Gilded Tears: A Russian Mafia Romance (Kovalyov Bratva Book 2) Nicole Fox (no david read aloud TXT) 📖

uncle on a few occasions,” she admits. “But I was a young girl then. It was back in the early days of my father’s career with the Bratva.”

I nod and motion for her to continue.

“Aren’t you concerned that he’ll know who I am?”

“If you accept the job, I will have a new identity ready for you by tomorrow, as well as a binder detailing your fabricated past life.”

“Homework,” she drawls. “How wonderful.”

I smirk. “I think you can handle it.”

“But do I want to?” she asks. “That’s the question.”

I lean in and my expression turns serious. “Svetlana, your father was one of the most loyal bodyguards my father ever had at his side. It may not have shown, but Stanislav took his death hard.”

“It showed,” Svetlana says quietly. “He set up a monthly allowance for Mama after Papa’s death. For as long as she lives, she’ll be provided for.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“I thought the payments might stop after Don Stanislav died, but they didn’t,” she tells me.

I nod. “Nor would I want them to.”

“I know why you called me, Artem,” she blurts. “It’s not just because I’m good at what I do. It’s because you value loyalty, like your father did. You wouldn’t have called me at all if you felt you couldn’t trust me.”

“That’s true. Budimir never valued loyalty like Stanislav did. He never attended the funerals of his men, never bothered to learn about their families, never saw that they were taken care of. It was always one-sided for him, which is why he will never last as don.”

Svetlana nods. “This job is more dangerous than I’m used to.”

“I’m aware of that,” I nod. “And your pay will reflect the risk.”

“Money is not what I’m worried about,” she says. “If he finds out who I am and who I’m working for, he’ll kill me.”

I don’t mince words. “Without a doubt.”

I’m not going to lie to her. Trust goes both ways.

She takes a deep breath, and that her breathing quickens as she weighs her options. I can see the conflict behind her dizzying green eyes.

There’s a part of her that likes the danger of the assignment.

There’s another part of her that wants to run from me and never look back.

“You have to be sure, ‘Lana,” I tell her. “There will be no going back.”

She bites her lip. “How long do I have to decide?”

“Twenty-four hours,” I say succinctly.

She nods. “Okay, I’ll have my answer to you by then.”

She takes her beer and glugs it down with all the vigor of a truck driver. When she sets down the bottle, it’s empty.

“What if he doesn’t like me?” she asks. “What if I’m not his type?”

I snort. “You’re every man’s type.”

She starts to pick at the wrapper on the beer bottle with her lacquered nails.

“And once you’ve killed the mother fucker and taken control of the Bratva again,” she muses softly, “where does that leave me?”

“You’ll be part of the team,” I say. “You’ll be Bratva.”

She raises her eyebrows as if that’s the first real carrot I’ve dangled in front of her. “You’re serious?” she asks.

“I am.”

“Women aren’t traditionally part of the Bratva.”

“Well then, it’s about time to dragged us into the twenty-first century, don’t you think?”

She smiles down into her lap. Then she looks up at me, stone-faced but with a blaze in her eyes.

“I don’t need twenty-four hours,” she says, with confidence. “I’ve made my decision.”

“Glad to have you on board.” I stand and shake her hand across the desk.

I walk her to the door. Before she leaves, she turns back to me and rests a friendly hand on my forearm. Her smile is soft, but it turns sad suddenly.

“I heard about Cillian,” she whispers. “I’m sorry.”

My jaw clenches. “Another thing Budimir will answer for.”

“He has a lot to answer for,” Svetlana replies. “And if I can do something to help bring him to his knees, then I will.”

Then she’s gone.

I watch her get into her car and drive away.

Gaining Svetlana’s allegiance is not something I counted on, but it’s something I hoped for. She has her mother’s grace and beauty, but she has her father’s courage. She’s smart, skilled and subtle in the art of deception and seduction.

Getting her on my team is an undeniable victory. Another piece on the board working to topple Budimir.

I should be fucking thrilled.

And yet…

Why do I still feel so fucking empty inside?

The answer is so obvious that I miss it at first. Then it hits me between the eyes and I retreat to my desk and sit down.

“Esme,” I say, uttering her name out loud for the first time in weeks. Months, even.

I pick up my phone and call Stefan. He’s my tracker. If I need something found, he will find it, no matter where it’s hidden.

“Yes, boss?” he answers on the second ring.

“Remember the license plate number I gave you a few days ago?” I ask.

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you locate the car?”

“Of course, boss,” he replies. “But you told me you didn’t want to pursue that lead.”

“I’ve changed my mind,” I tell him. “Send me the location where the car was found.”

“Yes, sir.”

I hang up and head out of my office. Adrik and Maxim are in the main common area with some of the other boys. I signal the two of them over and they converge around me instantly.

“I’ll expect daily reports from both of you,” I tell him. “Mornings and nights.”

“You going somewhere, boss?” Maxim asks in concern.

I hesitate for a second, realizing that this is it.

This was when I make the choice once and for all.

“I hope you get what you want.”

“Yeah,” I nod. “I’m going somewhere. And I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

Maxim and Adrik exchange a glance. I can see the reservation in their eyes, but I’ve made the decision now.

And I can feel it in my gut—it’s the right fucking decision.

“Keep me updated,” I say again. “Got it?”

“Got it, boss,” Adrik affirms.

Then I turn and head up to my room to pack.

“I hope you get what you