{NIKOLAI}
I didn't bother knocking.
I kicked the wood with my foot, and the heavy door slammed open, bouncing against the wall. The tiny apartment was a mess, with food containers and soda cans littered all over, while the smell of body odor hung like stale perfume. Three screens surrounded a large desk, the chair empty. Where was he?
The sound of a window sliding had me hurrying into the other room. A man was trying to escape into the alley. Massimo stepped forward, but I beat him there. I was eager to handle this stronzo myself.
When I caught the man, I grabbed hold of his hair and pulled like I was closing a window shade. Screaming, he grabbed his head and fell back, landing at my feet. A chunk of hair remained in my fist, so I dropped it and gave him a swift kick to the ribs. "Stefano. How nice to see you."
He wheezed, holding his side. "Please, Don Kuznetsov. Please don't hurt me."
"Get him up," I told Massimo. "In the chair."
