Page 14 of Arseni
“Okay.”
“Vitaly is in charge now.Get it through your boss’s head before he gets you killed.If you keep running side jobs for Nikita, it’s you who’s going to end up paying for his bullshit.”
I open my mouth but hold the words in while I study Luka’s expression.He’s angry, for sure.I obviously botched the job with the engineer.
But he also looks worried.
“Well…” I tip my head to the side.“I guess it’s a good thing I have the Pakhan’s brother-in-law to look out for me, huh?”
Luka lets out a frustrated burst of air.“There’s only so much I can do.”
My lips curve into a bitter smile, and I just stare at him.I could stab him right now, stab those self-righteous eyes right out of his skull.
The sad part is, he actually believes that we’re brothers.That what he feels islove.But the thing about Luka, the thing his wife would be devastated to realize… He isn’t capable of loving anyone but himself.
“I get it.”I nod.“You gotta do what you gotta do to thrive, right?”
He closes his eyes and looks up at the ceiling.Always frustrated.Always disappointed.He can’t bear it when someone won’t do what he wants.He can’t bear the idea of me no longer being under his thumb, no longer following his orders.
“This isn’t about me,” Luka finally says.“I’vebeengoing to bat for you.But tensions are growing between Nikita and Vitaly, and everyone knows you’re the lap dog.You have to stop.”
“I never started.”
Luka’s face flushes.“Don’t?—”
“I didn’t lay a hand on that engineer,” I say, palm-to-bible while staring carefully into Luka’s eyes.“I’ve never even seen his face.”
Luka stares at me warily like he’s searching for the truth, but we both know he’s already made up his mind that I’m lying.He’s only half wrong.
A minute passes before he steps back and shakes his head.Afteranotherdisgruntled sigh, he turns.“I gotta go.”
As he leaves my sight, I poke my head out the door.“Say hi to the missus for me!”
The front door slams moments later.
I turn and look down at Roscoe wagging his tail, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.
“Aren’t you supposed to be an attack dog?”I ask, tsking at him.I crouch to pet his head and pull my face away when he tries to lick me.
It’s funny.Luka’s presence almost always spoils my mood, but this time feels different in spite of his ominous warning.He’s finally brought me some good news.
“You know what this means, right?”I ask Roscoe, scratching behind his ears.He hits me with his paw while panting.
“It means Ms.Stevens didn’t do her job.”
My lips curve with a smile when he manages to lick my nose.I bring his head to my chest and ruffle his side.He laps up the attention until we both hear a mouse squeak.Roscoe barks and snarls as he rushes to my dresser, pressing his snout to the bottom and sniffing.He snarls and claws while the mouse squeaks louder, its fear audible between species.
I stand and watch Roscoe with interest, knowing he won’t stop until he catches his prey.He’ll go at it for hours if I let him.He’ll refuse to eat, not allow anyone in this house a wink of sleep, and irritate the squatters so much they’ll wish they could call the cops.
Maybe some would call it overly aggressive or annoying, but I get the obsession.Hell, I feel the same way.
I shut my door when Fox yells his dissatisfaction, then go to my dresser.After patting Roscoe away, I get on my belly and shine my phone’s flashlight beneath.The scared little thing is trembling at the back corner.
Turning my head to the side, I reach in and grab the rodent, groaning when it bites the shit out of my hand.Standing, I grab its tail and dangle it above Roscoe.He barks and jumps, but when it’s clear I’m not going to let him snatch it, he sits and wags his tail like a good little psycho.
He catches the mouse when I drop it for him, and I sit on my bed and watch the violence unfold, feeling the first bit of ease since last night when I left Margot.It’s unfortunate for her that I’m a man of my word.
Maybe this time, she’ll remember me.
