Page 66 of The Mafia Enforcer's Temptation

“All of you remember the Lev group, even this mythical Hank, isn’t our business or our problem.” Callahan pauses. “Not until it is, so if anyone asks, we’re looking for something that might harm our future business merger with the Volkov Bratva.”

“We’re still taking that?” Dec asks.

I sigh. “It’s the idea. But like anything we do, we check it out. Don’t talk until you have to and keep it simple.”

“I knew this fucking party job would bite us.” Callahan picks up his cigarette and holds it, staring at it like he’s contemplating relighting the thing. “Bottom line, find out if any of these threats to Romanov are really about us. Carefully. Very fucking carefully. And while you’re at it, see if there’s any trouble wemight need to clean up down the road in regard to the bratva we’re going to take over. Unless your bride’s the sharing type?”

“She isn’t.” At all.

My brothers keep talking. Actually, Dec controls most of the conversation. He had fun today and I’ll give him that. Sometimes it’s fun. But I worry he thinks everything is fun when it’s not.

I tap my fingers on my glass. I’m not being fair.

Declan’s young, has a good heart, maybe the best of all of ours, in that pure way, but he’s lived through the same hell as we have. Oh, we protected him from a lot, but things happen. Dicks like Paddy happen. Danger always lurks in the shadows.

Dec sighs. “These gang strikes happen more often, like they can smell power shifts or openings.”

“In us?” I ask.

Declan shakes his head. “The merge of Romanov and Assisi gives them both more power and expands their base, but it causes turmoil, too. That’s what I mean. In turmoil, it’s like being at home. But with more players.”

I throw a cushion at him. “You’re a Murphy all right. I told you, Torin, Mam didn’t pick him up at the pound.”

“He’s right,” Callahan says. “Gangs and the cartel and other criminals not affiliated can feel the changes, and then they get bold. Since we did security…”

I look at him and rise to my feet, needing to pace. “You don’t think anyone believes we’ve joined forces, do you?”

“Who the fuck knows? But we keep this all about us. Romanov and Assisi can fight their own battles. We’re not tangling in their messes.” Callahan pauses. “I want to expand our power base, and we will, but we stick to slow going, and we stick to careful choices of allies and what we take over. When do you get in to see the workings of the Volkov Bratva?”

I shrug. “Not sure. It shouldn’t be long. We see her lawyer soon. I guess once they’re sold on the marriage, we’ll be in.”

Cal sighs. “Could be at the end of the year, but we should be able to get access to the smuggling routes earlier.”

We’re talking to talk because this Mitchell guy is taking his time turning up.

When the doorbell finally rings, Dec answers after looking at the security monitor.

“Here.” Mitchell hands a package over once he opens the door. “Take it. Just in case I’m being watched, I’m giving you a sample of our merch.”

Cal comes up to the door. “You don’t need an excuse. You rent on our territory. Call this an extra payment for being late.”

“But I put?—”

“Your prerogative,” Cal says. “Next time, don’t sweeten any deal. Got it?”

The man nods. Then he turns and scurries down the stairs. From the car outside, the window rolls down, but Cal shakes his head and then gently pushes Dec out of the way and shuts the door.

“You’re not following the guy?” I ask.

“Why? We know where he works.” Cal takes the package. Sure enough, there are drugs in there and he tosses them to Dec. “Get rid of them.”

The first photo Cal pulls out is of a man. A naked chick is behind them working a pole. Lev, I presume since it’s written on the photo. I don’t recognize the other guy in the picture, but our friendly drug dealer circled Lev for us.

The other’s a blurry printout from a security camera that doesn’t give us much. I squint at it. The subject looks tall. He has gray hair and what looks like a scar.

And as I look closer, something occurs to me. I’m probably wrong, but… because I’m always interested in puzzle pieces, and the picture of Lev is pretty clear, I think…

What if we’re a target now?