3. Threat
Chapter three
Threat
L evka stared at the door through the crowd, waiting for Luerna to come out. He didn’t know what he would do if he saw a bruise on her. He’d like to believe that her family wouldn’t allow her to remain in an abusive relationship, but would Yakov actually protect her?
Rurik returned, fixing his suit, and hair. Levka sneered, sipping his drink and watched the man return to Yakov like an obedient dog. Rurik only excelled in life because Yakov wanted a puppet on the throne of the Justice Department. But the man didn’t come from any Mafia line. He didn’t have any power until Yakov gave it to him.
When Adrik approached the bar, Levka turned his rage toward the man. As a second born son, Adrik reeked of envy, wanting something he could never have. The fact that they had something in common, only pissed Levka off more.
The door opened, and Luerna stepped in with a clear face and Rurik’s jacket over her shoulders. She ran her eyes around the room and found him. Levka was tempted to go to her, but when her head snapped away, he depressed. She left the banquet, going for the car.
Anger swelled and with it stupid thoughts. And the only way he knew how to get out of his mood was to start a fight. Levka knew the exact words to provoke the last son of the Morozov line. “Adrik, I have a question for you.” The man’s gaze floated to him with boredom. “How should I prepare for the wedding night? Is your sister a virgin? Or–” He didn’t get to say anything else before Adrik slammed his fist across his face.
The pain only spurred him. Levka took no time to recover and dived into Adrik, lifting him above his head only to slam him into the ground. Levka kicked him hard in the stomach, but Adrik gripped his leg, keeping him still, battering him in the thigh, giving him a dead leg. The pain shut up like a bolt of lightning, but it didn’t stop Levka from punching Adrik in the side of the head. But that was all he got before Alexei came from the side, swiping him to the ground like a defensive lineman in a football game. Alexei straddled him and repeatedly hit him as Levka held his head, trying to protect his face. Alexei’s hits were concrete blocks, and it rattled his brain. It was the only moment of regret he had till Alexei was physically removed from him.
Levka lay on the ground, panting. The pulsating pain was welcome and it calmed the wave of anger.
Guards lifted him to his feet, and the first face he saw in front of him was Yakov Morozov.
The three boys stayed silent, huffing from the adrenaline. Blood dripped from Levka’s lip. He was pissed that he had gotten destroyed in a fight. If Alexei hadn’t come from out of nowhere, Levka would have won against Adrik.
“Bring them to the back,” Yakov ordered. “It’s okay, everyone. Teenage boys, am I right?”
A collective laugh rolled through the crowd, and it was another jab that Levka couldn’t stand.
“Fuck you,” Levka spat.
Adrik and Alexei both bucked, struggling against the hold of their father’s soldiers.
Yakov turned his attention to Levka. It was a gaze that made Levka suddenly unsure of why he was fighting at all. It was a douse of ice water, chilling him, and he dropped head.
“Take them,” Yakov reiterated, and the soldiers yanked them down the hall.
Levka struggled against their tight holds, cursing as he went. They sat him roughly in a chair, putting a hand firmly on his shoulder when he tried to get up. With Adrik and Alexei in chairs beside him, he waved the soldier off him, giving up. Levka held his jaw. The pain was reverberating up into his head. He was thankful when a soldier handed him an ice pack. Adrik got one, too, but Alexei was perfectly fine, his leg bouncing from adrenaline.
“Not exactly what I was insinuating,” Alexei mumbled.
Levka shrugged. “I ran with it.” With a glance, Alexei smirked, and Levka smiled. He hoped it worked. “What the fuck you got in your fists? Steel?” Levka groaned, sitting back. His head was spinning.
Alexei tapped his bicep. “All muscle. I’m gonna go out for World’s Strongest Man.”
Levka’s interest piqued. “What do you bench?”
“185,”
“Shit, I’m at 150.”
“Well, I work out for 3 hours every day–”
“Can you both shut the fuck up?” Adrik dropped his head back on the chair, annoyed and over it.
They sat in silence for several minutes. Levka didn’t know what damage he had done but hoped it was enough to end his engagement. He’d make it up to his father somehow. He’d go to college and do whatever his father ordered for the next few years. If Ivan gave him a chance, he could take care of the Stephanovs himself. He was dying for the opportunity to prove himself.
The door popped open. Levka didn’t need to look back to know who came. He stood in respect along with the brothers but kept his head down at his feet. He never liked disappointing his father, but what choice had he been given?
Yakov stood in front of them.
“So,” Yakov began. “Tell me.”
Adrik explained, “He disrespected Kira. I don’t want him marrying her. She’s too fucking good for this piece of shit.”
“Watch your mouth and sit down,” Yakov ordered.
Adrik threw himself in the chair with his elbows on his knees, clenching his fingers. Levka withheld an eyeroll.
Yakov directed his glare to Alexei. “Where were you?”
Alexei stared back. “What do you mean? I was around.”
“You were around,” Yakov mocked.
Adrik interrupted, “It wasn’t his fault.”
“No, it never is. The fight at the strip joint last week, the fight at the casino the week before, or the street fight. Wasn’t his fault then either.”
Alexei snickered. “You just want to blame me for everything.”
“You think I don’t know you, Alexei? What did you say to him?”
“I didn’t say shit. And even if I did, I wouldn’t fucking tell you.”
Adrik snapped his head back to his brother. “Stop,” he pleaded. “Just shut up, Alexei.”
“Yes,” Yakov encouraged. “Stop embarrassing yourself.”
Levka watched the dynamic of the family with wide eyes and awkwardness. Of all of them, Alexei was the funny one, the one Levka felt most comfortable around, yet all of them acted like he was an instigator.
But, as he thought about it, he hadn’t had any plan to start a fight until Alexei gave him the idea.
Alexei conceded, “Whatever. I protected your favorite, and I’m still to fucking blame. Fine. I started it from across the room. I got Levka to be a dick. Guilty.”
“Get out,” Yakov instructed.
Alexei scoffed and shoved the chair over before he left.
Adrik shook his head. “It wasn’t his fault, Papa.”
“He is going to be my replacement. He needs to grow up. Go talk to him before he embarrasses me further.”
Adrik dived out of the room.
Levka suddenly felt very nervous. He didn’t want to be the last one standing. He kept his eyes on the floor, wishing to sink through the carpet. “Could I talk to him?” Yakov asked.
Ivan glanced at his son and Levka softly shook his head, a silent plea to protect him, but Ivan cleared his throat and nodded. Levka almost reached out to his father. He’d much rather Ivan’s wrath than Yakov’s, but his father left him without even a glance.
“Sit.”
The door shut, and Levka took a seat, only having enough courage to stare at Yakov’s feet.
“I know what you are doing.” Yakov began. He strutted around the desk and sat down, allowing the silence to pierce into Levka and make him sweat. “You don’t want to marry my daughter. I’m curious as to why? This marriage would benefit you and your father. I’m friends with the Stephanovs. They will leave Ivan alone, and he can rule Moscow without competition. So speak, boy. Tell me.”
“I’m not a boy.”
Yakov chuckled. “Look me in the eye and say that.”
Levka took the challenge for what it was and flicked his eyes up. “I’m not a boy.”
Yakov held a cigar to his lips, humored by him. “Clearly,” Yakov said mockingly. “Tell me why my daughter isn’t good enough for you.”
Levka quickly began to dig himself out of the hole he put himself in. “Your daughter is beautiful, sir. Anyone would be lucky for the match. But I don’t want to marry anyone. Everything I want, I want to earn it because of my intelligence and my skill. Not because I got lucky.”
“Your father has worked hard to be where he is, to give you the life you have, and all I hear is ungratefulness.”
“I’m not ungrateful.”
“Then you will do what he tells you without complaint. You boys think you know it all, but let me give you a piece of advice. There is no such thing as luck. You were chosen because of what your father has done. It would put you in a position of power you would never get on your own.”
“I won’t know unless I try.”
“You’re a fucking fool. But then again, you are just a boy.”
“I am not. I know what I want.”
“And what you want, does it supersede your father’s future? You will disappoint him. You will wreak all that he’s accomplished because of your selfishness? Have you thought of that? If you do not marry my daughter, I’ll ruin him.”
Levka slapped his lips shut. The dare was there, as big as a fucking rock, and Levka didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t a fair fight; Levka should have realized this before he even began it. Now he was stuck in the fact of how much he could destroy. It tore him in two. But there was no other answer. He couldn’t marry Luerna’s sister. Anyone else, he would have given in, but not this.
Yakov didn’t let him reply. “I’m going to give you another chance. I’ll talk with your father and see if he can’t beat some sense into you. If you fuck up again, I’ll know your decision. And then I’ll kindly assist you in your endeavor to never marry because, by the time I’m done with you and your family, no one would even dare dirty their hands with garbage. Sound like a deal?”
Levka didn’t respond. He got up and walked out.