CHAPTER 22
MIKHAIL
Wet gravel crunches beneath the tires as we roll into a warehouse parking lot. The building is one of three locations frequently used by my men for shipments. It operates on a port under the guise of a spring factory.
The routine is ingrained in us: arrive early, park with an easy escape route, watch our six, wait, and wait some more. But today’s drop feels...off. A different type of energy permeates the air, heightening our anticipation.
I slide a gaze to Leah, who’s staring at my phone screen and flipping it every few breaths. She doesn’t seem nervous, but it’s obvious her mind is elsewhere. In this business, we need to check all of life’s issues at the door and be on alert and prepared for the unexpected. While this faction is known to me and my family, with countless transactions in the past, I’ll never let my guard down. And today rings true more than ever when my whole heart is sitting beside me, counting on me for a seamless drop so that we’re able to move on and face whatever lies ahead.
“Shouldn’t be too much longer now,” I reassure her, taking her hand in mine.
She nods, eyes back on my phone.
“Should be a quick exchange if you want to stay in the car—”
Leah snaps her head in my direction. “Don’t do that, Mikhail. Not you.”
Reaching across the middle console, I stroke her cheek. “ Moya lyubov ’, it’s not what you’re thinking. I know you have a lot on your mind.”
“And I bet you have just the same on yours. I’m here for a reason, and I’ve done this before, Mikhail.”
“I have enemies.”
She narrows her brown eyes. “Liar.”
“That’s not a lie.”
“No, you lied about your reason for asking me to hang back. Bringing up your enemies solidifies that.”
“I love you, and I’m always going to worry about you, whether you’re here or at a goddamn grocery store. My family has enemies, just as sure as yours. You’re everything, pretty girl. You have no idea how many sacks of shit would love to exploit Emilio’s little gem.”
She opens her mouth in protest, but I shush her with a kiss. “Turned Mikhail Petrov’s wife.” A broad smile lights up her beautiful face.
“Did you marry me while I was sleeping too?”
I laugh and tug her toward me by her nape. “Don’t give me ideas. We can always fly back to Vegas and be married by dinner.”
“As tempting as that sounds, wouldn’t it be crazy for you to head to your father’s reunion a married man? He’ll be wondering where the hell your new wife is.”
“What do you mean? You’ll be by my side, second to my father and his wife at the head of the table. Like a queen, exactly where you belong.”
It’s her turn to look confused. “Mikhail, I can’t just...” Her expression sours. “What if they don’t...”
I tip her chin, forcing our eyes to meet. “If they don’t, what, like you? Accept you?” She nods. “Leah, they’ll accept you on principle because you’re mine , and I love you.”
“Mikhail, I’m not like Celeste.”
“No, the fuck you’re not, because she was the biggest mistake of my life. I hurt you, and I lost you when I should have fought for you. You’re the woman I want to wake up to until the day I die.” I push a loose strand of hair behind her ear and kiss her forehead. “And I can’t wait to make babies with you.”
Leah’s eyes glisten with unshed tears. “You know, you’re pretty sappy for a mafia boss,” she jokes, fisting my collar and pulling me to her lips.
“I’m going to dress you up like a fuck doll for Halloween, then stuff every hole like a goddamn turkey and make you my horny little Christmas tree every year.”
She laughs and squeezes my face, peppering kisses on my face. “That’s better.”
The blissful moment comes crashing down when my phone chimes, signaling their arrival. “You know the drill if things go south.”
A flash of defiance crosses her features, and she hesitates but eventually nods. It’s for show since we know neither one of us is capable of leaving the other behind, even if given the chance. My men unload the inventory onto trolleys and take the lead as we head toward a side entrance. Leah and I keep a sizable distance between us as a precautionary measure to avoid exploiting weaknesses. With a quick wink, she crosses the threshold of the building, and I offer a reassuring nod before stealing a sweeping glance behind me as I follow her inside.
The long corridor is equipped with surveillance at every angle, the feed funneling through to my home and a cloud server accessible by my father. Apart from the low thrum of a ventilation system and the clicks of Leah’s boots, the building is quiet. Nothing different from previous transactions, but the sense of heightened awareness and slight paranoia has me on higher alert than usual.
My men glance back, seeking my approval, before pushing open the double doors at the end of the hall. Giving them the okay, I hustle forward, my arm on Leah’s as I take her place. She falls back without protest.
“In and out, my love,” I whisper. “Tomorrow, we’ll be in Chicago. Together.”
The hint of a smile moves across her face until she peers past me, and it’s replaced by hard lines and all business. Taking her cue, I follow suit.
Issac Bianchi, underboss for the local Italian faction, has been in business with my family for a number of years. It’s rare for him to attend a simple exchange such as this one, let alone flanked by five men too many. Blood rushes past my ears as I mentally begin to calculate a plan of attack. The building is outfitted with safe rooms, trapdoors, and tunnels for instances of betrayal or a raid.
“Mikhail Petrov,” he says, lighting a cigar. “Glad to see you finally made it.” His eyes flicker to Leah and narrow. “Rodrigo sent in one hell of a replacement.”
“Inventory is all there, plus the extra you requested.”
Rage crawls up the back of my neck with each second his gaze stays on my girl. I need to divert his attention away from Leah and get the hell out of here before I do something stupid that ends up getting us both killed.
“Patience, Mikhail. There’s no rush. Unless you have somewhere more important to be.”
“I do,” I deadpan.
Isaac belts out a laugh. “I’m sure you do. Though I don’t blame you; I’d be in a hurry to get the fuck out of here, too, if I had that sweet piece of ass waiting for me.”
I suck in a sharp breath, my muscles tensing. “Don’t,” I grit out between clenched teeth. He chuckles, idly staring at his cigar, then points it at me as he speaks. “The big, bad Mikhail Petrov thinks he has some kind of power here. But unfortunately for you, you don’t have the upper hand, friend. So I suggest you relax, and we can all go home when this is over.”
The Beretta at my side is heavy and hot, and the urge to put a hole through his face is making my hands shake with anticipation.
“Now, I just need to know who I’m doing business with. That’s all,” he says as he moves toward Leah.
I ball my fist, jaw so tight I’m one ounce of pressure away from cracking teeth.
“I haven’t heard you say a single word, sweetheart. A little too pretty for this line of work. But given that you’re here, I’m assuming there’s a reason.”
Leah doesn’t break. She maintains eye contact and slow blinks at his remarks.
“What’s your name, bella ?”
He reaches a hand up, as if intending to caress her face, but she dodges his touch and levels him with a cold glare.
“Cut the bullshit. Your product is all there. Confirm so we can end this.”
A grin so wide I see his capped molars splits his face. He twists around. “I like her. Must be a little firecracker in the sheets—”
“Enough!” I growl, leaning in his direction. A chorus of chambering bullets follows. “Relax, Mikhail,” he warns. “All I wanted to say is that you are one lucky son of a bitch to bag yourself the daughter of Emilio Castellanos.”
Hearing her father’s name finally breaks her mask of indifference. Her eyebrows knit together in confusion.
“You know I’m a businessman, Petrov. I don’t keep emotional ties with anyone outside my circle. I owe you and your father nothing. So when Yuri Kosovich rings and makes me an offer, who am I to refuse?”
“Son of a bitch.”
“I won’t deny that,” he says with a chuckle. “But wait, it gets better. Imagine my surprise when Emilio himself doubles that offer in exchange for your head and the return of his precious little Leah. ”
In the next second, Leah’s gun is pressed against Isaac’s forehead.
A gesture that only widens his smile. “If you think that’s wise, I encourage you to pull the trigger.”
“Fuck you. I’d rather die.”
“Well, I’m glad we’re on the same page, bella , because the moment you walked in, I knew, without a doubt, I was going to keep you for myself.”
“The hell you are,” I roar, reaching for my gun as the barrels of five others train on me.
“On your knees, Petrov. Do as you’re told, and this will be quick and painless. Otherwise, I can be creative.”
Leah lowers her weapon and shifts her wary gaze to me, shaking her head. “I’ll go with you. Wherever you want, just don’t hurt him.”
“No, fuck that! You touch her, I’ll take your goddamn head.”
“Mikhail, no,” she counters. “Please, for me.”
Isaac disarms her and chuckles. “How touching. But I’m not here to negotiate, and you may be pretty as sin, but you don’t set the terms here.”
He motions to two of his men, and they approach Leah. I lunge for her but drop to the ground when Isaac presses his Glock to her temple.
“I have more wet cunt waiting for me at home than you can imagine. I’m not too invested here. Pussy is pussy, so don’t test me.” He digs the barrel harder against her skull. “Knees, now.”
Despair grips my heart, and I fall to my knees.
“Take her to the car.”
Leah locks eyes with me, and where I expect to see tears, there’s fire.
“I love you,” she says, twisting the gun out of Isaac’s hand and rapid-firing two bullets into the two men at her side. They hit the ground, and the warehouse descends into chaos.
My men, previously standing like useless bastards, begin firing their weapons as I crawl behind a metal beam, sending gunfire into the crowd.
“Leah!” Calling out to her is sure to give away my position, but I don’t give a damn.
Nothing matters to me but her safety.
What feels like a metal pipe connects to the side of my head, and pain ripples across my face. One of Isaac’s men is on me in the next beat and clocks me with a solid right hook before I can get my bearings. Blood spills inside my mouth as another hit splits my lip. As he comes in for the finishing blow, I wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze, but he pulls a knife, aiming for my face.
The sound of a single gunshot blares in my ear when it pierces the side of his head, and he slumps over.
“Leah, baby.” I tug her behind the beam and frame her face as bullets ricochet around us. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. You?” she asks, swiping her thumb against my bloody lip.
“Of course. You need to get out of here. I’ll cover you.”
“Let’s not waste our last moments arguing over something pointless. I’m not leaving you.
We fight, we die, but we do it together.”
I would drag her out myself if I could, but I know she won’t budge.
“God, I love you,” I say, kissing her forehead. “I’m sorry I wasted so much time. We would have been like five kids deep by now.”
Leah and I share a teary, half-hearted laugh.
“When this is all over. When we...” Her voice breaks. “Come find me, baby.” I slam my mouth onto hers and kiss her as if it’s the last time.
Because it is.
“ Ya tebya lyublyu. ”
“Te amo.”
With one last kiss, we jump to our feet, prepared to go out fighting. But as we aim our weapons, a barrage of automatic gunfire explodes, and we hit the floor. A deafening silence follows until hurried footfalls echo in our direction.
“Leah? Mikhail?”
Leah’s eyes widen as Rodrigo’s voice rings out. Her hard pants raise the dust around our faces as she looks at me, unsure of what to do. If he’s here to take her from me, he’ll have to pry her from my dead hands.
“Leah,” he calls, his tone softer now. “Please don’t be dead. Papá is lucky I haven’t slit his fucking throat and hung him from a bridge. But if he made me...”
There’s a crack in his voice, and Leah doesn’t hesitate.
“Rodri?”
His gun falls beside him as she runs into his arms. “How about you answer your goddamn phone?” he says, lifting her off the floor in a tight hug.
Letting them have their moment, I breathe a sigh of relief until I spot movement in my peripheral. And a grin crooks the side of my mouth.
Isaac attempts to drag himself across the floor, sliding in a pool of his own blood. I kneel beside him and toss him onto his back.
“If you keep moving at this pace, I’m sure you’ll make it to the door before bleeding out.” He tries to speak, but gags on the blood dripping out of his mouth.
“You had a lot to say earlier when you were disrespecting my girl, and I can’t let that slide, Isaac. You owe me your tongue.” I pat my pockets. “Lucky for you, I didn’t bring my blade.” I grip my fingers around his throat. “But don’t worry, I can be creative.”
I squeeze into his neck until the skin ruptures, and his mouth gapes in a silent scream. He claws at my arm, but I keep digging and tearing flesh as he shudders and uselessly tries to fight me off.
“Ah, there it is.” The squelching sound of muscle tearing fills me with a sense of satisfaction. “ Uvidimsya v adu .” (See you in hell.)
Isaac is still twitching as I straighten and toss his goddamn tongue across the room where everything went to shit.
None of that matters when I find the smiling face of the woman I love. The world can crumble and burn to ash around us, but as long as she’s by my side, there’s always a tomorrow.