Chapter Nineteen
Rodion
The dim light from my office desk lamp cast long shadows over the papers before me. Numbers, names, and dates, all pieces of a puzzle I had been piecing together. Some of these men were already dead, their debts paid in blood. Others were still walking, unaware that their time was running out.
I flipped through the latest report, my fingers tracing the ink-stamped signatures. These had evidence of backroom deals and transactions buried deep. Thanks to Mauro Romero, I now had my hands on the darkest secrets of a small bank that had been a hub for men who needed to move money unseen.
The door creaked open, and Matvet stepped in carrying a thick file. He placed the file on my desk, tapping a finger against the cover.
“Mr. Romero and his wife are safe,” he said. “And we have more records.”
Leaning back in my chair, I exhaled. Alessia’s father worked at the bank and had access to everything I needed. That was why Marco dated Alessia to get the information through her father. But now I had Mauro Romero in my pocket. He would do whatever I wanted to keep his daughter safe.
At the thought of Alessia, my cock stirred.
She has been invading my thoughts lately.
I kept replaying her confession from the night she was drunk.
She said she was a virgin and had planned to let Marco take her that night before I attacked.
She couldn’t remember how she climbed onto my lap and started moving her hip, grinding with a hunger that didn’t belong to some shy girl.
Alessia was chaos wrapped in curves, and all I saw that night was a rare little gem begging to be owned. I pushed the thought away and grabbed the file Matvet brought. Flipping it open, I scanned the documents. My eyes moved over the names, picking out the ones that mattered.
“These are the accounts?” I asked.
Matvet nodded. “Everything Mr. Romero could get.”
A slow smirk pulled at the corner of my lips. Every man listed in this file had worked with Luigi—just the people I needed. I turned to another page, my smirk fading when I realized Leonid’s name was missing.
No, come on. I frowned and flipped back through the names, scanning each like a hit list. It didn’t add up.
Leonid should’ve been here. I have been tracking his business surge for months.
And I knew Luigi was the hand feeding that fire, just like he had with every other name on the sheet.
Leonid’s empire shot up when the Bratva started bleeding.
Every Italian fattened up on our downfall, and Luigi was the key player behind the curtain.
But Leonid? He didn’t show any link to Luigi.
I snapped the file shut and looked at Matvet. “There must be missing papers here.”
“That’s everything Mr. Romero found.”
“This was the last bank connected to Luigi,” I said, tapping a finger against the desk. “So, either Leonid never did business with him, or they handled it off the books.”
Matvet hesitated. “We could pay him another visit.”
The thought of seeing Leonid made my skin itch. I hated that bastard. But I needed to know what he knew. On my feet, I reached for my gun.
“Boss, did you take a good look at this?”
Matvet stepped forward, flipping open the file again. His finger circled a name. I followed his gaze, and the blood drained from my face.
The column showed a large transaction from Luigi to Renat directly. I stared. I had never trusted him, but I had never had any proof until now.
Grabbing the file, I hurled it across the room, the papers scattering like dead leaves. Alessia was right about Renat being the rat on the inside. I knew he fed scraps to the Gallos, but seeing his ties to Luigi changed the game.
This wasn’t betrayal. It was treason. I already had plans for him, but now, they weren’t enough. He needed to bleed slowly.
“Keep this between us. We move as planned. But I want eyes on him. Watch every step. If he even breathes wrong, I want to know.”
Matvet nodded. “Understood.”
The door opened, and Alessia walked in, balancing a tray with a steaming cup. She hesitated, her eyes moving between Matvet and me, reading the tension in the room.
“Um, hi, I brought coffee,” she mumbled.
I stared at her skirt, which rode high above her knees. Flashes of her in nothing but panties hit me, and my cock twitched. She was getting close—too damn close.
Without a word to her, I walked out of the office. Behind me, I heard Matvet murmur an excuse to her before he jogged to catch up with me. She was a distraction, a tool to use. I couldn’t let her be anything more than that.
Matvet and I left the territory. The city never slept, not in our world. Even now, deals were being made in backrooms and lives bought and sold with a handshake. My target for tonight was Leonid.
Leonid’s estate was on the outskirts of town, a fortress hidden behind high walls and armed men. Unlike me, Leonid didn’t flaunt his power. His business thrived in the shadows, where desperation met opportunity.
The organ trade was his ugly business.
We pulled up to the entrance, and immediately his men stepped forward, blocking our path. Their hands moved towards their weapons, ready to attack. I knew Leonid would get an alert.
In three minutes, he appeared at the gate with a cigar hanging between his fingers. He looked at me like a man expecting company.
His lips curled into a slow smirk. “Rodion,” he drawled, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Stepping out of the car, I ignored the way his men tensed. Matvet did the same, standing a step behind me. Leonid took another drag from his cigar, then flicked the ash onto the ground, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
“I didn’t know we were back to friendly visits. Or should I be worried?”
I didn’t return the smile. “Should you?”
He held my gaze briefly and chuckled, waving his men aside. “Let them through.”
We entered the mansion. Leonid’s office was as I remembered—a relic of the past, much like the man himself. I took a seat without asking, signaling Matvet to wait outside. Leonid raised an eyebrow but mirrored the action, motioning for his two men to leave.
Silence settled between us before he finally spoke.
“So? Business?”
“No.”
His smile didn’t falter, but I saw the flicker of curiosity in his eyes. “Then what?”
I studied him, searching for the lie before he could tell it. “You’ve worked with Luigi before?”
Leonid’s amusement deepened. “That’s what this is about? Rodion, I work alone. Ever since your father died, every deal I have done involved no one.”
“You think I will buy that? Men like us can never become friends, so don’t lie to my face that my father was your man. Bratva don’t make friends, we make deals.”
Leonid exhaled, tapping his cigar against the ashtray. “You’ve been looking into me. I know you have a reason for doing that. But I don’t mind, do it. Come to me when you have evidence.”
“You have shown interest in Alessia.” Leonid stilled for a fraction of a second, but I caught it. I smirked. “That got your attention.”
“And why do you care?” he asked.
“Because everyone tied to Luigi has some interest in her. Why is that?” I thought it had something to do with her organs—her kidneys, specifically.
But we weren’t a match. And if anyone wanted to destroy me, that was where they would strike.
I assumed Leonid was after Alessia because he knew about my condition.
But when my doctor ran tests on her and found nothing, it all collapsed, back to level zero. There was no evidence and no answers.
Leonid chuckled. He set his cigar down and spread his hands. “Alright. You got me.” His voice dropped. “Business is serious. And when I saw Alessia, I saw a solution to my problem.”
My eyes narrowed. “What problem?”
He hesitated, then his expression turned serious.
“My son. He is fucking sick. He can’t give me grandchildren, and that means my empire dies.
I need an heir. And I need someone to give me one.
” Something inside me shifted. Leonid rubbed his temple, and his eyes locked onto mine. “That’s why I wanted Alessia.”
The room became colder. I knew his son, Vincenzo. He’d kept a low profile ever since someone put a bullet in his groin. Word was, he never fully recovered. If this old man was right, that explained why.
Leonid leaned back, watching my reaction. “I’m telling you this because, despite everything, I still remember your father. I don’t trust you, but I respect what he was.”
My father did a lot of business with Leonid. Ever since I was a boy, I watched from the sidelines as the two made deals with bloody hands.
Leonid sighed. “I know you hate Italians. But to some of us, business is business. As long as no one gets in the way.”
“What do I get in return?” If I couldn’t save the Bratva now, I could save myself and keep fighting for it later. My mind shifted to business. Mentioning the deal was a test, but deep down, I hoped there was some truth in it.
Leonid studied me. “I have money.”
“Good for you. But I don’t need your money.” A long silence stretched between us before I leaned in. “I need a kidney.”
Leonid’s expression turned to confusion. “For who?”
There and then, I knew he wasn’t aware of my condition.
“That’s none of your business.”
He let out a slow breath. “A secret wife?”
“Yes, or no?”
He laughed, shaking his head. “Fine. I’ll find what you need. Send me the details of the match, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Don’t fuck with me.” I leveled him with an icy stare. “I’m not my father.”
Leonid smirked. “Rodion, I deal with organs. This is what I do. I deal in flesh like Bratva deals in casinos, clubs, and loans. And I’m good at it.”
Rising to my feet, I fixed my suit. “Call me when you have something.” I leaned in, my voice dropping to a promise. “Don’t forget, I know things about your family. If this conversation leaves this room, I’ll make sure your empire burns to the ground.”
Leonid held up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just here for business.”
As I stepped out, the weight of the deal settled onto my shoulders. Alessia made a deal with me in a drunken haze, promising to do anything if I kept Carina and her family safe. I did that, and now it was time for her to give me something too.