Irish Promises

Chapter Thirty-One

Hugh

Three weeks ago...

Anastasia calling me during the day isn't a usual thing, we don't do the cute little catch up calls that she does with the twins or even sometimes Blake. That's not us and it works absolutely fine for us both, especially with how busy I am sometimes, so when my phone rung with her name flashing up on the screen I knew it had to be because something was up.

I just hadn't expected it to be about Irvin.

The guy is like a bad fucking smell that just won't go away, or one of them irritating flies that comes back time and time again no matter how many times you swat it away. But I guess now Anastasia seems to have worked out for herself what the rest of us have been trying to tell her for weeks.

That he is up to something, that his intentions have never been as pure as she's thought they have been.

From the clear upset and flustered way she completely unloaded that revelation has been a hard hit for her.

I can't lie though, hearing her tell me how near she came to throwing everything we have away hit fucking hard too. I just knew in that moment me going off on her wasn't going to help matters at all.

Nah I fully plan on turning that frustration towards the one that actually deserves it.

After I send the address of where I want her to meet me I shove my phone back into my pocket and head back in to continue to wait for Volkov to arrive.

Now understanding exactly where he's been.

The smug fucking smirk on his face when he finally walks in only infuriates me further because he clearly thinks he's got one up on us.

"Gentlemen I apologise for being late I was otherwise disposed" he says clear humour in his tone and it take fucking everything I have not to pounce across the table and smash his face against the table.

Instead I keep myself as calm as I theasably can, reminding myself that the only reason he's so smug is because he thinks he has Anastasia right where he wants her.

Which thankfully isn't the case anymore.

"Shall we get started?" he then asks taking his seat his eyes locked onto me and that smirk of his quickly wipes off his face.

Something about my expression clearly causing unease in him.

Good he should feel fucking uneasy because I fully intend to destroy him.

The mere fact he has the nerve to even refer to Anastasia as being 'ours' shows just how warped he is and how he genuinely believes that he's got the upper hand here. I let that remark slide and I'm relieved that Blake does too even though I can feel the anger and frustration bubbling up inside him from where he sits next to me.

He seems to have a good hold on it, or well he seems to until Volkov says "it's not you I want in my bed either" a wide fucking smirk plastered all over his face and I already know Blake is going to explode.

I only just about manage to get hold of him as he pounces up from his seat and goes to reach across the table to Volkov.

Now is not the time to be exploding, but I can't deny his pure and raw reaction is exactly what Volkov is wanting. Making him think he's still for the upper hand over us.

The only issue being we don't stand a chance at trying to take him out here, no we need to think carefully about it and hit him when his guards down. When he's least expecting it.

I already know there's only going to be one way of achieving that as well.

"Back down, don't give him the fucking rise he wants" I whisper to Blake but keep my voice loud enough for Volkov to hear, so he genuinely believes I'm trying to placate my brother.

So he thinks I've come to the conclusion that we have no other option but to bow down to this fucker.

If it's power he wants I'll hand it right too him, let him have his fill and then fucking choke on it. 

Reluctantly Blake eases himself back into his chair and I choose to test out the waters and see exactly what the point was behind calling us all for this meeting.

"All current agreements stay in place, other than that we have no need for you and your so-called resources" I say. 

"Not even a supplier that can deliver by the end of this week?" he replies his smirk spreading yet again and there it is. 

His cards laid out on the table showing his intentions. 

"Anastasia told me about your difficulties so I wanted to show a gesture of goodwill, a replacement for what you lost and all I ask for in return is twenty percent of the profit" he then says and I have to give it to him trying to put the blame on Anastasia feeding him the info is a great bid at driving a wedge between us. 

It wasn't her that told him and I know for definite that it was him that had our shipments intercepted. 

"Ten percent" I reply handing him the power he wants. 

It's impossible to miss the way Blake gapes at me not expecting that response to come from me at all, but then he has no idea what's actually going on here.

Volkov smirks clearly thinking he's got one up and finding great amusement in this whole thing. 

"Fifteen" he counters and I pretend to debate it for a moment. 

"Fine fifteen" I say standing. "I'll have someone contact you regarding arrangements" I then say and turn to leave knowing full well Blake will be hot on my heels and wondering what the fuck just happened.

Just as expected her follows out behind me after a minute or so, me already in my car needing to get to Anastasia. 

"What the fuck was that?" he snaps at me and I can't deny he has every right to be pissed at me. 

With Volkov instead and god knows who watching us I need it to stay that way too. 

"We had no other option" I lie to him, my explanation only agitating him further. 

He reems into me about making decisions behind their backs and he has every right to, the issue is he's gonna be even more pissed when he finds out the other decision I'm about to make. Because I know without a doubt it's not one that he's going to be happy with. 

"The decisions made Blake" I say complete disregarding him as I start the engine. "I've got shit to do I'll be back later, just go and let the twins know the latest" I then say before adding "And don't even think of going in on Anastasia about speaking to Volkov, I'll speak to her" 

I need him to keep his cool because going off on her right now is only going to make everything worse, right now I need my brothers to be in the dark about what I plan to do. Especially until after I've actually had chance to speak to her myself. 

With that I drive off to go and meet her without giving him chance to say anything else.