to get out of the meeting with Lavrov tomorrow, then forget it. It isn’t happening.”

Ironically, I’m the one who set up the stupid meeting.

Konstantin Lavrov is a powerful ally in times of need, and while it’s foolish for Maksim to push him away, it’d be even worse if I let him get away with it.

Konstantin’s wealthy, loyal, and well connected. Most of his connections are redundant to us right now, but with Maksim’s paranoia, they might not stay that way for long.

“The meeting’s still going to happen, but you can handle him on your own.”

“Blyad,” he swears. “And what happens when it all goes to shit? I take the fall while you ride off into the sunset with Maksim none the wiser?”

“It won’t blow up. Besides, if Maksim finds out, he’ll be pissed that we’re meeting with him at all.”

I just need them to act as an alibi later. I know that Konstantin will have my back, but I need Alexei to get on the same page. “If anyone asks, I was there with you. That’s all. And if Maksim does find out, I’ll take all the blame.”

Though I doubt it’ll come to that.

He’s quiet for a beat.

“And what’re you planning on doing? Why the fuck are you going that you need a cover story?”

I could tell him. Sure, it would likely end up getting me killed, but it’d be nice to get some feedback or have him tell me that I’m not digging my own grave.

Either I’m going insane, or I just miss having someone I can talk to about things like this without having to worry that they’d turn around and stab me in the back later.

Fuck, why did Daniil have to get himself killed before I really needed him?

“Never mind,” he eventually grunts. “I probably don’t want to know.”

“Probably not.”

“Why the fuck should I back you up?”

“Because Lavrov will regardless of whether you’re on board or not.”

“You sound sure of that.”

“He owes me a favor, and unlike you, he’s doing everything he can to keep it from hanging over his head.”

It’s always a benefit to know exactly what sort of trouble men like us get into, and an even bigger one to know how to make that trouble disappear. Having a debt to collect is more valuable than gold, and I always make sure to cash in eventually.

It’s something that Alexei should figure out sooner rather than later.

***

It’s late by the time I get back to my condo, but I’ve done as much as I can to keep Blair safe tonight. Tomorrow I’ll do a little more, but for now, my focus is on the way she’s curled up on my sofa, wrapped in an old hoodie that I’m pretty sure was buried in the back of my closet. Her eyes are red and puffy as she watches me rearm the alarms.

Her legs are bare beneath the hoodie, and I follow suit, stripping to my boxer briefs before I pick her up. She doesn’t protest, instead wrapping her arms around my neck as I carry her to the bedroom.