Page 16 of The Brigadier

“Okay. Okay. His debt is released.”

I patted him on the arm. “Good boy. Now, I’ll give you a piece of advice and one that won’t occur again. You understand?”

He nodded like a bobble-head doll.

“Do not fuck with us or disrespect me ever again. If any of my men or that of my Pakhan or his Councilor even come to see you, not only will you turn them down, you’ll pick up the phone and call. Is that clear? Because if you fuck with one of us again, I won’t go as easy.”

“Yes, sir. I got it. Crystal clear.”

“Good boy. Take care of the mess. You don’t want to be a burden to the neighborhood.”

For about a dozen reasons this hadn’t given me a single moment of satisfaction. Maybe I should have been wielding one of the bats instead.

Off to my home gym. I needed to sweat for a change.

CHAPTER 7

Chantel

Subways.

It was one part about New York I loathed. I’d had a lovely little red sports car while living at home. Now I had an apartment with paper-thin walls and neighbors who screamed all the time.

I was going to work very hard to get out of the slum.

But I had to remind myself it was all mine.

A fresh start. A job that I’d secured.

I settled into the seat, smart enough to hold my things very close. At least my cousin had been kind enough to purchase and load groceries into the old refrigerator. That meant I wouldn’t starve until I received my first paycheck. Sure, I knew Papa had added money to my measly bank account, but I was determined to make money on my own, using his as emergency only.

I tried to think about anything else as the train continued heading toward my station, or at least I prayed it was.Unfortunately, just like before, my thoughts always landed on Nikolay.

I’d fucked him.

I’d enjoyed fucking him.

I wanted to fuck him again.

Oh, I was such a very bad girl.

I’d stopped thinking of him as my uncle or I’d go mad. He really wasn’t and I didn’t even know him any longer and he didn’t know me. We were nothing but familiar strangers.

And God, the man was sexy as all get out. I’d spent way too much time fantasizing about him as I’d cleaned my apartment the day before, trying to make it mine.

His chiseled face.

His marvelous muscles.

His extremely tall body. I hadn’t remembered he was that tall but back then, all men had been huge in comparison to me. I hadn’t grown until I hit fifteen or so.

And he wouldn’t know that.

I couldn’t help myself, envisioning his body without the exquisitely tailored suit.

Thank God, my stop was on its final approach. I was way early but the last thing I wanted to do was to be late on my first day. That certainly wouldn’t bode well for my plans for the future.

When the subway train came to a stop it was more jarring than I’d thought it would be, passengers rushing toward the doors in a mad crush. I wasn’t certain I could get used to this. Lordy.