off to the butcher.”
“Thanks, you look great, too, asshole,” I respond, shaking my head.
“Why, thank you, I always look good.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “I mean, I am the younger, better-looking version of you.”
“Shut up. I need your head in the game. You’re to make sure nothing happens to Violet while I’m at this meeting. Don’t leave the room with her, and don’t let her out of your sight.”
“What if I have to go to the bathroom?” Violet asks, mischief in her blue eyes. Roman and her like to tease me, even more so now than ever, since I’m a little bit overprotective and a whole lot crazy when it comes to my girl.
“Then Roman will accompany you inside.”
The smile drops from Roman’s face, and Violet snickers under her breath.
“I’m not a babysitter, Ivan. If she has to go to the bathroom, I’ll wait outside the fucking door. It’s not like anyone is going to want to try and go inside with me standing in front of it.”
I clench my jaw, telling myself that someday Roman will understand what it’s like to love someone more than he loves himself. “I don't care what you do so long as she remains safe.”
Roman rolls his eyes. “Let go, I’m starving.”
The elevator pings, and we all step inside.
Once inside, I turn to Roman. “You’re supposed to watch her, not stuff your face.” Of course, he’d be more concerned about his belly.
“Why can’t I do both? Plus, how weird would it look if we just sit in a restaurant and not eat or order anything?” He cocks a dark brow.
“I’m actually a little hungry, too,” Violet interrupts, smiling nervously. The elevator door opens, and we make our way down to the hotel’s restaurant. I keep Violet close by my side, while Roman walks right behind us. I scan our surroundings for anything that looks unusual. Of course, we came here thirty minutes early so no one would see us coming together. That’s what you do; you arrive first and leave last.
The hostess greets us and brings us each to the specific tables we have reserved. Violet and Roman sit across the restaurant but within eyesight of each other. I watch her from a distance when the waitress suddenly appears in front of me, cutting off my view.
“Sir, what can I get you?”
“Whiskey, neat.”
She smiles and nods as she starts to walk away.
“I’ll have the same.” A deep voice makes me look up.
“Of course, Sir.” I watch the waitress scurry away, clearly uncomfortable with two guys looking like us at her table.
Xander Rossi takes the seat directly across from me, looking rather pleased with himself. “Ivan, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Can’t same the same.” Especially now that I see his face. His features are so similar to his father's. He looks like what I imagine Rossi Senior to have looked like twenty years ago, and I have to remind myself that he is not his father.
“You might change your mind about me when you hear what I have to offer you,” he smirks, full of himself, just like his father.
“And what’s that? What could you offer me that I don’t already have?”
“Money, power, and of course, the most important thing… freedom. You would never have to look over your shoulder again. Never have to worry about someone coming for you.” His offer is very tempting, very tempting, even more so now that Violet and I are expecting a baby.
“The question is… what do you want in return?” I cross my arms over my chest, staring him down.
His dark gaze doesn’t waver from mine. “All I want from you is a location. Tell me how to find my father so I can kill him. That’s all I want from you. Then we’ll all be free from him and able to live our lives.” Xander is very good at hiding his feelings; you have to be to survive in this business. But even he can’t hide the flash of desperation in his eyes. He wants his father dead more than anyone else and that's saying a lot considering how many people want Rossi dead.
“Furthermore, once my father is dead, I’ll need someone to take over his business in this area. I don’t want to expand mine, but I don’t want one of my father’s goons to take over either. I could make sure that you get the position.”
“How do I know you’re not going to just stab me in the back later?