Page 37 (1/2)

I quickly gathered up my new clothes from the bed and tossed them on a chair, and then we crawled beneath htly, and when I pulled back to look at hiently took hold of his chin and turned his head toward ht with unshed tears, and I asked hi?”

And he whispered, his voice rough, “Please don’t leave me, Jamie”

“I’ anywhere”

“Youto tell you” He wrapped himself around me, and then he said quietly “You wanted to know about my involvement with the Russian mafia So here it is All of it”

“Ok”

He took a deep breath “For six generations, anized crie now, but it’s in naor Sokolov, has the real power I don’t knohat exactly he does, and I’ve never wanted to know Though of course I’ve heard stories about all kinds of things, ranging froet involved in his business, and by the same token, he’s supposed to leave my club alone”

He continued, “Gregor married into the family, he’s not a Teplov by blood or by name And that’s where I come in The Russian mob is all about family and history and reputation The other faenerations My uncle has no claiurehead I or Once they’re satisfied that they’re dealing with the Teplov family, I hand theine the deals that are struck, the criaze “I’ve never killed anyone I’ve never bought, sold, or i like that But all that has been done – that and more, all under the Teplov name”

“But…then you yourself have never committed a crime,” I said

“Sure I have At best I’ve been an accessory, at worst, a collaborator I’et committed” Heartbreak shone in his eyes

“Why do you go along with it?”

“My uncle is a ruthless, cold-blooded man He’s made it quite clear that if I don’t cooperate with hier sisters, one of theh he hasn’t threatened them directly, he’s made it perfectly clear that without er I can’t possibly protect all of them But because I do what my uncle tells ent gangs that ht seek to take down the Teplov empire”