Now wasn’t the time for that, and I’d never taken a real vacation before.
Now, more than ever, territories needed to be divided. I also had to pick my main men. Misha was supposed to be my top guy, but no one could find him. Everyone had been searching all over St. Petersburg. The only news I’d gathered was that his ballerina would be performing this evening. Someone would have to fly out and wait outside the theater to catch him.
I don’t care what’s going on over there. You need to be here. Your father is gone. How do you want to bury him? So many are dead. Which position do you want to pick up?
Deep in the back of my head, I knew Misha wouldn’t be excited about having a stronger position within the brotherhood. But duty should prevail. He had to know how much I needed him.
In the middle of that, someone has threatened my mouse.
She’d gotten pissed and began to build an army. If I didn’t focus on that problem and solve it soon, I would find several of my brothers sliced and diced all over Moscow. The Tinder Killer situation might be revived. It would get the wrong attention.
I remembered the photos of the Tinder Killer victims.
Leave it to me to fall in love with a serial killer.
Lovable and small as she was, Emily still needed to be handled with caution.
There weren’t going to be many monkey head surprises before she burned the whole city down. And, in all honesty, I would help her light the match. I loved my city, but I was falling in love with her more.
I just need a few days. We need a few days of peace.
Someone knocked at the door. I had my pants and shirt on. “Come in.”
Zahkar entered.
I grabbed my jacket. “You’re still here.”
“I assumed Misha would arrive soon.”
“And how have you been spending your time?”
“In that pool of yours.”
I nodded. “Feel free to remain. I have a problem.”
“I’m here to help, and you do need some new people close by.”
Zahkar, you’re so eager to be at my side, but do you know how difficult it is?
“Someone’s threatening my mouse.”
Shock hit Zahkar’s face. I studied him, wondering if it was real or not. Whoever put those monkey heads on the bed had been in my house that evening. Did they do it while we were all occupied in the ballroom? It would’ve made a lot of sense. Even the staff had been busy.
The video footage of the first hour during the party was missing. My security team had no answers. It was clear this person was covering his tracks.
But who? And can I trust Zahkar to figure it out?
“What did they do?” he asked.
“They cut off monkey heads and placed them on my bed.”
Zahkar widened his eyes. “I’m surprised you didn’t murder us all this morning.”
“I considered it.”
But I need you all. So many have died already.
“Threatening the mouse?” Zahkar paced on the other side of the desk. “That’s a very dangerous move.”
“It is.”
“How did they get into your house?”
“Perhaps the party.”
“Or they already had access?”
“That’s what you will find out.”
Zahkar stopped pacing and looked at me. “Is this why the mouse is building an army?”
“It’s not an army, and it’s none of your concern what she’s doing.”
Zahkar placed his hands in his pockets. “What can I do?”
“Find out who did it. Any information you find you give it to me.”
“I’m surprised you won’t be handling this personally.”
Me too, but my mouse won’t let me focus. She’s too busy getting into bare knuckle fights and putting together soldiers.
Emily and her men against any Bratva member—no matter how guilty he could be—would cause a huge division within the brotherhood, one I didn’t need at this time. That being said, I would let her kill whoever cut the monkey heads, but we would need clear proof. She couldn’t just go off hacking people around Moscow based on gut feelings.
I chose not to tell this to Zahkar. I was still reacquainting myself with him. It had been many years since our reunion.
This is your first test. Let’s see if you can pass it.
I turned back to him. “I’m putting you on this matter.”
“Okay.” His eyes brightened with excitement. “I’ll find out who did it. Don’t worry about that.”
“I’m taking Emily away for a few days. She needs a…vacation.”
Anything to keep her calm and get her mind off of this. Why did I think she would sit back and let me handle it?
“Where will you go?” Zahkar asked.
“It’s not important.” I buttoned my jacket. “The monkey heads are still in our lab. Go there. Find something that will lead you to the man. Check my staff. Pavel questioned them, but I believe you’ll get the answers I need.”
“How…persuasive can I be?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Don’t kill or harm my staff unless it’s clear they’ve had something to do with it.”