Bastien Nikolaev: A Russian Mafia Romance by Naomi West

Author:Naomi West [West, Naomi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-04-20T23:00:00+00:00

14

BASTIEN

In the study, I start to pace, eyeing the phone on my desk.

Soon, but not yet. I have a different call to make first.

“Hey,” Dmitry says, picking up the phone.

“Hey. You called?”

“You busy?”

“In the middle of something, but it can wait.”

“Mother wanted me to call,” Dmitry admits. “Says you’ve been ducking her.”

“She needs to let me do my job.”

“You know her. She’s just worried,” he says. “You’re lucky she’s not in the same city as you.”

“Don’t give her any ideas,” I snap. “She’s been trying to invite herself down here since the start.”

“That does sound like something she’d do.”

“If you know anything about the situation,” I say gruffly, “then you know that this is the last place she should be.”

“Agreed,” Dmitry says. “We don’t want a repeat of our last family dinner.”

“Gavriil still hasn’t lived that one down.”

“Although business in Boston is booming,” Dmitry says, a note of respect in his voice. “I have to say, he impressed me with how he turned it around at the end there. With your help, of course.”

“I’m assuming you’re calling to talk about here, not there?”

Normally, I’d engage in some idle chit-chat, but now really isn’t the time. My gaze strays to the office telephone on my mahogany wood desk. I can feel my chest clench with anticipation.

“Awfully touchy today, are we?”

“You only ever lead off with small talk when you’re about to follow it up with some unsolicited advice.”

“That’s the only kind I can give to you, brother,” he chuckles. “I can’t remember you ever asking for advice, ever.”

“I seek it when it is needed,” I say simply. “Too many rely on others to do their thinking for them. A dangerous habit to pick up.”

“You sound like Father. But fine, fine, we’ll cut the small talk. Onto business: I hear you have a prisoner.”

I roll my eyes. “For fuck’s sake, not you, too.”

Dmitry laughs. “You know Gavriil can’t keep a secret for shit.”

“It’s not a secret.”

“Oh?”

“No,” I say, my teeth on edge. “It’s an inconvenience, that’s all. One I won’t let get in the way of what I have to do. What I have to focus on.”

“I never doubted it for a second, brother,” Dmitry says. “It’s just…”

“Then what is this call about?”

“Just to make sure you don’t stay focused on empire-building to the exclusion of all else.”

“You and Gavriil have your own ways of getting things done,” I tell him. “Mine is focusing on what I want until I get it. Anything else is just a distraction.”

“What does that make the girl?”

“What does it matter? She’s a prisoner.”

He sighs and is quiet for a few moments. “Nina wasn’t your fault, Bastien.”

My teeth grit harder. “You know I don’t talk about her.”

“As you wish,” Dmitry says simply. “But you know Father’s stance on it.”

“As lovely as this has been, brother, I have to go,” I say. “There’s no time for distractions now. You can tell that to Mother if she asks why she can’t visit.”

“Alright,” Dmitry says. “Stay safe, Bastien. And if you need help, or advice, or anything, really…”

“I’ll let you know,” I say.

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