Page 51 of Devil's Retribution

“Sofia. They described her. So yes, Igor made that call.”

“So now he’s trying to kill us.” Kill me. It made sense, his grudge was personal, and once my organization was headless, it would be that much easier to kill off the rest and take over my territory. “Fine. If he wants a war, he has it. Tell my men to go on the hunt. Bring in as many of Igor’s men as we can get their hands on. Sofia too, if you can manage it.”

“Why do you think he’s turned like this?” He sounded a little breathless. Probably still in pain with his ribs. “Why now?”

“I’m not sure. But I’m going to find out.”

Igor had reasons for his grudge. I was the one who had reported him for embezzling from my father. I was also the one who had left him with the limp that now required a cane—though he had asked for it by attacking me. But in the end, he had disgraced himself, and betrayed my friendship. He only believed that I had betrayed him because he had foolishly expected me to break my oaths to my family and the organization for him.

He had been wrong. And he had stewed along in a cold war with me ever since. Playing a chess game with city assets, properties, territory. Coming to my club with veiled threats and smug insinuations. Teasing me with the idea that he knew something about Leon’s death, and then vanishing.

And then trying to bomb my club.

“Do you ever regret this?” Tolya asked me quietly. “This enmity.”

I sighed. “Our lives would be infinitely easier if everyone actually got along and did not trouble one another. In this case, our lives would be easier just from him still being an ally. But he chose to betray us, Tolya. Igor didn’t accidentally steal all that money from my father.”

A long pause. “I know. I just miss the old days sometimes.”

“Those were easier times overall.” Back when my father had been alive, back when I had simply been his best enforcer, and not had the whole thing balanced on my shoulders. Many praised me as being a better leader than even my father, but when I thought about what it cost me and others, I sometimes felt very tired. “Look, I need copies of some correspondence from Igor. I know there are some of his threatening letters in my office.”

“Sure, I’ll dig them up and have someone bring them over to Alexei’s. They’ll be waiting for you.”

“Good. I have a letter with no signature, and I want to compare the handwriting.” And if I was right, it would change everything about this matter with Graves.

“What is it?”

I drove forward again, ignoring the idiot trying to edge into my lane with three feet of clearance. He honked loudly and I ignored him. I couldn’t have given him the finger through the polarized glass anyway.

“There’s a chance that Igor and Graves have been working together in some capacity.”

It sank in fast. “You’re fucking kidding me,” Tolya growled. “But that could mean—”

“I know.” I licked my lips, my hands white-knuckled on the wheel. I had to focus hard on driving carefully as adrenaline washed through my system. “It may well mean that he had a hand in my brother’s murder, too.”

“Fuck.” He sounded even more breathless now. “And because you caught him stealing.”

“That’s right. I’m starting to wonder if the friend I knew was just an act.” I felt just a twinge of sadness at that. It was easier to believe that Igor had been acting than to believe that I had once had a true friend that changed somehow.

“Well, you’re right,” Tolya grumped finally. “If he had a hand in killing Leon, he was never your friend. Never mine either.”

“Yeah.” I suddenly hated this whole conversation. “I need to focus on driving in this damn mess. Find me some of those letters from Igor. I’ll be by the club later.”

“Got it.”

When he’d signed off, I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. Something had definitely set Igor off, and it hadn’t been anything I had done.

Dimitri. He would know, if anyone did.

I left a message on his service, letting him know that there had been an incident at the club and that I needed to talk to him. He had an ear to the ground everywhere, and probably already knew what the incident had been even though we’d managed to hush up the dancefloor incident.

I just hoped he called me back soon.

***

Alexei was working in one of the converted warehouses we kept near the Santa Monica docks. He had converted it into a computer nerve center. It was strategically located to keep an eye on Igor, but right now only some of his subordinates would be doing that duty.

I heard barking as I walked up to the door and smiled a little. Apparently, the new puppy was a hit with the whole team. Alexei remained the heart of my Bratva, just as I held its mind and purpose. Perhaps I should have sent someone a bit harder-hearted to do the dog trick. But if it made them happy to have a dog around, and it didn’t distract too much, why not? Maybe she would grow into a decent guard dog.