“I don’t know how you can be so calm.”

“Easy. They’re not the first people who’ve wanted to kill me and I have no doubt they won’t be the last.” I sipped at my wine.

Our dinner arrived.

The waiter left.

“You’re … amazing,” she said.

I smiled. “Why?”

“I’m freaking out and I don’t have the first clue what is going on or even why, and yet, this just seems all a little surreal. You’re a strong man, Slavik.”

I didn’t pay attention to the compliment.

All my life, I’d lived with the threat of being killed. It was not new to me and fighting to survive was second nature.

“How was your week?” I asked.

“Boring. I didn’t do anything quite as exciting as you. I used the pool. Cooked myself some food. Read. That’s about it.”

Just as I was about to say something, a couple stopped by our table.

I recognized Andrei Belov. He controlled section two of cities under Ivan’s control. He was a brigadier like me and answered to the Volkov Bratva. With the attack, Ivan had organized a meeting with all of us to take place in my territory, seeing as this was where we were attacked.

The woman on Andrei’s arms was his intended. Her name escaped me.

“I thought it was you, and you were not wrong. This place is amazing,” he said.

“I only have the best.”

“Bethany, I’d like you to meet Slavik Ivanov and his wife, Aurora.”

“It is so nice to meet you both.” Bethany shook my hand and turned to Aurora. “We need to organize a lunch or a shopping trip. I would love to do both.” She put her hand on Andrei’s chest. “I know we’re going to be leaving soon, and it’s so hard to make friends here. What do you say?”

Aurora smiled but didn’t say anything.

“My wife is available tomorrow. I’ll make the arrangements with you, Andrei.”

“Call it a date.”

Andrei shook my hand and they made their excuses to leave.

I wasn’t like Andrei. To look and to listen to him, men believed his position of power was unfounded. What they didn’t know was he had a mean streak and in fact, I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy to be alone with him when he was on the warpath.

Ivan Volkov did not pick soft men to run his cities. It was why he’d gotten six of the best, divided up his cities into sections, and we ruled them all.

“Do I have to go to lunch?” Aurora asked.

“Yes. It would be rude not to and he’s a friend. You’ll be safe.”

“It’s easy for you to say.”

“What is the problem?”

“She doesn’t really want to have lunch with me.”

“Did I see her talking to someone else?” I asked.

“You don’t understand. It’s fine.” She waved her hand in the air, dismissing me. Whatever had happened in the bathroom was gone, and I was pissed off Andrei had interrupted my dinner.