Three weeks ago, I would have been hurrying down the maze of hallways to find Jax and Devin to hear what they had to say.
Today, I just wanted this night to be over. Nothing we did was going to bring Vera back, and for the first time since her murder, I felt like there was a chance of breaking free from this wicked spiral of grief.
I walked down the hall slowly, knowing what I thought didn’t matter. I might be able to take control of the city at night, but I had no way to throw that kind of weight around with my family. The hierarchy had long been established. After my father’s death, control of the family business went to Jax and my mother.
This was my life. I glanced at the family photos on the wall and swallowed back my anger.
I hated being here.
Everything in this place had been tainted from that night.
The night Vera was murdered in her bedroom while we all slept soundly.
How my mother endured staying in the house blew us all away. She had a place in the city she could go to anytime, but she never did. It collected cobwebs, just as her Miami apartment had over the years.
While my mom clung to the memories that Oyster Cove held, we all fled from them.
As I got closer to the back study that overlooked the sweeping gardens, I heard the thrill of the chase in Jax’s voice. We must be getting closer than I’d realized.
“Hey, boys,” I said, walking into the dimly lit study with forest green walls framed by cherry paneling and oversized chairs. The room was usually a source of comfort and happy memories of my dad sitting at his desk. Now, it just felt cold.
Jax stood up, a wry grin tracing his lips.
“Didn’t expect you to be in such good spirits,” I said. “You’re usually a little . . . darker before an event.”
Jax gave me a quick hug and sat back down.
Devin gave me a nod before I took a seat in front of them.
“Blake just got here,” I informed them.
“Good. Mom will keep him occupied for a few minutes.” Devin sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. His eyes didn’t hold the glassy look I’d gotten so used to seeing.
“First, we’ve got to remove this Fletcher nuisance, and this weekend appears to have presented the perfect opportunity,” Jax began.
“Why’s that?”
“He’s getting married,” Devin answered.
My blood turned to ice.
Was my brother serious?
“You have a problem with that?” Jax questioned.
“I don’t have a problem with anything that will get us closer to ending Anton Sokolov’s life.”
“Good.” Jax’s brows lowered.
“After talking to you and seeing the info you sent over about Fletcher, I realized he is undoubtedly our biggest obstacle. Once we take him out, Anton will be ready for our taking. We’ll flush him out and finish the job.”
I nodded in agreement.
“And you’re sure making him disappear won’t bring too much attention our way?” I asked, steepling my hands together.
“Our options are rather limited. We could snatch what’s important to him, like his bride-to-be, and convince him to hand over Anton in a simple exchange . . .” My brother stopped and glanced at the door. “But that gives us years of looking over our backs for when he strikes back. Or we could just finish the job.” Jax stood up. “You’re looking like some Hollywood hotshot rolling in like this.”
I turned around to see Blake with his shades shoved into his dark spiky hair and a smile that was no doubt dropping panties everywhere he played.
“I see you’re right where I left you,” Blake’s voice lowered. “Is there ever happy news coming from you people?”
“We’re not just people, we’re your family.” I stood up and smiled.
Blake and I always had a special relationship. We were closer with each other than the other brothers. I think we both wanted a way out growing up, but he was more fearless than I was. Jax and Devin would disagree with my assessment, calling him the pansy ass.
“Good to see ya, man,” I said, giving him a quick hug.
“Good to see you.” He took a step back. “Mom seems happier than I’ve seen in a long time.”
My chest tightened, knowing why she appeared that way. She felt she was getting close to making things right the Volkov way.
“My guess is in less than a week, she’ll really be smiling,” Devin added, and Blake’s expression fell, realizing why our mom was so happy.
A vendetta allowing our family’s recovery was on the horizon and yet, at the end of all the death and destruction, Vera still wouldn’t be here.
“All right, boys. Dinner is served.” My mom stood smiling behind Blake, taking in the room full of sons who would do anything for her.
I wondered if there would come a time when that would come to an end.
Displeasure splintered through my veins, and I glanced at the floor as we filed out of the study, back down the hallway, and into the main dining room.
It was hard not to be tugged into a moment of happiness as the smells of growing up drifted around the room. The rich scent of borscht, the spiciness of pickled cucumbers, and the sweetness of dumplings filled the air. I took a seat across from Blake and noticed his gaze staying focused in front of him.
“It’s a wonderful day when a mother can have all of her grown sons take time out of their lives to spend the evening with Mom.” She lifted a plate of rye bread and passed it around. The table was quiet as everyone filled their bowls with soup.
I sprinkled a fresh sprig of dill over the purple liquid and handed off the bread to Blake.
“Your team’s got a good chance of making it to the playoffs, right?” Jax asked my brother.
“Already secured a spot after the last game,” Blake answered, taking a bite of bread.
“We’re so proud of you,” my mom informed him. His eyes met hers, and there was an unspoken commandment traded between the two. “But it’s seldom we’re all in a room together, free to discuss topics that are generally off the table. You’ll forgive us for starting with them.”
Blake nodded and took bite of bread. He looked like he wanted to crawl out of the house and hide under a rock. I felt the disdain he felt for his family, but our loyalty to one another outweighed his personal feelings. If we ever needed him, he would be by our side.
“We managed to rid the world of one less coward when Artur Sokolov fell into our hands. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the one we were after, and it scared his brother, Anton, right into buying himself a bit of time . . . a bit of protection.” Jax glanced around the table before bringing his gaze to Mom’s. “But we’ve found a way around it. We’ll avenge Vera’s death before long, and we’ll all finally be able to put this behind us.”
My mom shook her head and reached for Jax’s hand.
“We’ll never be able to put Vera’s death behind us. Never. But we will be able to sleep at night knowing a message has been sent to the other families. We will not go quietly. We will not be afraid to stand for what we believe in. We have prevailed when other families have fallen. We have survived, and we will continue to expand, to grow, in honor of my daughter. Vera didn’t die in vain, and neither did my husband. Their legacies will live on because of my sons. I feel this to be true.” My mom turned to look at Blake. “Even you, Blake. Someday, you will understand the importance of this family and the traditions that need to be kept alive. Your duties will not skip you. When the time is right, I expect you to come back to us.”
Blake’s jaw tensed, and tension clouded the air. I took a few sips of soup and thought about Mia. I couldn’t do this to her. I couldn’t bring her into our family, our business. She deserved so much better than anything I could give her. Women who married in were trapped in a personal prison, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, especially not Mia.
“Let’s stay on track,” Jax responded, and my mom nodded. “Anton has been in hiding or we would have taken care of him long
ago.”
“Right,” my mom agreed, gesturing with her hand for Jax to skip what she already knew.
“He’s hired protection. From what I can tell, Fletcher is the best at what he does.”
“Luke Fletcher?” Blake asked, surprising us all.
“Yeah, that’s him. How do you know about him?” Devin asked, his brows pinched. Considering this was his mission for the weekend, he looked concerned.
“He’s as famous as the clients he protects. His firm is huge in Cali.” Blake sucked on his lip, and I held back laughter. Ever since he was a kid, he’d done that and it had driven my dad nuts. “If your plan involves getting in Fletcher’s sights, I’d figure something else out.”
Jax tossed his napkin on the table. “Please, there’s nothing that separates Fletcher from us. He’s not untouchable. I’m not going to let him take away our chance at righting a wrong done to us.”
My mom reached for Jax and gave him a knowing look. “Let’s hear what Blake has to say.”
“If anything happens to him or his team, it will become news.” Blake drew in a breath. “Big news. He’s a celebrity in his own right. When I was playing in France, he was over there protecting some ballerina or opera singer or whatever she was. Anyway, he stole as many headlines as she did. The tabloids even followed his love life. Whatever it is you think you’re doing this weekend, I’d give it a second thought.”
Jax grunted, and I knew he was about to blow.
“We’re well aware of Fletcher’s prominence, which is why we aren’t pulling the trigger ourselves.” Jax scooted his chair back from the table.
“I wouldn’t pull the trigger at all if you can help it,” Blake said.
“I refuse to believe Fletcher is untouchable,” Jax argued.
“I’m not saying he’s untouchable. I’m saying you’ll get caught.” Blake took a bite of bread and kept chewing. “One way or another, this will fall back on us all.”
Devin shook his head and glared at Jax. “Plan B?”
“Absolutely not. Fletcher gets taken out. If he’s as good as everyone says he is, I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.”
“What’s Plan B?” my mom asked.
“He’s getting married this weekend. No matter how good he is, I’m sure his defenses are down. There’s no reason he’d expect us, and certainly no reason his fiancée would,” Jax began.
“Keep going,” my mom said, suddenly intrigued.
“We take what’s important to him, and we don’t give her back until we get what we want,” Jax said. “That’s Plan B.”
“Plan B is what you’ll do now, and when his notoriety drops years in the future, Plan A can be executed.” My mom looked pleased with the new direction. She always enjoyed giving input.
“We can’t be sure he’ll turn over Anton,” I said, glancing at Blake, who nodded in agreement. “What about Luke’s sister?”
“You mean take them both?” Jax asked.
“It’s risky for sure, but isn’t risk what you all thrive on?” Blake’s gaze went cold.
Jax ignored Blake’s statement.
“Actually, we couldn’t find much on the sister at all. It’s like she went off the grid years ago and never resurfaced. I’m not even sure she’s alive,” Jax answered.
“So can we count on the group to nab the fiancée, or do we need to go in and get the job done personally?” I asked.
“I’d say any barrier you can put between you and Fletcher is a good one. Let the other guys take the fall for it if something goes wrong.” Blake poured more soup into his bowl.
“Nothing is going to go wrong,” Devin said, irritation edging his words. “I assembled the men myself. I’ll be able to see it as it goes down, and I’ll be nearby. But if they do fall, there are no ties to us. I wouldn’t use our men.”
Silence filled the dining room as we continued to pass the food and finish our meals.
“Are you dating anyone?” my mom asked Blake in a weak attempt to make normal dinner conversation.
He shook his head. “Don’t have time.”
“What about you?” My mom looked at Devin. We’d all kept her in the dark over the bad breakup and his equally bad behavior.
“Too busy with work.”
“I doubt that.” My mom raised her brows, and I realized she knew a lot more than I was giving her credit for. She didn’t dare ask Jax. We all knew the divorce messed him up more than we initially realized. Like all the Volkovs, he fell hard, and walking in on her with another man pretty much ended his fantasy of winding up like Mom and Dad.
“Well, I hope I get some grandkids before I’m in the ground,” she muttered, leaving us all in stunned silence.
“Don’t you think bringing a woman into this life is unfair?” I asked.
My mother’s eyes flashed to mine.
“I wouldn’t trade my life for all the world’s riches. Marrying into this family was the best thing that ever happened to me, and it will be the best thing that happens to any woman lucky enough to step foot inside this home. We only want women of strength in our family, and I trust none of you would bring less. That Mesnet woman tricked us all.”
“It’s probably good you’re not in charge of writing any of our dating profiles,” Blake muttered, laughing.
My mom’s eyes glinted with amusement and she smiled. It was nice to see.
My mom hadn’t always been hard like this. She was always the quiet force behind my father, but once Vera and my father died, bitterness crept into her life. It also crept into how we did business.
“You’re probably right, but I can tell you, your father saved me on many levels. Coming from a broken home made me realize the value in what we have here. It’s why I treasure the loyalty and values our way of life affords. The older you get, the more you’ll understand. In the meantime, we’ll send the rest of the Sokolovs a message once we’ve finished with Anton, and we’ll begin living again. Really living.”
I stood up and glanced at Blake, who looked like he wanted to bolt right along with me. The truth of the matter was that I felt like I was going to be sick. I needed to get out of this house.
“I almost forgot. I’ve got a delivery back in the city at nine tonight,” I said, glancing at Jax. He didn’t buy my story, but Mom did. She pursed her lips together and nodded.
“Duty calls,” she said, standing up and walking over to me. “It was just nice to have everyone all together under the roof again.”
I gave her a quick kiss and said the rest of my goodbyes as I made my way out of the house. What tonight made clear was that this life I lived wasn’t a life at all, and there was no way out.
A pit formed in my stomach, and I knew no matter how much it tore me up, the best thing was never to see Mia again. She had a full life ahead of her, and mine wasn’t worth sharing.
Chapter Seventeen
Mia
“Luke doesn’t seem too pissed,” I said, sitting on the porch with Alex. He laughed and turned on the bench to face me.
I’d arrived several hours ago with Alex, and Luke didn’t even mention the Drake situation. He probably didn’t want to ruin his wedding, and neither did I.
Luke and Hannah were wandering the beach, which gave me much needed time to unwind. Since landing in New York, things had been a whirlwind. Luke was right. This place was like a different universe, and all the stresses from elsewhere fell away.
Except for one.
I missed Drake.
Not even a day went by, and it was like his number was a magnet to my fingers. They itched with the impulse to call him, text him, anything.
“That’s because I had to lie up a storm to cover for your ass.” He sighed and shook his head. It was nice to see Alex dressed down in jeans and looking somewhat relaxed. Luke ran a tight ship, even with his best friend, but he treated them all well.
“Why would you do that for me?” I asked, crossing my legs underneath me. The night air had chilled substantiall
y from the afternoon, and a shiver crept up my spine.
Alex reached for a blanket and tossed it on my lap.
“Because I’m worried about you.” His eyes steadied on mine and the chill grew.
“What do you mean?” I asked softly.
“You like this guy.”
“He means nothing more than any of the others.”
Alex cringed.
“Present company excluded,” I assured him, feeling horrible for what slipped out of my mouth.
“Mia, I know you never had feelings for me. I get it, but we’ve spent far too many years together for you to be able to hide things. I can tell you’re falling for Drake.”
“How so?”
He wiped the back of his hand against his forehead.
“The way you look at him, for starters. It’s like the rest of the world doesn’t exist. I honestly didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Thanks,” I said dryly.
“No offense meant, Mia, but it’s not like you’re the easiest on men, but with him, it’s like none of the rules you applied to everyone else applies to him.”
“It’s not like that at all. In fact, I’m headed back to California next week, and the romance will be nothing more than one for the record books.”
Alex chuckled and tilted his head back. “If only I believed you.”
“I’m serious. I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize things for my brother.”
“So you think you can shut those feelings off just like that?” His brow quirked slightly.
“I don’t have feelings for him.”
“I’m saying this as a friend and nothing more. If Luke brings Drake up, I wouldn’t say a word because it’s written all over your face. You’ve fallen hard for this guy. It was the wrong decision, and now you need to move on.”
“It’s not like I had a choice in the matter,” I said softly. “I tried every which way to ignore the feelings, but he got under my skin. I just . . .” I sighed, shaking my head. “It figures. Basically, love isn’t meant for Mia Dufort.”
Mia: A Standalone Romantic Suspense: A Luke Fletcher and V Mafia Crossover Novel (Luke Fletcher Series Book 4) Page 12