10. Gustav
Ipulled quite a few all-nighters at Yale, and I wound up doing even more during business school. It might be because I’m older, but waking up after sleeping only two and a half hours feels harder than any of those. All I want to do is roll over and, well, I don’t have a blanket to snuggle under, and I finally remember why. There are so many people in my house that I had to loan my own blanket to one of them.
It doesn’t help that I dreamt of a palomino chasing me all night long.
When I finally drag myself out of bed, it’s six minutes before my alarm was set to go off, and my eyes are burning like I mixed up eyedrops with acid. I hop up and race to my shower, setting the water to cold to ensure I’m awake and kicking. After my disastrous start yesterday, I can’t afford any more screw-ups. I need to hit all four meetings today, full force.
One’s with a large European bank, which is perfect, because one of the things I’m hoping the IPO will do is get us some backers in Europe. Horse racing’s even bigger there than it is in the US, and there aren’t a lot of online gambling operations that are popular in Europe yet. I’d like to start sucking up some of the online marketshare as soon as possible.
Shockingly, by the time I emerge from my room, clean-shaven, dressed in my nicest tan suit, with my hair neatly combed, all seven of my uninvited guests are already awake.
“Where are we going first today?” Kris asks.
“Oh, no.” I shake my head. “You’re all staying here today. You can research what that lunatic running Russia is doing. You can sit in my massage chair. You can order takeout, and you can use my credit cards for any of that you want. What you cannot do is accompany me to the meetings I’ll be conducting.”
“But I’ve looked into Trifecta,” Aleks says. “I quite like the idea of a totes company that also has a separate arm that handles online gambling. It’s like you’re internally hedging your own bets. The totes companies are worried that online bets will destroy their onsite revenue, but if you also handle online betting, no matter which side becomes more popular, you still win.”
“Don’t forget his racehorse ownership company,” Kristiana says. “That’s my favorite part of the three. Betting’s so much more exciting when you own a horse, and now people who could never afford it have the ability to go in on a partial share of one—a great one. Then when they bet, they’re betting on themselves.”
I do think Trifecta’s brilliant, but their flattery doesn’t change my mind. “I’m glad you like my company,” I say. “But I don’t need your help making my presentation. Stay here, please.”
“We’re coming,” Kristiana says. “Now that we’re here. . .” She glances at Katerina. “There’s no telling when Leonid will decide you’re a priority and show up.”
Katerina shakes her head. “I’m not here to draw him out. He told me specifically that he wants nothing to do with Gustav, as long as he stays away from his magic.”
“It’s quite difficult to draw out magical ability,” Grigoriy says.
“And that’s for us,” Alexei says. “For you, it might be even harder.”
“He’d have to do something truly noble,” Katerina says. “I already told him. Without a significant sacrifice, he won’t be able to access any powers at all.”
“See?” I say, “No worries, then.”
Kris looks exactly the same as my mom used to when she’s disappointed. The small sigh. The drooping chin. The sad eyes. It’s disturbingly the same. I wonder whether she knows that. “You’re the only hope we have of defeating him.”
“You said Grigoriy and Aleksandr still have their powers,” I say. “They’re strong, right? Rocks and air or something?”
Kris doesn’t try to hide her irritation this time. “You can’t believe Katerina’s assurances that you’ll be safe. She’s close to Leonid.”
“Scared of him and close aren’t the same thing,” Katerina says.
“She’s the one who told him about his powers, she was there when he started using them, she gave him the electrical power, and she went to visit with him recently.” Adriana folds her arms and glares. “The bottom line is, we can’t trust her. So go to your meetings, and we’ll just wait outside.”
“You think Leonid’s going to leave Russia, where he’s surrounded by his people and an army, and fly to the United States. . .to what?” I ask. “To assassinate me?”
“He might send someone,” Kris says. “Katerina’s brother Boris held Adriana in a shack for days on end in a tiny room, threatening her. He works for Leonid.”
“It wasn’t fun,” Adriana says. “I can vouch.”
“Ask her how she escaped,” Mirdza says.
Adriana jabs her twin. “Keep your mouth shut.”
“Fine,” I say. “You can come if you bring something to read or do and you just sit in the lobby while I do each presentation.” I have no idea who I’ll tell the people they are or why they’re there, but I’ll think of something. “But under no circumstance are you allowed to come into the room or speak at all while I’m working.”
“Deal,” Kris says.
Of course, that lasts exactly one minute.
“Kristiana?” A tall blond man stands when we walk through the doors of the conference room for our first meeting.
“You know him?” I glance from the man in the navy suit with the British accent to Kris. “How?”
“I’m her ex-boyfriend,” the blond man in the suit says. “I’m also the Vice President of operations for the AIB Group, Sean?—”
“Sean bloody McDermott.” Aleksandr looks ready to punch him.
Kristiana’s smiling.
Sean rolls his eyes. “That’s me. But what are you doing here?”
“Daniel Belmont,” Kris says, “is my big brother.”
Sean blinks. “You’re kidding.”
Kristiana shakes her head.
“Well, tell me this, since you owe me. Is he a good investment?”
Kris shrugs. “I mean, I hear there’s a maniac who wants him dead.”
Sean nods slowly. “That’s true for most of the best businessmen in the world.”
“If you’re ready to begin the meeting,” I say, “we can?—”
Sean waves his hand. “I think I have something better. Sisters are always the best judge of character for their brothers.” He narrows his eyes. “You tell me whether I should invest.” He frowns. “Are you investing?”
“Gustav’s a bad brother. He never returns my calls, he never visits, and he doesn’t ever call me. But it’s because he’s always put work first,” Kris says slowly.
That stings a little, but she’s not lying.
She goes on. “If you want to invest in something that has a solid plan, that has been conservative in every aspect, and that’s sure to turn a solid profit, then yes.” Kris nods. “He’s not a bad investment, which is why I’ll definitely invest in it myself.”
Sean stares at her for a moment. Then that moment stretches.
I can’t help glancing at Aleksandr, who looks ready to rearrange Sean’s not-too-bad-looking face. That would be very inconvenient for me.
“I’ve brought some materials you may want to peruse.” I offer Sean a folder, stepping intentionally between Aleksandr and the VP of Operations for one of the fifty largest banks in Europe. “And my sister’s glowing recommendation notwithstanding, I’d be happy to explain anything?—”
Sean takes the folder, and looks me in the eye. “She gave you about the best recommendation you could have gotten.” He nods. “Count us in for the maximum allowable shares at your suggested price.” The corner of his mouth turns up. “And now I should go. I’m afraid if I stick around much longer, Kristiana’s Russian thug will try to rough me up.”
Aleksandr’s face has flushed, and he looks ready to do it.
Sean reaches the door, his lackeys falling in behind him, when he turns around. “You know, it’s a little depressing when you don’t win the girl, but it’s a lot more fun to be the one who’s free to say whatever he wants.”
He ducks out before Aleksandr has a chance to rearrange any of the various parts of his face.
I have a little extra time now, thanks to Kris, to prepare to meet with Ameritrade. In spite of that, the meeting does not go well. They ask about what happened with Black Rock, and they ask a lot of questions about how the company was founded, and why I moved to New York right before college. Frankly, they’re asking questions I didn’t think anyone would even know to ask.
While I should be anticipating what other questions they might come up with, I find myself thinking about that stupid palomino from my dream last night. When I’m not thinking of that, I keep imagining Katerina in the middle of the night, offering to buy some of my company herself.
Once, in college, I had a friend who was desperate to get published. She kept talking about selling her book—she meant to a publisher. But this little boy who overheard us talking told her he would buy her book.
She melted.
That’s how I felt when that little lost Russian woman told me if she had money, she would buy part of my company. I don’t actually need anyone to buy it. My company’s doing great on its own. Most companies go public when they need money to expand, or when their employees need to be able to sell their shares, but for me, it’s all about recognition. It’s about showing my grandfather that I’m competent and capable and that I’ll be the best person to take over when he retires.
When the Ameritrade meeting ends, I’m not sure whether they’ll buy a decent chunk of shares or not. I’m reviewing some things with Jean and the team when someone who had just left comes back in the room. I recognize him, because I could hardly see his face thanks to the tall man in front of him. He was wearing a pinstriped suit and four thousand dollar shoes, so I tried to catch a glimpse, but it never happened.
Jean sees him coming, too. “Welcome back. Did you forget?—”
The man looks up, and I realize that I know him.
It’s my cousin, Prescott Belmont.
“I didn’t forget anything, but you sure did.” His smirk’s very, very self-satisfied. “You know, I was worried about this whole last-minute IPO. It’s very Hail Mary of you. Coming in with the public offering just before Grandfather’s party.” He shakes his head. “Sneaky. I didn’t realize you had it in you.” He steps closer, his grin deepening. “But then you botch Black Rock, which Grandfather practically gift-wrapped, and today you put on the worst presentation I’ve ever seen with Ameritrade.” He snorts. “What’s wrong? I’m honestly worried about you.”
I step closer and jab a finger against his breastbone. “You’ve been worried about me for ten years. You should be more worried about your own resume. Whereas you barely graduated from Temple University, and you waltzed into a ready-made job at Grandfather’s company, I earned my way.”
“I’d hardly call a mediocre online gambling start-up ‘earning your way,’ and I wasn’t sure what you were even doing at first, with a gambling company.” He sighs. “But then I remembered that you do what you know, and you’ve known about gambling your whole life, haven’t you?”
“I’m not sure we’ve met.” Kristiana steps closer, having ducked into the room through the door our sweet cousin left open. “It seems like we may be related.”
“I doubt it.” Prescott arches one dark eyebrow.
“Kristiana Liepa.” Kris holds out her hand. “I think, unfortunately, that we’re cousins.”
Prescott steps back as if someone from the street’s trying to sell him knock-off Oakleys. “How lovely. More of my Latvian relations.”
“Your father was nearly as nasty as you are,” Kris says. “Mom told me some stories. But do tell me, I’m sure we all want to know. She also said you were still wetting the bed at age ten. Or was it eleven? Did you ever get that fixed? Was it a medical thing? Or were you just too lazy to get up and go pee pee in the potty at night?”
Our bully of a first cousin glares, pivots on the heel of his expensive shoe, and storms off. The second he’s gone, Jean starts to laugh. “That was the best thing I’ve ever seen.” Her face is bright red. “It had to be true, or he’d have shut you down.”
“Aunt Pearl called Mom once,” Kris says. “I wasn’t supposed to be listening in. It was past my bedtime, but when Aunt Pearl mentioned that her ten-year-old kid was still wetting the bed, I was stuck with my cheek to the door for twenty minutes.”
“Thanks,” I say. “It’s not like his opinion matters, but I do appreciate the support.”
Not only does Kris help me with stupid Prescott, but she sits in on the next meeting with Fidelity, and she makes so many jokes about horses and betting, and talks about Sean’s commitment so casually, that the guy in charge decides to match Sean’s generous pledges this morning. It’s nice to have a few purchasers lined up and in my back pocket on the first full day.
I still want her to leave—especially if Katerina’s right and the maniac will leave me alone as long as I do nothing—but I didn’t hate having Kris here when Prescott showed up, and when I’m not fighting with them, they don’t seem to destroy everything. Maybe I’ll be able to survive the next few weeks, even if Kris insists on staying.
“Coffee?” Jean asks, pointing at the pot that’s been sitting on the warmer for at least an hour.
“I’ll walk downstairs and grab one,” I say. “Anyone else need something decent?”
“Do they sell coffee here at three in the afternoon?” Kristiana asks.
“This is New York City,” Jean says. “They have coffee twenty-four hours a day.”
Kris blinks.
I’m walking through the front doors of Chase Tower on Madison Avenue, reviewing the details of our last pitch for the day as I walk, when out of the corner of my eye, I see her.
Katerina.
She’s staring at something on a screen on the other side of the street, and she steps out into the street without looking first. There’s a bus barreling toward her, and there’s no way it can stop in time.
In the movies, this would be where I would leap toward her and shove her out of the way, only to be crushed myself. I have no idea why people do that. It makes no sense. I jog toward her and lean out, grabbing her arm and yanking her back to the safety of the sidewalk. The bus rolls on by, honking, but Katerina’s safe. She’s also pressed against my side like a dryer sheet on wool pants, fresh from the laundry basket.
“Gustav.” Her whisper’s breathy, her eyes wide, and her hands are splayed against my chest. “That was—” She freezes. “That was a selfless act.”
I practically drop her back into the street.
Something like that couldn’t have. . . My heart pounds in my chest, my pulse roaring in my ears. “All I did was snatch you out of the way. You’re fine, and so am I.”
A smile creeps across her face, and her cheeks flush. “But it’s in you, you know. The goodness, I mean.”
“Don’t walk into roads without looking.” I roll my eyes, order my coffee, and march back upstairs, not even taking the time to find out what had her so enthralled that she wasn’t paying attention to her own safety.
Once I reach the boardroom again, I realize that I forgot to grab Grigoriy’s coffee in my rush. So much for being selfless. I wind up having to give him mine and pretend I already drank my cup, even though I’d already had three sips. Now he’s sucking down my saliva with his coffee.
Maybe I should, but I don’t feel at all guilty about being the selfish, focused, driven beast that I am. After all, it’s because of that greed that I won’t be at risk for Leonid’s insane wrath, and if all seven of these people are scared of him, I want nothing to do with it. He can wreak as much havoc as he wants on that side of the world. It just makes me more relieved than ever that I emigrated when I did.
It’s not my problem, and if everything goes according to plan, it never will be.