I lift my head and look at the door when there is a knock on my office entrance. “Come in,” I call while rolling my chair back. My brother informed me moments ago that Snider was on his way up with only one of his men. This pissed me off; he is basically saying that he doesn’t believe I am a threat.
Since taking over for my father, I have lain low, staying out of all of the back-and-forth between families, and just concentrated on turning the family business into something my children could inherit. Because of this, my guess is some of the people I have done business with have begun to believe I’m weak. They seem to have forgotten that my family holds a power that goes back generations. In the past, there were not many people stupid enough to mess with us. The day Myla was poisoned, that all changed.
As soon as the door opens, Snider walks in with his bodyguard at his side. I stand and take him in, wondering how the fuck he has the ability to cause fear in people. Over the years, he has let himself go. No longer concerned about his appearance or health, he now carries around at least fifty extra pounds on his gut. He is balding on top, with long wisps that lie over his bald spot, a sad attempt at giving himself the appearance of hair. The navy-blue, velour tracksuit, gold jewelry, and sneakers make him look like he’s watched too many episodes of The Sopranos.
“Nice digs,” he says, taking a seat in front of my desk. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?” He sits back and laces his hands in front of him, looking like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
I take a seat and slide the gun from its holder under my desk, flipping the safety off. “My wife was poisoned a month ago. I got word that you were the one to instigate that hit.”
“Ex-wife, you mean?” he inquires, and the guy next to him laughs. “She went and spoke with a divorce attorney today.” He smiles. “Oh, you didn’t know that, did you? I knew you would think we are all idiots when you left her, but I had a feeling you were full of shit when you said you were done with her.” He looks from me to the man next to him and begins speaking in Russian. “A piece like her you could fuck for the rest of your life and still find new ways to fill her with your come.”
“I would tire of her quickly when she got fat from having my children,” his man replies in Russian.
I see red, lift my gun, put a bullet through his head, and then turn the gun on Snider as his bodyguard’s body crumples to the floor.
“Who do you have on her?” I growl, ready to put a bullet though his skull as well.
“You can’t kill me, Kai, and you know it,” he says, taking a Kleenex out of his pocket and wiping the blood splatter off his face.
“You must have forgotten who I am, who my family is.” I shake my head in disgust.
“I’ve forgotten nothing. Just because you inherited the seat from your father doesn’t make you as powerful as he was.”
I smile and pull the trigger, putting a bullet through his shoulder. “You forget that, for years, I was my father’s watcher.”
His eyes get big and he cries out as he looks at his shoulder then back at me again. “You can’t do this!” he groans.
“You think I fear you or them?” I shake my head and stand up. “I fear no one but the gods, and when my time comes, they are who I will answer to. Now, tell me. Who do you have watching my wife?”
“You kill me and you’re as good as dead,” he says pathetically, ignoring my question.
“Ah.” I shake my head, stand, and walk around to sit on the front of my desk. “You’re stupid, Snider. You have always been rash, and this situation is no different. You didn’t think before you did what you did.”
“If you kill me, there will be war.”
“The moment you put Myla on radar, you started a war with me!” I roar, and fire a bullet through his other shoulder.
His body slumps lower in his chair, and he fights to lift his head to look at me.
“I will make sure pieces of you are divided evenly amongst your friends.”
“Everyone knows who she is. Paulie Jr. wants her for himself,” he wheezes out.
Ice-cold fear floods my veins, but I push that feeling aside and growl, “He’s going to have to get through me.” I pull the trigger and the bullet hits him between the eyes.
A moment later, the door to my office opens and my brother walks in.
“Did Myla go and file for divorce today?” I ask him.
He looks at the guys on the ground then at me. “She did. Aye told Pika not to take her, but he wouldn’t listen. He thinks Pika has feelings for her,” he replies.
“She’s my wife!” I roar and push everything off my desk with a sweep of my hand.
“Not for long,” he says calmly, shaking his head.
When I left Hawaii, I left all of my men with Myla and brought my brother with me. I also told him what had happened with Myla and that, although things between us had begun on a lie, that was no longer the case now.
“What attorney did she go to?”
When he looks at me, I can tell he doesn’t want to answer, and I know exactly why.
“Fuck,” I growl.
There are only two divorce attorneys I know who would be around this time of year, and one of them would be more than willing to help Myla divorce my ass. The lawyer would also do it quickly and enjoy every moment of it.
“Are we going home?” he asks, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
“Yes, and call the cleaners,” I tell him while pulling Snider’s phone out his jacket pocket and looking through his call log until I find the number I’m looking for. I press send on Paulie Jr.’s number and then hold the phone to my ear.