Chapter 31 Ivan
IVAN
The first time I watched the video Konstantin had sent Raisa, I was detached and calm. I listened to every stupid word. I looked for clues. I observed his mottled face and slow speech of hatred. Like collecting intel and marking this as evidence, I played it once.
The second time, I felt numb, like this was an otherworldly experience of someone we’d assumed was dead was speaking in a medium, like an apparition.
The third time, anger lit a fuse within me and I gritted my teeth to get through playing it.
“Ivan?”
I didn’t tear my gaze from the screen on the laptop.
In the back of my mind, I knew it was Gabriella at the doorway, saying my name, but I couldn’t face her.
Sucked into watching Konstantin spew his threats, I fumed and plotted a grisly death for this man who’d dared to ruin my life and Raisa’s life once before.
“Ivan? I think you might need to come downstairs. Lev is puking and it seems like Raisa is in shock or something. I don’t know what’s going on but—”
“Get Emil and Luka. Now.”
In my peripheral, I registered that she nodded. Then she was gone. The sound of her light footsteps went further from me, suggesting she was sprinting. The lethally serious tone of my voice probably did the trick.
Within a couple more minutes, Luka and Emil showed up. They ran into the room, not bothering to ask any questions. Seeing me at the laptop, they stood behind me as I moved to press play again.
They watched.
Luka swore. Emil did too.
“Again,” Emil said.
I played it once more.
After a few more times, I turned to face them. Both of them wore stony expressions. But Luka snapped out of it first. He didn’t like dealing with strong emotions, preferring to stay logical and always in control.
“I guess the motherfucker’s alive after all.”
Emil scowled. “That’s all you can say?”
I shook my head, rolling the chair away from the desk.
Emil stepped in to tap on the keyboard, already calling someone from our cyber-security force to come get the laptop.
They’d track the IP address. They’d investigate where Konstantin might be.
I wasn’t as familiar with cyber things like this, but I had a strong hunch that Konstantin would’ve been careful and sent this under layers of deception and protection to throw us off the most obvious trail. Still, we’d check it out thoroughly.
“All I can say is that I’m not fucking going anywhere.” I stood to pace.
“Obviously,” Luka replied.
Fury encompassed me at the notion that Konstantin Petrov seriously thought he could just show up and play games like this.
“I’m not running. I’m not leaving. I’m not going anywhere.” I had to repeat it. To believe it. And to stand by it. I left Raisa once because of the anger this man directed at us for getting together.
I refused to do it again.
“I am not falling for this bullshit.” I looked at them both, feeling like a wild beast trapped in a cage. “I will protect them no matter what he threatens.”
“Which isn’t going to happen.” Luka crossed his arms. “He can’t convince anyone that Lev is a bastard. You are my nephew. He will be as well.”
“We’ll prove it with blood tests,” Emil said.
“No, no, no.” Luka scowled and shook his head.
“Konstantin knows Lev is yours. He wouldn’t have worded it like that if he doubted paternity.
What he’s saying is that he’ll convince the federation that Lev should be a Petrov because Raisa is the mother, not that Lev should be a Dubinin because you are the father. ”
“What are you suggesting?” Emil asked.
“We convince those other assholes to think otherwise.” Luka lowered his arms.
I liked the direction he was taking this.
It made more sense than playing games with Konstantin.
“I’ll call a council meeting.” These large gatherings of the highest Bratva leaders didn’t happen often.
But when lineages were questioned and matters of someone being a rightful heir were contested, it took a group of them all to decide who belonged to which family.
Dubinins were at the top of the group. Petrovs were always a lesser family.
But we both belonged to the same circle of influence.
It wasn’t often that Luka would be willing to go the diplomatic route, but it was an option.
“Do it,” he said. “You can force the heads of the families to vote.”
“How do you think they’ll side?” Emil asked. “Fuck.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t remember the last time an heir was contested.”
“Many might side with him. Just to avoid the later complication of being on his shit list.” Luka gave me a stern look. “But more will side with us when they know of your engagement to Raisa.”
An engagement that hadn’t come to be yet. Of course, I’d marry her. I’d been debating which ring from the family vault to propose with. “I agree.”
Emil laughed once. “Well shit. We can just tell them all that they’re already married.”
I gave him a look that could kill. “This isn’t the time for jokes.”
He shrugged. “Hey, it could work. We had witnesses.”
“That can be a backup plan,” Luka replied dryly.
“Well, fuck it. We’ll all stand with him.” Emil lost the smile and was serious once more. “Raisa belongs here. With us. So does Lev.”
“And they will stay here,” I said, getting a nod of approval from Luka. “Even if we have to kill Konstantin to make sure that statement sticks.”
“I’m going to start making the calls,” Luka said.
“I’ll keep going with this email and track it,” Emil added as we all moved to leave the room. “Not that it’ll do much good, but we’ll check.”
“And I’m going to check on them.” I hadn’t forgotten that Lev was ill, so weak and sad and asking where his mother was. The initial punch of fear that came with that email faded as I came down the stairs and saw Raisa cuddling Lev on the couch. Gabriella sat with them just as concerned.
The second Raisa looked at me, serious and nervous…
I understood her fear. I was on the same page as her. But this time, we weren’t alone. This time, I knew without a doubt that my uncle wouldn’t judge or want us apart for the sake of politics. He stood by me as I declared a death sentence on a Bratva boss.
I joined her without a word, wrapping my arm around her and holding her close.
“Did you see—”
I kissed the side of her head, caressing her long blonde hair, so light and golden. “Yes. We all did. And it will be okay.”
She nodded, but the pinched look on her face contradicted her claim.
“Are you all right?” I leaned past her to check on Lev who was asleep and slumped against her. A bucket was next to the sofa, likely in case he had to vomit.
“As much as I can be,” she admitted shakily.
I held her closer and kept stroking over her hair.
“That email… rattled me.”
“Me too.”
“But I guess the wait is over. Now we know he’s alive.”
I nodded. For now.
“And he’s made his move.”
His last one. I nodded again.
“You’re not—” She furrowed her brow. “You’re not considering going and doing anything like what he wants or…” She shook her head. “No. Of course not.” She kissed my cheek then rested hers against mine. “You wouldn’t.”
“No. I won’t play along with his stupid schemes.”
“What can you do? What can I do?”
“Well, you can marry me.”
She smiled, slow and sure. “Again?” She kissed me gently.
“Would you?”
She laughed once. It was likely a hysterical reaction after her fear and anger. “Only if it’s for real this time.”
I framed her face and kissed her deeply until I felt her body sag against mine.
“Would that work?” Gabriella asked. “Like it did when I married Luka?”
I shrugged. “Yes and no. We are going to call a council meeting with the other Bratva heads and make our case for Lev to officially be recognized as a rightful heir of the Dubinin family, as my son.”
Raisa sighed. “And if that fails?”
I met her gaze and didn’t have to say a thing.
She knew.
I bet she wished she could beat me to it.
One simple dip of her chin was the nod of acknowledgment I needed from her.
“Let us start with this. I’ll make my official claim on you and Lev. We’ll face the old patriarchs and insist they view the both of you as my family. Because you are and always will be.”
This time, I knew better. I knew to fight to make it happen, too.