Dancing for the Badman (Russian Bratva Book 3) (34 page)

“Okay, Kirill, I’ll stay at your side. Where you want me, that’s where I’ll be,” I whisper. He takes my hand by the wrist before he turns his head and kisses my palm.

“Get some more rest, your physical therapist will be in soon,” he murmurs.

I close my eyes and immediately fall asleep.

I watch her fall into a deep sleep. Her breaths become deeper until her body completely relaxes. She’s gorgeous. Even with half of her head shaved, she’s still a sight to behold.

I love her—my little Tati. I meant every word when I told her I didn’t want her out of my sight for the foreseeable future.
I don’t
. She’s going everywhere she possibly can with me. My phone vibrating in my pocket startles me, and I pull it out, looking down at the caller ID in surprise.

“Mr.
MadDog
,” I chuckle.

“How is your woman, Ruskie?” he asks.

The name annoys me, but a smile tugs on my lips when he says it. It isn’t as an insult anymore.

MadDog
Duhart and I have become friends, in a way. He’s rough and crude, but he’s a good man to have at your back. His contacts are fucking fantastic, and I already have found him to be extremely helpful. Without him, I wouldn’t have known that Green was fired over five years ago and he’s been on his own vigilante, fucked up mission.

“She’s doing much better. She’ll be able to come home Friday,” I murmur.

“Fuckin’ great,” he roars. I can’t help but smile.

“You have news, I presume?” I ask.

“Some of the big head honchos are going to have a meeting. They want to renegotiate terms with me. Don’t know what the fuck they want, or what they’re going to try and pull. I’m going in full force, with a large crew at my back. Including my son’s crew from Idaho,” he informs me.

“When?”

“Wednesday,” he chuckles, “after mass.”

“Yes, they must confess first,” I laugh.

“Of course,” he says.

“What do you want me to do?” I ask.

I don’t want to be rude, but he’s the one in control and all I have asked for is information, never did I think that he’d physically go against the
Cartel
.

“You have enough guys to surround them? Let’s get tactical,” he suggests. I can hear the smile in his voice.

“I do, and I can get more,” I offer.

“Let’s do this. We’ll meet Sunday morning at ten, get our ducks in a row before we meet up with them Wednesday evening,”
MadDog
offers.

“It’s a plan. I’ll bring my top men to the initial meet with you in the morning, then we’ll form a plan,” I say.

“Sounds good. Meet me at my clubhouse, then.” I agree then hang up.

I look over at Tati, already afraid that I’ll break my promise to myself. Afraid that I’m going to have to leave her while I take care of this.

I have Green in my restaurant, chained to a wall; but I want everybody involved, and the
Cartel
is the one who have been paying him all these years. He’s turned on them to get to me, to try and take my territory. The
Cartel
wanted me gone, and they wanted my territory. Green wanted me just
gone
—he wanted the glory of taking down a
Bratva Pakhan
.

I call Radimir next to inform him of the plan. We’ll have to leave Saturday afternoon. Only a full twenty-four hours home with my Tatyana before I have to leave her.
I hate it
.

I tell him to make arrangements to have Green transported with us. Also, I tell him to call Maxim, Ziven and Sergei. Then I tell him to get an army amassed. I’m going full force. I want those motherfuckers gone.

I want to watch all of them die.

Then and only then will I torture that piece of shit I’ve been holding hostage—
Agent Ryan Green
. Oh, and torture him I will. He’s going to fucking beg for death before I’m finished with him. He’ll beg and cry and beg a little more.

Only then will I finally end his life.

“T
HERE’S SOMETHING WRONG,”
I announce as soon as I walk into the house.

I’m finally home and I should be ecstatic, but I’m not. Kirill has been acting strange for almost two days. There’s something wrong, but he’s not telling me anything. I narrow my eyes on him as soon as I sit down on the sofa.

“No, there’s nothing wrong,” he mutters distractedly.

“Don’t lie to me,” I grind out.

“Fine,” he sighs. “I have to go up north for a few days for business. I don’t want to leave you,” he shrugs.

“So take me with you,” I offer.

“I wish I could, Tati. It isn’t safe for you to go. It’s not real estate business I’m seeing to,” he mutters, shaking his head.

“
Bratva
business, then?” I ask, arching a brow. He doesn’t verbally answer me; instead, he nods. “But Haleigh and Emiliya and all of their children along with Oliver and Alex will all be staying here with you. A giant sleepover,” he chuckles.

“So this is the safe house, then?” I ask.

“You’re too smart,
krushka
,” he murmurs, sitting down next to me and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

“Promise me you’ll come home to me,” I whisper as I look up into his eyes.

“Always,
moyo zolotse
,” he whispers before his lips brush mine.

We stay on the couch, his arm around my shoulders, just holding each other for what feels like hours.

“Where is Kiska?” I ask, wondering where my girl is. I’ve seen her every day in the hospital, but the visits were always short.

“School then dance class. She should be home around dinner, which I’ve already ordered to be delivered. Sergei eats with us tonight as well,” he announces. It makes me fall in love with him a little bit more.

“Thank you, for everything,” I whisper.

“You can thank me when you’re able,” he grunts. It makes me giggle.

“We can have sex,” I grin up at him.

“
Nyet
. You are not well,” he says sternly.

“The doctor said I could. Just nothing too vigorous,” I smile.

“Everything I do to you I do vigorously, Tati,” he chuckles.

“I know,” I sigh dreamily.

“Go and take a bath, soak a while. I have some paperwork to do,” he suggests.

“Will you do your paperwork in the bedroom, so you’re close by?” I ask, feeling needy.

“Of course,” he murmurs before his lips gently brush mine.

Kirill helps me up and starts my bath for me, filling the tub with deliciously scented bubble bath. He warns me not to step inside until he’s back from gathering his work.

Then he helps me disrobe and picks me up like a child before he sets me down in the warm water. He plants a sweet kiss on my forehead and walks into the bedroom, leaving the bathroom door open. He returns a few moments later and places his paperwork on the floor before he sinks down onto it himself.

I watch in shock as he begins to work on the bathroom floor. It brings a tear to my eye, watching him show me how much he loves me. This is the Kirill I remember from my youth. I feel as though he’s finally forgiven me.

Maybe it took something catastrophic to bring us together, to finally let all that other outside shit fall away. I don’t know. Whatever it is, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Right here, right now, Kirill is being the sweetest version of himself that I have ever known.

“Don’t get your cast wet, k
rushka
,” he mutters distractedly. It makes me smile.

Kirill’s care and concern since my accident has been beyond anything I have ever expected from him. I knew that had anything happened to me, Kirill is a good man and he would make sure I was taken care of. But this, him being so loving, kind, and considerate, I could have never anticipated.

“I love you, Kirill,” I whisper in his direction, my eyes focused on him bent over his laptop, reading and typing every so often. He stops and looks up, giving me his lopsided grin.

“And I love you, Tati,” he says simply.

I stay in the bath, watching Kirill work, watching the concentration on his face until the water turns cold. Then he helps me out.

I dress in a pair of leggings and an oversized shirt before he puts me to bed for a nap. I don’t fight him, because I’m honestly exhausted. He promises to wake me up for dinner and I fall asleep to the sound of him humming in my ear as he strokes the side of my head that is still covered in my beautiful long hair.

I watch her sleep, as I’ve done every day for the past two weeks; except this time, she’s asleep in my bed, in our home—
finally
. I sigh before I leave the room to let her rest. I’ve already double checked the French doors that lead out to the backyard to make sure they’re locked. She’s safe.

Our house is still protected around the clock by my men. Soon, we’ll have even more soldiers here for her and for my new mission. My phone rings and I answer it immediately.

“Yakov,” I grunt.

“Kirill, friend. How are you?” he asks.

“Good. Did you make it into town?” I ask as I turn on the radio for background noise.

“I did. Ashley and I are on our way to see my sister.”

“Good. We’ll all have breakfast before we head out, the whole group of us. I’ve already ordered an entire spread,” I offer.

“Sounds good,” he grunts.

“See you tomorrow. And Yakov?”

“Yes?”

“You have brought all of your available men?” I ask curiously.

“Of course. They will be arriving throughout the night. Seventy-five men total.”

“Thank you. See you tomorrow,” I say with a smile.

Seventy-five men, along with my hundred. That doesn’t include Pasha’s men, who will be travelling in throughout the night as well.

In all, we have gathered over three hundred and fifty men for this mission. We will not fail. The
Cartel
will be brought to their knees. They’ll be begging for mercy by the time we are finished with them.

I can’t fucking wait.