Sun streams in through the window, landing on his burned face. “You didn’t seem like yourself in that meeting,bratan.”
I lead Nikolai out of the conference room, calling an elevator. We slide in together. “I have a lot on my plate at the moment.”
“Right. Yes. With Igor’s betrayal and Joy being married to you.”
I flash him a look in the elevator. Why the fuck is he bringing up Joy?
“You don’t think the entire house can’t hear you?” Niko raises a brow. “You’re not exactly very quiet?—”
“Enough.” I clench my jaw, focusing on the elevator doors as they slide open. They spit us out onto the ground floor.
Nikolai walks beside me as I cross the lobby, heading outside. I straighten my tie. Put on my sunglasses.
“Bratan,don’t take this the wrong way—I don’t want to intervene with your love life?—”
“There is no love life. Joy is my wife because Igor needs to learn?—”
“His lesson, yes. I understand,” says Niko. He slides into the car waiting outside for me, even though he’s supposed to be in the office completing work I set for him. “Don’t get too carried away with Joy. That’s all I’m saying,” he says, issuing me a sideways glance in the backseat of the car. “You need to stay focused. Even more than usual.”
“What’s going on, Niko?”
“I think your son has outside help.”
I tense my jaw. I don’t believe a word he’s saying. Igor can’t even successfully steal my money. How the fuck is he getting another Bratva to help him?
Bratvas don’t mix and do each other favors.
“How would he have help?”
“I saw him yesterday,” says Niko. He glances out of the window as the car merges onto the highway. The city rolls by in the distance. “He didn’t see me, but I saw him. He was downtown snooping around some of the office blocks. I was in the car watching him. Suddenly, he gets a call from someone. He looks like he’s concentrating, listening to every word the person on the receiving end is telling him.”
That doesn’t sound like my son at all.
Listening to every word?
“Suddenly, I see him end the call and dart off,” says Nikolai. He glances at me, frowning. “Who could he have been speaking to?”
“Igor doesn’t have friends.” I grit my teeth. “I don’t know who he was speaking to.”
“See how it looks?” Niko hitches his brow.
Yeah. I see how it looks.
And Niko is a trusted friend. He also served in the military for years. He’s incredibly resourceful that way, knows how to sniff out suspicious behavior.
My son has trouble written across his forehead. Something’s not right. It took him three days to realize I stole his apartment, which means he’s not been home.
Where the fuckhashe been?
And who does he know?
“I know you’re enjoying your time with Joy,” says Nikolai. “And I’m not here to counsel you. But as your friend, I have a duty of care to advise.”
I narrow my eyes, waiting for him to spit it out.
“Don’t let Igor strike. We need to find out what he’s doing. Leave Joy to her own devices. Let the guards watch her—that’s why you hired them.” Niko pauses. “And remember why you married her in the first place.”
“Joy doesn’t mean anything.”