Page 131 of Sinful Hearts

“I’m all ears.”

“The whole thing is coming from Melik. He’s been hanging around with some of the guys in Leo Stavrin’s crew for years, trying to look tough.”

I frown. “He can’t hang around your own family’s crews to look tough?”

“Not when they all hate him and think he’s a joke.”

I snicker.

“Melik’s the one that brought Leo to my father, and then Leo brought in Gavan. My dad’s willing to hear the Russians out, and I’ll be honest, I’m sure he’d be perfectly fine with this thing turning into a bidding war between your family and Gavan. But the thing is, hehatesthe Russians.”

“Because of the turf war between your family and them about a year ago?”

She nods.

“From what I hear, Gavan’s still got an ax to grind about that,” I continue. “Your father’s men killed his top captain.”

“Yeah,” she mutters. “That was after the Reznikovs shot up a car they thought my father was in. He wasn’t, as it turned out, but the woman he’d been dating for almost six years, after our mom died, was. He was planning on marrying her.”

“Shit. I’m sorry.”

She nods. “Thanks. Samantha. I really liked her, actually.”

“And yet your dad is still entertaining Gavan’s proposals on this deal?”

Her mouth twists. “Money talks, I guess. But he still fucking hates the Russians.”

“So how’s he feel about Melik hanging out with them?”

“He’s forbidden it, literally threatening to write Melik out of his will if he keeps doing it.”

My brow arches.

Interesting.

“So, if you can prove to my father that Melik is still chummy with Leo’s crew, Dad’ll lose his shit. I don’tknowif it’ll torpedo the talks with Gavan. But it might.”

I nod, grinning. “Thank you.”

“You’re most welcome.”

I grin as I clink my glass to hers. “You know what, Vanya? We should have cleared this up between us years ago.”

She laughs.

“Cleared what up?”

I blink, whirling to see Elsa glaring absolutedeathat Vanya, her hip cocked aggressively and her face very, very flushed. Judging from the lopsided way she’s holding the almost-empty champagne flute in her hand, I’m guessing she’s drunk.

And looking stabby asfuckright now.

Vanya smiles cordially, unfazed.

“Oh, a misunderstanding between fromyearsago. Hi, I’m—”

“Trying to suck his dick?”

Yikes.