Read Online Owned by the Russian Mafia Boss: A Mob Romance by Leona Lee, Bella Rose - Free Book Online
Authors: Leona Lee, Bella Rose
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up. Anton turned and frowned,
“Alek. I should have known you’d be here,” the businessman said carefully. He glanced nervously, and Alek surpassed a smirk.
“Of course I’m here. Nothing could keep me away. Especially when I found out you’d be here.” Alek clapped the man on the back and leaned in close. “I had an interesting meeting with Boris earlier today.”
The man noticeably paled. Anton was a wealthy contractor who occasional worked for both Alek and Boris, but Alek had more control over him than Boris did. Because Alek knew something about Anton’s past that Anton would certainly not want to get out. And Anton should have known that trying to build property for Boris too close to Alek’s borders would not go well with him.
“Alek,” Anton said as he cleared his throat. “Perhaps you’d like to talk about this at a better time.”
“Oh, there is nothing to discuss, Anton. I’ve already made it clear that Boris is to move his new casino farther into his territory. And I shouldn’t have to hear any more about it. But we both know that Boris is…shall we say …forgetful, and he may just forget everything I said in our earlier meeting. If that’s the case, I expect you to remind him quite firmly that you will not be building his casino so close to my properties. Do we have an understanding?”
“Alek,” Anton said in a low voice. “You know that I want to help you, but I’m under contract with Boris. I don’t have a choice.”
“A contract?” Alek said with raised eyebrows. “Well, that is interesting. I’m not sure why in the world you signed a contract with Boris, but I have to say that it’s not very smart on your end. The truth is that I don’t give a fuck about your contract, Anton. If you build a casino for Boris in a place that I won’t like, you may find that I have loose lips.”
The older man licked his own lips and looked around to make sure no one was overhearing them. Alek knew that five years ago, Anton murdered his wife and made it look like a disappearance. He had enough money to make it all go away, but Alek had proof. He could have gone to the police with it years ago, but he knew that Anton would just sweep it under the rug. Releasing that information to the public was another matter entirely.
“I’ll do the best I can,” Anton said as his eyes widened in panic. “I promise.”
“I don’t want you best, Anton. Just make sure it gets done.” A shadow past over them as someone joined in the conversation to greet Anton. Alek straightened and put a fake smile on his face. The older man was grateful that someone was there to interrupt, and Alek let it slide. He hated conducting business like this during the charity event, but he knew Anton would avoid him. And now that he had said his piece, he had no desire to make a scene. Slowly, he backed out and scanned his eyes across the crowd to find Natalia.
“She’s beautiful.”
The voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard, and Alek winced as he turned around. Claudia, wrapped in a slinky red dress, glared at him.
He was going to play dumb and ask her who she was talking about, but he really didn’t want to get into it. She, however, was willing to let it go. “It’s amazing how money can dress a girl up,” she said. Poison practically dripped from her lips.
“And you’re telling me that money isn’t responsible for every inch of you?” he said sarcastically.
“I can’t believe you brought her. You never brought me to your charity functions.”
“She isn’t making a scene,” Alek pointed out as he tried to brush past her. “You are.”
Before he could even blink, she reached out and grasped his coat. “Alek, please.” Her voice was soft and pleading. He looked down at her in puzzlement. In the entire time that he’d known Claudia, she never seemed as vulnerable as she did right now. “You have to understand my point of view. You dropped me like a rock. No warning. One minute I was in
“Alek. I should have known you’d be here,” the businessman said carefully. He glanced nervously, and Alek surpassed a smirk.
“Of course I’m here. Nothing could keep me away. Especially when I found out you’d be here.” Alek clapped the man on the back and leaned in close. “I had an interesting meeting with Boris earlier today.”
The man noticeably paled. Anton was a wealthy contractor who occasional worked for both Alek and Boris, but Alek had more control over him than Boris did. Because Alek knew something about Anton’s past that Anton would certainly not want to get out. And Anton should have known that trying to build property for Boris too close to Alek’s borders would not go well with him.
“Alek,” Anton said as he cleared his throat. “Perhaps you’d like to talk about this at a better time.”
“Oh, there is nothing to discuss, Anton. I’ve already made it clear that Boris is to move his new casino farther into his territory. And I shouldn’t have to hear any more about it. But we both know that Boris is…shall we say …forgetful, and he may just forget everything I said in our earlier meeting. If that’s the case, I expect you to remind him quite firmly that you will not be building his casino so close to my properties. Do we have an understanding?”
“Alek,” Anton said in a low voice. “You know that I want to help you, but I’m under contract with Boris. I don’t have a choice.”
“A contract?” Alek said with raised eyebrows. “Well, that is interesting. I’m not sure why in the world you signed a contract with Boris, but I have to say that it’s not very smart on your end. The truth is that I don’t give a fuck about your contract, Anton. If you build a casino for Boris in a place that I won’t like, you may find that I have loose lips.”
The older man licked his own lips and looked around to make sure no one was overhearing them. Alek knew that five years ago, Anton murdered his wife and made it look like a disappearance. He had enough money to make it all go away, but Alek had proof. He could have gone to the police with it years ago, but he knew that Anton would just sweep it under the rug. Releasing that information to the public was another matter entirely.
“I’ll do the best I can,” Anton said as his eyes widened in panic. “I promise.”
“I don’t want you best, Anton. Just make sure it gets done.” A shadow past over them as someone joined in the conversation to greet Anton. Alek straightened and put a fake smile on his face. The older man was grateful that someone was there to interrupt, and Alek let it slide. He hated conducting business like this during the charity event, but he knew Anton would avoid him. And now that he had said his piece, he had no desire to make a scene. Slowly, he backed out and scanned his eyes across the crowd to find Natalia.
“She’s beautiful.”
The voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard, and Alek winced as he turned around. Claudia, wrapped in a slinky red dress, glared at him.
He was going to play dumb and ask her who she was talking about, but he really didn’t want to get into it. She, however, was willing to let it go. “It’s amazing how money can dress a girl up,” she said. Poison practically dripped from her lips.
“And you’re telling me that money isn’t responsible for every inch of you?” he said sarcastically.
“I can’t believe you brought her. You never brought me to your charity functions.”
“She isn’t making a scene,” Alek pointed out as he tried to brush past her. “You are.”
Before he could even blink, she reached out and grasped his coat. “Alek, please.” Her voice was soft and pleading. He looked down at her in puzzlement. In the entire time that he’d known Claudia, she never seemed as vulnerable as she did right now. “You have to understand my point of view. You dropped me like a rock. No warning. One minute I was in
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