Thick As Blood - Nestor Oceteva

6. Misery Loves Company

I sat down in one of the chairs facing the desk and Miguel sat on the other side. Nestor stood beside the door and opened it allowing Marcus to enter and take the seat beside me.

"What's this about Miguel?" Marcus asked as he crossed his legs in the chair.

"Liliana, it would seem, is quite the keeper of secrets." Miguel addressed Marcus.

I held my hand up stopping him from continuing.

"I have never kept my family a secret. You just never bothered talking to me to find out anything about me."

I was not going to be thrown under the bus if he has a problem with the people who took me in when they abandoned me.

"You married into the Bratva!"

Oh wow. The veins in his head looked like they were going to blow.

"Well yeah, but in my defence, I didn't know he was in the Bratva until we were engaged."

"Was? He is no longer?" Nestor asked from him us.

"He's not doing much of anything nowadays. Look, I'm just going back for a family event and I'll be back to Lodi in a week. They don't know I am your sister. No one knows I'm even a Galindo, Dita made sure we didn't share a last name."

I had long since resigned myself to the fact I may have been born into the family but I was not a Galindo. I never would be. It is what it is, I am a Sokolova now anyway.

"I don't like this Lily." At least he was back to calling me Lily again. "Nestor will accompany you."

"Fuck no." I turned to Nestor. "Not happening." I shook my head vehemently. "Outsiders will be killed on the spot."

"I don't trust them, they have been causing some issues just outside of Stockton." He frowned and stared at me for longer than necessary. "Are there Bratva near you in Lodi?"

"Of course. Kirill wouldn't let me stay stateside without his brothers nearby."

Nestor and Miguel were glaring at each other and Marcus was staring off out the window behind Miguel, deep in thought. Well, this is awkward. I saw the time and realised I needed to hurry to make the flight.

"Right, I'll see you when I see you. Miguel, Marcus, Nestor." I nodded at each man as a farewell before making my way to the door. Nestor blocked the doorhandle at a signal from my brother. "Move or my brother will be looking for a new head of security."

When he still didn't move I sighed. I didn't really want to fight Nestor. It would be a shame to ruin such a pretty face. Where did that come from? He was still standing in front of the door and I was still shocked at my own train of thought. Shaking my head to clear the thought away I stepped back and tried for diplomacy.

"Miguel, please. It is the first anniversary of my husband and son's death. I am not playing this game. Let. Me. Go." I was almost whispering by the end, not from weakness but from the cold place I go to before I break hell around me.

The door was opened and I slipped out without another word. The door closed behind me, no doubt to discuss me. I left them to it, knowing I was about to rush north to LAX. I grabbed my suitcase and shoved everything back in before throwing it in the trunk of my car. I had just started the car when my passenger door opened and a bag was tossed on my lap. A body soon dropped into the seat and smirked at me.

"Get out."

"Sorry, I obey your brother's orders not yours. Go, we wouldn't want to miss our flight."

I was so pissed but I knew I would be cutting it close to the departure time so I hit the gas and sped out of the driveway. Nestor tried to start conversations but I ignored him. I didn't want him in my car, I didn't want him coming to Russia. It wasn't that I hated him, in fact I actually liked the man, but he would just complicate the quick trip.

Married to men in the Bratva was for life. There was no divorce from the mafia, even if my husband was dead. Outsiders were also not welcome so they wouldn't take kindly to having Nestor there.

"You're going to have to be my private security." I finally broke the silence.

"What?"

"They will kill you if you don't have a tie to me. I am still married in their eyes, widow or not, so you can't be a boyfriend. It's either security or I leave you behind." He nodded accepting the story. I threw my keys to the valet with a threat of dismemberment should I find a scratch when I got it back.

Nestor carried the bags for us while I checked in. I came to find that Miguel hadn't even booked him a ticket yet and I wished I had slapped the man before I left. I had purchased the seat beside me already so I wouldn't have anyone sit there but now I had to give it up. You owe me brother. I handed my card over to pay for the name change and put the bags on the conveyer belt. I slapped the ticket on Nestor's chest and made my way to the departure lounge.