The Cleaner (Born Bratva Book 4) (26 page)

Nikita

I’m surprised to see my partner in crime still engrossed in those journals as if they’re the latest bestseller. I can only assume the journal entries and assorted short stories are making for some good reading. It looks like she’ll be at it for a while yet.

I use the time to sort through the mountain of e-mails I’ve received over the last few days. I’m looking forward to things getting back to normal. I’d much rather be filing motions and discussing legal strategy than fighting for a stranger’s life in my father’s office. I’m deleting e-mails that are of no importance when I notice the one from an unknown address and realize it’s from Jasmine.

“We got an e-mail from Jasmine already.”

That gets Natasha’s attention and she jumps up, charging over to stand behind my office chair.

“She sent a link.” I click on it and it takes me to Gina Edwards’ police profile. It isn’t going to tell me much about her but it does give us the PD’s most recent contact information on file. Most cops have unpublished addresses and phone numbers for obvious reasons. We would have gotten there eventually, but this saves us a hell of a lot of valuable time.

“Oh, hell yeah,” Natasha exclaims. “That’s all we need to take this bitch down,” she says before she moves toward the bedroom door.

“Hey, wait a minute, where are you going?”

“To add this to your dad’s Post-it notes,” she laughs as she waves her newfound intel in the air and heads to my father’s office – without me. Being left out rankles but I know from experience that there are some tactical discussions that have to happen without me.

I can only imagine what she and my father are going to come up with. This is the first time she’s left me out of the loop so whatever it is she has in mind, it isn’t legal.

Natasha

I’m excited to see what Glazov is going to come up with now that we have more information to go on. I’ve got some ideas I want to run past him but not with Nikita around. I know how much this woman’s vindication means to him and if the Pakhan allows me to go through with what I have in mind, I’ll be doing it for my lover, and not for Jasmine.

Glazov’s office door is still open from the meeting we had just moments ago.

“Well, that was fast.” One raised eyebrow lets me know he’s curious about what I was able to find out so quickly. I figure it’s as good a time as any to put in a good word for his son.

“I’m not the one who found it—your son did. Jasmine e-mailed him a link to information about the cop who’s skimming off the top.”

“That’s a good sign.”

“What?” I ask, confused.

A slow smile spreads across his face. “My dear, she’s answering to me already and doesn’t even realize it.”

I take a seat in front of his desk, in the chair next to Novak, and breathe in, readying myself for what I’m getting ready to ask him. No matter how long I’ve been an unofficial member of this family, Glazov will always scare the shit out of me. I clear my throat and dive in.

“Sir…I think I might have a way to take care of this, something that will work to everyone’s benefit. With something like this, you have to go big or go home. If we don’t take action to annihilate every person involved it’s only going to be a matter of time before someone connected to all this raises their ugly head and starts this shit all over again.”

“Now you’re talking,” Novak practically purrs. “I say blow every one of those fuckers off the map.”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking. If we can round these guys up and have everyone in one place, we can kill them all at one time. I’m thinking a fire or explosives. Of course, we’ll need some information from Gina Edwards to make it happen. If she’s willing to talk, that is.”

“I’m sure she will, with the right incentive,” Glazov says with a smile. “I don’t want to call in any outsiders. The last time we blew something up we used Dauntless MC to do it. It’s fine to use outsiders we trust like Dauntless and the Ramirez brothers, but when I can close the ranks, I’m going to. Blood is always thicker than water.”

I can’t help but wince slightly at his words. He immediately levels his steady glance my way. “My blessing is as good as blood,
zvezda moya
. You know this. Kodiak knows this. Do not read into my words that which is not there.”

I nod briefly, grateful for his reassurance. He’s deep in thought as he rubs his thumb over his full bottom lip. I begin filling in the blanks with details before he can mull over the idea too long and have second thoughts.

“The way I see it, Oleg loves burning shit up and it would give Roksana a chance to work with him. With them getting married, they need to get their flow synced.”

A sinister chuckle escapes Glazov as he eyes me. “In other words they need to learn to work together rather than arguing so vehemently?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Your blood runs cold, little one.” Glazov’s assessment of me is a compliment as far as I’m concerned, and this time it’s Novak who chuckles and answers.

“You’re willing to lead your fiancé’s damsel in distress into a house where Oleg will kill all inside?”

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to bring an end to a situation that has taken far more time than it should have. I have no intention of working against my soon-to-be husband. I believe this can be done in a way that everyone will get the desired results we all wish to achieve.”

“Just how the fuck do you plan to accomplish the impossible?” Novak snorts skeptically.

Glazov presses the button on the intercom to summon Roksana and Oleg. It takes but a moment for them to arrive and take their usual positions just inside the door, awaiting the Pakhan’s orders.

“Close the door. I have a job for the two of you.”

Nikita

“So how did it go?” I ask Natasha when she returns from her meeting with my father. She changes the subject by trying to discuss Dad’s plans to import diamonds from Russia.

“Your father is excited about the diamond business, Novak is still a smart ass, and Roksana and Oleg are going to be forced to work together.”

“You know damn good and well that’s not what I’m talking about. That tells me exactly nothing. I need to have some idea of what’s happening. Now tell me what you can before I spank that tight little ass of yours.”

“Threatening me with one of my favorite things, really? Okay…You’re not going to like it but here goes. I want to gather the ring of corrupt cops in one place and take them all out.”

“Whoa. So Oleg and Roksana are going to help you accomplish this?”

“Yes, but we need to find Gina Edwards first. I’ve got a plan. Kidnapping may be involved.”

“Who are you kidnapping?”

“Gina Edwards. And Jasmine.”

“You don’t have to abduct Jasmine, I don’t see the point in that. She’s been through enough, don’t you think? Now Gina Edwards is a different story.”

“Correction…I don’t have to abduct Jasmine as long as she doesn’t know what I plan to do to her.”

“And that’s why you don’t want to give me details.”

“You have to trust me, Nikita. I promise you, I’m going to do everything in my power to protect her.”

“I know you will. But will that be enough?”