Brutal Boss (Bratva Brothers 1)

MIKHAIL

“I didn’t thinkyou were coming home tonight,” Nikita says. A wide smirk adorns his face.

I glance at my watch as I shuck my coat.

Shit.

I forgot about the flash drive in my pocket. I dig my fingers into my wool coat, but it’s not there.

It’s not on the floor in the foyer. Did it fall out while I was over Madisyn’s? If I’m lucky, it’s in one of the vehicles we use.

I run a hand through my hair. I’m exhausted. It’s well past midnight. There was no way I was spending the night at her place. She’s cute and feisty, but I’d never sleep, and I have a meeting in the early morning. Besides, I can’t sleep in anyone else’s bed.

I’m always on guard and on high alert when my men aren’t nearby.

Too much adrenaline runs through my veins, and now having misplaced the thumb drive isn’t helping matters.

I sent Luka to stay outside her house in his car. I need to make sure that she’s safe and that asshole of an ex-boyfriend doesn’t come back to bother her.

I want to wipe that smug grin right off. He doesn’t know anything. It’s all assumptions, and even though I did sleep with her, it’s none of his damn business.

“I want everything on Madisyn’s ex-boyfriend, Aaron.”

“Do you have a last name?” Nikita asks.

“Try social media.” A growl escapes the back of my throat. “I didn’t get his last name when I was kicking him off her property. He showed up at her work, and he’s been harassing her. I want one of our men keeping an eye on her at all times.”

“You want to give her a bodyguard?”

“Luka is my eyes for tonight,” I say and attempt to stifle a yawn. “But yes, until the threat to her is neutralized, she gets a bodyguard.”

Nikita opens his mouth and shuts it.

A scowl crosses my face. I don’t like it when my men have something to say but refrain from doing so. “What is it?” I’m not in the mood for him questioning my decisions.

“You don’t think it’s a waste of manpower, having one of our men on her?” Nikita asks.

“What I think is that you need to let me be in charge, and you need to focus on finding out everything about her ex-boyfriend.”

“Yes, boss,” Nikita says.

“And let me know if you find that silver thumb drive with a red X on the bottom. Last I saw it, I put it in my coat pocket.”

Nikita knows what’s on the drive. He was part of the team who helped me recover the device and put a bullet in the son of a bitch’s head who betrayed me, Leo Aminoff.

Leo stole valuable intel about our safe houses and our guard shifts. He was stupid enough to put an ad on the dark web, attempting to sell the information to the highest bidder.

Dmitri noticed the advertisement, and we set up our little sting operation to retrieve the drive and put an end to Leo’s involvement in selling our secrets.

At least the information is encrypted, but it’s still worrisome that it could be out there, waiting to fall into the wrong hands.

“Of course, sir.” He heads down the hallway in the opposite direction as I head up the stairwell for my bedroom. It’s late, and knowing that Madisyn is safe at home, I can shut my eyes and get a few hours of sleep.

* * *

My phone jolts me awake. “Hello?” I rub the sleep from my eyes and try to focus on the caller. I didn’t glance at the caller ID when I answered the phone.

“Boss, you asked me to drop her off at work. I did that, but she just bolted out the front door not five minutes later.”

My brain is in a haze. “Luka?” I ask.

Who else would be talking about some girl? I sent him to watch Madisyn last night.

The morning light spills in through a break in the curtains. I sit up in bed, the sheets fall around my waist, and I try to focus a little more on the call.

“Yes, do you want me to follow her or just let her be? I dropped her off at her job, but she isn’t inside the building.”

My gaze tightens. Where the hell is she heading?

“Follow her, but be discreet,” I say. “I don’t want her knowing that she’s being watched.”

I end the call and fall back into bed. As I stare up at the ceiling, the sun is still much too bright. I shade my face with my arm.

Where the hell is my Kisa going?

What trouble is she getting herself into?

There’s a sharp knock on my bedroom door.

“What?” I shout into the void. I want to be left alone to sleep. But it doesn’t seem like that’s happening this morning.

“Should I come back later?” Nikita asks through the closed bedroom door.

I grumble under my breath and relent. “Come in,” I say.

Nikita turns the handle to my bedroom door and steps inside. He closes the door behind himself. He glances at me, careful not to remark that I’m still in bed at this hour. It’s not that late, just past seven in the morning, but I’m usually up, running business decisions and working.

“I ran the information that you requested on Madisyn’s ex-boyfriend.”

“And?” I ask, waiting for him to answer.

He’s stalling and uncomfortable, bringing me whatever details he’s uncovered.

“Out with it!” I do not like to be kept waiting.

“His name is Aaron Moore. He’s a Fed, works for the FBI,” Nikita says.

I expel a heavy breath and sit up in bed. “Is that so?” I say. “And Madisyn Taylor? How do they know one another?”

“Other than from fucking?” Nikita shrugs. “Can’t tell. There’s no proof of any sort of relationship between them. Which makes it even more puzzling, sir.”

“Why is that?” I ask. I push myself out of bed and stand, heading for the dresser. I need to shower and dress, get ready to face the day. Whatever it brings.

“Well, usually when you have any sort of relationship with the person, there are receipts, text messages, photographs, evidence on social media,” Nikita says. “However, all that is usually hidden when it’s an affair with a married person.”

“And is one of them married?” I ask. He ought to know that answer, with me asking him to dig around.

“No, there is no evidence that Madisyn or Aaron have ever been married to anyone else, or either other, for that matter.”

I grab my clothes from the dresser and stride into the bathroom, turning around to face Nikita. He’s not coming in here, and I’m done with the discussion. “Well, they met. Figure it out!”

I slam the bathroom door shut and shed my clothes, turning the spray on. I need to rinse myself from the thoughts Nikita put into my head.

Aaron Moore is a federal agent. He didn’t indicate that he recognized me last night, but that doesn’t mean anything. He could be good at his job, hiding his surprise, especially if he wasn’t surprised.

Could Madisyn have been a plant? Is it possible that she made some poor decisions, and the Feds have something on her? Are they using her to get to me?

Could she have snatched the drive while I let her borrow my coat?