Chapter 27 - Lev
My car stops outside the nondescript entrance of an underground club in peak midday. My brothers, Boris and Damien, are huddled together, waiting for me.
I step out of the car and join them.
"Tell me again why we're meeting at La Fantasia?" I ask, trying to keep any trace of impatience from seeping into my voice.
Boris grunts and shoves a note in my hand, displaying a cryptic message: Meet me at La Fantasia. Private Room. They'll know to bring you here. The caller.
I feel a gush of energy pass through me. “So, today, we get to meet our mysterious benefactor.”
The three of us exchange looks, the weight of this moment not lost on either one of us.
"Let's go inside and find out who this person is," Boris says at last, taking the lead on it.
We exchange one last wary look before stepping into the dimly-lit club, the smell of stale champagne and expensive perfume assaulting our senses. A hostess appears out of nowhere, her painted smile more than a little unnerving. "I've been expecting you. He's waiting for you in the private room."
"Of course he is," I mutter under my breath as we follow her through the empty club, wondering how she knew who we are and, more importantly, who he is.
"Lev," Damien murmurs, leaning closer to me. "Do you think this 'caller' is on our side, or just another enemy waiting to stab us in the back?"
"Who knows?" I reply with a shrug. "But one thing's for certain: we're about to find out."
***
The hostess leads us down a narrow, dimly-lit hallway that seems to stretch on forever. Shadows dance along the walls, and the air is thick with secrecy. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as we approach the door at the end of the passage.
"Here we are," she says softly, pausing before the door. "He's waiting for you inside." Without another word, she turns and disappears back down the hallway, leaving the three of us standing there, tension coiling around us like a python.
Boris pushes open the door when Damien and I don’t make a move.
The room we step into is luxurious, draped in rich velvet and bathed in a soft golden glow from the chandelier overhead. A man stands by the window, his back to us, staring out into the night.
"Ah, the Zolotov brothers," he murmurs, turning to face us. My first impression is that of a charismatic man, someone who knows how to command a room without even trying. He approaches us, a confident smile playing on his lips. "I'm Nikolai Orlov."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Orlov," I say, trying to sound relaxed despite the unease gnawing at my gut. "What made you bring us here today?” I cut to the chase, ignoring the small talk.
"Lev," Boris warns, but I ignore him.
Nikolai gazes at me, seemingly amused by my brashness. “I own the club and a hundred others like it across the world. I thought there’s no place more befitting than this for what I’m about to propose.”
"Congratulations," Damien says dryly. "So, what can we do for you today?”
Nikolai replies cryptically, his eyes reaching for each of ours. “For now, let's just say I'm here to offer you something you can't refuse."
"Ah, I love a good Godfather reference," I quip, smirking at him. "But seriously, Mr. Orlov, cut the crap and tell us what you want."
He chuckles, an amused look crossing his eyes.
"Very well, Lev," he says. "I want an alliance. A partnership between our families that will benefit us all."
Boris and Damien exchange wary glances, their skepticism clear. But I can't help but wonder if Nikolai Orlov might just be the answer to our problems—or the beginning of an entirely new set of them.
When no one speaks, Nikolai clears his throat, drawing our attention back to him. "I believe it's time for some transparency," he says, his voice steady and confident. "I used Lenny Ramsey to gather information about your family. He was a useful pawn in my plans."
“You what?” Boris growls, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Let me explain," Nikolai continues, unfazed by my brother's anger. "You see, I'm Bratva as well. Our parents were enemies, but we don't have to be. I hate traitors, and when I learned Lenny was embezzling from you, I decided to step in and save the women he wished to use in his wrongdoing. Why involve innocents when it’s the men who cause the chaos, no?"
"Save them?" Damien scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. "Or use them as leverage to get what you want from us now?"
"Damien has a point," I chime in, trying to hide my own curiosity behind a mask of skepticism. "Why should we trust you, especially after using Lenny like that?"
"Because I knew you wouldn't hesitate to take care of Lenny once you found out his betrayal," Nikolai replies with a shrug. "And I was right. You took care of him, and now I'm offering you an alliance that would benefit both our families."
"Forgive me if I don't jump for joy at the prospect," I say sarcastically, shooting him a disdainful look. "How do we know this isn't some elaborate setup?"
"Fair questions," Nikolai admits, nodding in acknowledgment. "But consider this: why would I reveal my involvement with Lenny if I had anything to hide? I could've kept my identity a secret, yet here I am, extending an olive branch."
"An olive branch with thorns," Boris mutters, clearly not convinced.
"Perhaps," Nikolai concedes. "But sometimes, taking a risk can lead to great rewards." He locks eyes with each of us in turn as if trying to gauge our thoughts and reactions.
"Rewards or betrayal," Damien murmurs, his gaze never leaving Nikolai's face.
“Or loyalty ,” Nikolai says. “You need friends. In our world, we have plenty enemies to help cut us down at the roots. What we need is friends, won’t you think? After all, it was friendship that saved you and your girl, Pippa, the night Lenny was chasing you in his car.”
My eyes widen in surprise, and I glance at my brothers. They share my astonishment, their expressions as unreadable as mine. "You?" I ask, incredulous. "You were the one who saved us. Why?"
"Like I said before," he replies smoothly. “I hate traitors. What I forgot to mention was that I hate innocents being harmed. She was with you, your Pippa. She didn’t belong in that war.”
Nikolai's words hang heavy in the air, his confession weaving a new layer of complexity into our already tangled lives. Pippa's safety had been paramount that night, and to know that Nikolai had played a hand in ensuring it made me reassess my initial impression of him. Besides me, I hear my brothers exchange silent looks.
I know what all three of us are thinking. While we can’t trust Nikolai Ganzini with open hearts, we can test the waters… for now.
“So, an alliance, you say?” I ask.
"Exactly," he affirms, his eyes locked on mine with an intensity that's almost unnerving. "Think about it, Lev. Our families may have been enemies in the past, but times have changed. We're both powerful forces in this city, and together, we could become unstoppable."
"Or destroy each other," Boris counters, his voice heavy with doubt.
"True," Nikolai agrees, nodding in acknowledgment. "But once you get to know me, you’ll find I don’t give my word lightly.”
"Seems like we've heard that one before," I quip, my mind racing with questions and doubts as I try to gauge this enigmatic man's true intentions.
"Maybe so," he concedes, his expression unreadable. "But the question remains: are you willing to take that risk?"
"Let's say we consider this alliance," I state, trying to maintain a semblance of control over the conversation. "What are the terms? What exactly do you want from us?"
"Mutual support," Nikolai explains, his voice steady and confident. "Protection, information sharing, and collaboration in business ventures. Together, we can rise above the competition and secure our places at the top."
I exchange glances with Boris and Damien, recognizing the gravity of the decision before us. Could we trust Nikolai Orlov? Or would accepting his offer lead us down a dangerous path?
"Fine," Boris concedes after a tense silence. "We'll consider your alliance. But know this, Mr. Orlov: we're not fools. If you betray us, there will be consequences."
"Understood," Nikolai replies, his expression inscrutable as he rises from his chair. "I look forward to our future collaboration."
As we leave the underground club, I can't help but wonder if accepting Nikolai Orlov's offer would be our salvation… or our doom. But one thing is certain: there's no doubt that we’ll be seeing a lot more of Nikolai Orlov and as for what comes of that? We’ll be watching.