Second Best (Volkov Bratva 1)

“I don’t know how you can be so calm.”

“Easy. They’re not the first people who’ve wanted to kill me and I have no doubt they won’t be the last.” I sipped at my wine.

Our dinner arrived.

The waiter left.

“You’re … amazing,” she said.

I smiled. “Why?”

“I’m freaking out and I don’t have the first clue what is going on or even why, and yet, this just seems all a little surreal. You’re a strong man, Slavik.”

I didn’t pay attention to the compliment.

All my life, I’d lived with the threat of being killed. It was not new to me and fighting to survive was second nature.

“How was your week?” I asked.

“Boring. I didn’t do anything quite as exciting as you. I used the pool. Cooked myself some food. Read. That’s about it.”

Just as I was about to say something, a couple stopped by our table.

I recognized Andrei Belov. He controlled section two of cities under Ivan’s control. He was a brigadier like me and answered to the Volkov Bratva. With the attack, Ivan had organized a meeting with all of us to take place in my territory, seeing as this was where we were attacked.

The woman on Andrei’s arms was his intended. Her name escaped me.

“I thought it was you, and you were not wrong. This place is amazing,” he said.

“I only have the best.”

“Bethany, I’d like you to meet Slavik Ivanov and his wife, Aurora.”

“It is so nice to meet you both.” Bethany shook my hand and turned to Aurora. “We need to organize a lunch or a shopping trip. I would love to do both.” She put her hand on Andrei’s chest. “I know we’re going to be leaving soon, and it’s so hard to make friends here. What do you say?”

Aurora smiled but didn’t say anything.

“My wife is available tomorrow. I’ll make the arrangements with you, Andrei.”

“Call it a date.”

Andrei shook my hand and they made their excuses to leave.

I wasn’t like Andrei. To look and to listen to him, men believed his position of power was unfounded. What they didn’t know was he had a mean streak and in fact, I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy to be alone with him when he was on the warpath.

Ivan Volkov did not pick soft men to run his cities. It was why he’d gotten six of the best, divided up his cities into sections, and we ruled them all.

“Do I have to go to lunch?” Aurora asked.

“Yes. It would be rude not to and he’s a friend. You’ll be safe.”

“It’s easy for you to say.”

“What is the problem?”

“She doesn’t really want to have lunch with me.”

“Did I see her talking to someone else?” I asked.

“You don’t understand. It’s fine.” She waved her hand in the air, dismissing me. Whatever had happened in the bathroom was gone, and I was pissed off Andrei had interrupted my dinner.

Chapter Seven

Aurora

Maybe I had prejudged Bethany because I actually had an enjoyable lunch with her. She was a nice woman. Came from a media background. Her parents were more than thrilled with her marrying Andrei Belov. The arrangements had already been made and the wedding set for December. Not too far away, and she was excited.

During all of her talk of her wedding, not once did she invite me, but I figured it had something to do with Slavik and the whole Bratva thing.

We had lunch several times a week. I invited her to dinner. We talked about everything and nothing. In fact, I’d been that heavily involved with Bethany, I had nearly forgotten about the uncomfortable conversation with Sergei.

He was there all the time, watching and waiting.

Each day, I had a new date with Bethany.

She’d be returning with Andrei to wherever he lived. I couldn’t recall where, but it was in one of the cities. I was never good with locations.

“You and Bethany seem to be hitting it off,” Sergei said.

“Slavik wanted me to be nice and have dinner. She’s only here for a couple more days and then she’s leaving.”

Sergei nodded.

What also played on my mind was the kiss I’d shared with Slavik in the bathroom. There was no one to talk to about it. I wanted to know what a kiss like that meant. Was it normal to share one so intense? Every time I thought about it, my lips tingled, and like now, I touched them.

Would it be so wrong to give in to him?

We hadn’t had sex.

My period had started a few days ago, so that meant no baby. To have a baby you did have to do it regularly, right?

Talking to my mother was useless. She never came to the phone. Isabella was always talking about a party she’d been to and what fun she had. Me, I’d been left with Slavik, confused.

The only place to go would be the internet, and trying to figure out the truth was way too complicated. Also, my searching had sent me to a porn site. If Slavik had a way of checking through what I looked at, there would be questions.