The Mafia King's Nicotine

Chapter 80

Erik's perfectly polished dress shoes tapped the wooden floor of his office impatiently. He checked the time on his watch once more, irritated by the Czech's tardiness. Working with them was a mistake. He should have never taken that stupid deal. They were more work than they were worth.

"They can never be trusted." Igor's thick voice filled the room and Erik nodded in agreement.

"I say we begin without him." His oldest son added, backing him up, "The man won't be here for at least another 15 minutes."

Dannye shrugged leaning against the sidewall, legs crossed at the ankles, "We'll just fill him in when he does get here."

"How much use is he anyway?" Vladimir asked, raising a dark eyebrow.

Erik moved his eyes from the door over to the young man sitting across from him, "He's a worm. A flight risk. The damn man knows what he's doing and he's good at it."

"Why agree to work with him if he's such a flight risk?" He questioned. If someone was so untrustworthy, why trust them? It was simple in his mind. You didn't. Yet, Erik seemed to make strange choices all the time and for the most part, they worked out.

"He knows I'd kill him the first chance I got if he ever betrayed me." Erik replied, face stern, not showing any emotion, "He made me the offer not the other way around. He needs my help keeping him out of prison and if he crosses me, that deal is off and he finds himself serving 2 life sentences in three different countries."

"And he likes Vivian," Dannye added making Erik grind his teeth at the image of such a filthy man ever even touching her.

"Everyone likes Vivian," Igor said, setting down the glass of bourbon he had been holding.

"Not everyone," Erik's voice turned the room silent, leaving everyone to just sit and wait for the Czechs arrival, but after a minute and still no sign of them, Erik decided to begin his questioning, "Where is Darleen?"

"With her aunt." Igor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I love the girl but..."

"She's naive."

"Yes." He shook his head leaning forward, bracing his elbows on his knees, "I have guards stationed outside the house she's staying at but something tells me that won't be enough."

"Does he know where she is?" Dannye inquired.

Igor shook his head, "He shouldn't but what's stopping him from finding her? The man is clever."

"He will go after her," Vladimir stated, taking a sip from his own glass.

Dannye unfolded his arms and gestured in confusion, "Why did he take her with him in the first place? And why did she go with him?"

"She thinks she's in love." Igor rolled his eyes making Erik snort out a laugh.

"With him? She's crazy." Dannye pushed off the wall and grabbed a chair from the corner of the room, hidden behind a filing cabinet.

"No, shit." Vladimir rolled his eyes.

Dragging the chair over to the side of the desk Dannye sat down, "That man wants one thing."

"Two things." Erik corrected.

"Fine. Two things. To kill us all and take the throne."

Vlad pursed his lips, "What does she have to do with his plans then?"

Igor raised picked up his glass once more and finished it off, "He wants more than just one throne."

"So? Why drag her along?" He argued, "We all know Darleen. She's a piece of work."