25. Kyril
25
Kyril
T he Belgravia mansion echoed like a mausoleum when I walked in past the armed guards at the gate. Horace, our loyal butler, took my coat and directed me to the drawing room, where a fire blazed in the hearth, casting deep shadows around the room. Outside, darkness had already fallen.
The sooner I spoke to Otets , the better. I wanted nothing more than to be tucked up in bed with my kitten, not listening to the old man’s bullshit plans for world domination.
I wandered over to the bar cart and poured a small glass of vodka. Something to dull my irritation.
The others had gone to the opera. I should have been with them, not stuck here. I didn’t even get to see my girl in her new dress, although Landon had taken the time to send me a photo of her in spiky heels, a sparkling gown, and sultry makeup.
She looked like a fallen angel sent down from heaven to tempt me.
My jaw ticked as I paced in front of the fire. She shouldn’t be out without me there to protect her. Lucian Forsyth would be at the opera, which was why they’d gone. That man would do anything to drag Cassian back under his thumb, even if it meant hurting Thea.
Dario better make sure he protected my girl. If anything happened to her, he was toast. They all were.
I tugged at my tie, feeling horribly constricted. Why dad always insisted I wear a suit and tie when I came here was beyond me. The stupid fuck had delusions of class, when in reality, our family were once poor farmers in Siberia. I snorted to myself.
The sound of heels tapping across the marble floor outside the door caught my attention. Ekaterina was the only person who wore heels in this god-awful house. The only female allowed unfettered access to my father’s life.
The stupid fuck trusted her. Believed she was loyal.
I drained my glass and refilled it before she sashayed in, a smile painted on her Botoxed face.
It was a surprise to see her smile. From what Otets had said, she was angry with me for missing the New Year’s Eve party. Not that I cared about her hurt feelings. If anyone deserved to hurt, it was that bitch.
“Darling,” she cooed. “How lovely you found the time to come and see us!” The bite in her tone was unmistakable. Ekaterina wasn’t happy about being snubbed.
She approached and tried to kiss me, but I ducked out of her way.
“What’s wrong, darling?”
“Drop the act. I’m not buying it,” I growled, not in the mood for her bullshit. The only reason I’d come was to talk to Otets.
I smirked at the way she flinched and took a cautious step back.
“Don’t be like that, Kyril. You and I are good together. I know you miss me.” She fluttered her eyelashes at me while curling a strand of blond hair around her finger.
Had I ever really found her attractive?
I recalled the first time she’d made a sexual overture. A brush of fingers across my chest when she handed me a towel after swimming. Lingering glances as my body filled out. Inappropriate comments when Otets wasn’t around.
As a horny teenager, I’d wanted nothing more than to wet my dick in a willing pussy. It was all I thought about. But every time my stepmother touched me, commented on how big and strong I was, something curled up and died inside.
I’d been drunk when she took my virginity. Absolutely wasted on pa’s premium vodka. Unable to consent. Not that it had stopped her. She’d slithered into my room, coaxed my dick to life, and ridden me for her own pleasure.
I’d lasted for way longer than five fucking seconds, much to her delight and surprise. The next night, she was back, only this time I was stone-cold sober.
Guilt over what I’d done - what I’d let her do to me - wasn’t enough to stop me from repeating the experience. For a while, I thought she genuinely cared about me. Being lavished with attention helped to heal the parts of my soul that had withered to the bone from a lack of physical affection over the years.
I enjoyed her caresses and compliments. Loved how she made me feel. Like a man worthy of adoration instead of a pathetic little boy abandoned by his own mother.
It wasn’t until she murdered Irina that I finally woke up and realized what kind of monster I’d let into my bed.
Ekaterina wasn’t just a sexual predator - she was a fucking psychopath.
“I don’t miss you,” I sneered, sipping my vodka. Behind me, the fire blazed, warming my back, but it wasn’t enough to melt the ball of ice in my chest.
Her expression tightened but she forced a smile. “Well I’ve missed you,” she purred. “I’ve missed that big cock of yours. Missed how well you fuck me. Your papa doesn’t have the stamina I need these days.” A faint regretful sigh escaped, like it was my father’s fault she’d been forced to get her kicks with his second, Dimitri.
Something Dad was blissfully unaware of.
Poor, stupid Dimitri . From what Anton had told me when I called this morning, the sad fuck was completely under her spell. Utterly enthralled by her.
I felt bad for him. Cuckolding my father was a seriously dangerous move. One that would not endear him to Otets.
“I’m surprised you missed me after I threatened to kill you,” I observed, noting the new lines around her eyes and the taut planes of her cheeks. She’d been using fillers again. Probably had a face-lift, too. The bitch was so fucking vain. Every bit of her looked fake now, from her balloon tits to her inflated lips.
The only thing she was good for was a hard, fast fuck from behind. Having to look at her ugly face while nutting was a real mood killer.
A small flicker of rage fluttered across her face, barely making a dent in the Botox. I smirked while recalling how good it had felt to throttle her within an inch of her life.
I should have fucking ended her that night. Buried her in the ice, where she’d have lain until the snow melted in spring. Assuming the wolves hadn’t dug up her corpse and feasted on her stringy flesh. Although if they had, they’d have probably choked on the plastic.
“You didn’t mean it, Kyril. I forgive you, baby.” She slithered closer, her perfume wafting over me. My stomach churned.
I fucking hated the perfume she wore. The heavy, musky scent she favored haunted my dreams, and whenever I passed another woman wearing the same scent, it made me want to vomit.
“You forgive me?” I chuckled. “I wonder if father would forgive you if he knew about Dimitri.” She blanched. Ha . She hadn’t been as discreet as she thought.
“What do you mean? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her attempt at deflection was laughable. I watched as she tried to brush away my accusation, but from the way her eyes flicked toward the door, I’d rattled her.
“Anton’s been keeping a very close eye on you. On my orders, he fitted some additional cameras around the estate, including in the pool house.” I tutted. “Did you honestly expect to get away with fucking my father’s not-so-loyal second under his nose?”
“Darling, I…I…there must be some mistake!”
I pulled out my phone and swiped to the file Anton had sent me this afternoon.
“Oh god, yes!” Ekaterina moaned as she bounced on top of Dimitri. “Fuck me with that big cock, you bastard!” I watched, feeling nothing but contempt. She really was a whore.
The clip lasted around 30 minutes, but I ended it after 30 seconds, unable to stomach any more of her porn star moans.
“It’s fake!” she hissed. “That’s not me!”
“Really? Because it looks just like you. I guess we can ask my father for his opinion.” She tried to slap me, but I caught her wrist mid-air. One twist and I could snap it like a twig. But doing that would play into her victim narrative, so I resisted the urge.
It was time to talk to my father. He needed to know I wasn’t willing to play the role of dutiful son any longer. I was tired of being his lapdog while he ignored all my suggestions for taking the bratvah into the 21st century.
Dad had always been a good, strong pakhan, but he was firmly stuck in the Dark Ages, refusing to invest in the latest technology or explore new business streams. I’d had enough of being dismissed while Ekaterina whispered bullshit in his ear.
Her screeching voice followed me down the hall as I headed to my father’s office. He knew I was here. Making me wait was a power play, like always. A reminder he was in charge, not me.
My hand wrapped around the phone in my pocket, calming me. Nothing my father said this evening would make any difference. I was done. If he took her side, then we were through.
Not that I expected him to. Not with the evidence I had, all thanks to Milo.
The unexpected video footage of Ekaterina and Dimitri was the icing on my cake. Milo had spent hours trawling through video footage from our various properties. I knew damn well that if Ekaterina had been panting after me like a bitch in heat for years, she’d almost certainly done the same thing to other boys.
It was pretty fucking obvious she had a thing for young men… teenagers. Boys that she could exploit, intimidate, manipulate, and coerce. The woman was a sexual predator through and through.
My father sat at his desk reading some documents when I strolled in.
“Glad you could finally make it, Kyril. A week after I requested your presence.”
“I’ve been busy, Otets .” I sat down without being asked and he scowled, disliking my blatant lack of respect. “Busy putting together a business plan for a new venture.”
I pulled out a sheaf of papers and placed them in front of him. His eyebrows rose but he started reading.
After a few minutes, he looked up. “A casino development? In the US?”
“Yes. Expanding the family’s base across the Atlantic makes sense. We could launder money more easily and build new income streams. As you can see from the figures, the project would be profitable within a year based on cash flow projections.” Cassian had crunched the numbers for me, so I knew they were accurate.
I was kind of excited about my project. It had the potential to be huge. I’d already begun scoping out other properties in Atlantic City and New Jersey. Sure, there was some competition from the Italian mob on the East Coast, but the market was big enough for all of us to have a slice of the pie.
“It’s too far away to manage,” he said dismissively. “I don’t have anyone I trust out there.”
“I’d manage it,” I gritted out, trying not to sound too eager. “It would be my project. I’m ready to cut my teeth on something more than trouble-shooting your problems.”
“Hmm.” He wasn’t convinced.
“I’m not sure you’re ready for such a responsibility.”
“I wouldn’t be working alone. Cassian would be a partner in the business.”
“Cassian Forsyth?”
“Yes. Lucian’s son.” I wasn’t sure if my father was aware of the discord between Cassian and Lucian, but I was banking on the fact he probably hadn’t heard anything about it from Lucian. “Now that you and Lucian have an alliance, Cassian and I working together makes strategic sense.”
Dad nodded. It did make sense, and he knew it.
“I’ll think about it.” He waved his hand and pushed my business plan onto a pile of other paperwork, where it would no doubt be forgotten in a week. I’d expected this, which was why I’d come prepared.
“I don’t need you to think about it,” I stated calmly. “We have the funding we need, so your approval is optional.”
“I am your pakhan as well as your father!” he roared, slamming his fists on his desk. “I demand respect from you!” The temperature in his office turned glacial. “You’ve forgotten what’s important since you started fucking that little cyka .” He knew about Thea? “And yes, I am aware of her relationships with your friends.” From the way his lip curled, he wasn’t happy about it. Oh dear.
There was a time when I respected him. Listened to him. Admired him . Not anymore.
“Pot, kettle, black, old man.” I smiled coldly. “I share Thea with my close friends because we all love her. I trust them to protect the mother of my child.” His eyes widened at the realization I’d fathered a child. An heir. “A good pakhan knows when his whore of a wife is fucking other men under his nose. He deals with her.”
“Ekaterina is loyal,” he spluttered. “She’d never cheat on me!”
“Really?” I whipped out my phone and played a condensed Dimitri clip. The shock on his face was almost comical. “I guess you are also unaware she groomed me when I was still a kid. Wheedled her way into my bed until I was old enough to fight back.”
“She… did what? I don’t believe you!”
I pulled up the clip from the night I almost strangled the bitch.
“She tried to turn me against you,” I told him before hitting play.
“We could be good together, powerful!… Let me rule by your side. Your father is weak, old, but you…You’re strong, virile… Everything a pakhan should be.”
“And what about my father? He’s still pakhan, and he isn’t about to step down anytime soon.”
“I can deal with him. Make it look like an accident. Then we could be together, lyubimyy!”
Dad sank into his chair, his hands shaking.
“I should have known.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “She came along when I was weak. Still grieving for your mother. I needed…” He’d needed comfort. Like I had. I understood but wasn’t ready to forgive him.
She stole my innocence while he was too focused on his own wants and needs. He might be my father and pakhan, but he should have protected me better. Instead, he treated me like one of his vors , willfully ignoring the signs his wife was predating on me.
“I’m sorry,” he said, face ashen, but it was too little too late. I’d accepted his brutal methods for making me a stronger heir. The violence and training camps with his men. I understood why I needed to be strong, impervious to pain, and willing to do whatever it took for the sake of the bratvah. I could forgive him for all that but not turning a blind eye to Ekaterina’s behavior.
“Deal with her or I will. The kind of sickness she has can’t be cured by a stint in an expensive clinic.”
Dad nodded. He knew what he had to do. As I watched, he picked up the phone and murmured something. Five minutes later, Ekaterina sashayed in, her makeup on-point and her outfit polished like always.
“Darling, are you ready to leave? The table is booked and the car is waiting.” She fiddled with her diamond bracelet. Yet another trinket my father had given her. The bitch did so love her pretty jewels.
“Come here, my precious.” He pointed to his lap and smiled at her. I watched as she hustled around the table, throwing me a triumphant look that told me she fully believed my father would never lose faith in her loyalty.
“Kyril tells me you’ve been a bad girl,” he said as his hand circled her neck.
“Kyril lies,” she whined petulantly. “I can’t help it if he desires me. I’ve told him such thoughts are inappropriate, but he doesn’t listen, Vasily!” Her voice rose at the end and a few tears trickled down her alabaster cheeks. “He tried to touch me,” she sobbed. “He hurt me.”
I fought the urge to leap over the desk and throttle her.
“That’s odd because he told me a very different story.” Dad’s grip around her throat tightened, and I saw the panic bloom in her eyes. Fresh tears leaked out, genuine ones this time. She clawed at his hands, struggling against the pressure on her delicate throat.
I watched as her face turned red and blood vessels popped in her eyes.
“You betrayed me, Ekaterina. Loyalty is everything to me. My son is loyal. You are not. I’m sorry.” From the grief in his voice, he really was sorry.
I was sorry too. Sorry it wasn’t me ending the bitch. My father released Ekaterina’s neck just long enough to snap it. Her head slumped forward, the life draining from her eyes. He pushed her body off his lap and poured a glass of vodka from the decanter on the side table.
“Drink?”
I nodded. Neither of us said anything for a moment, then he spoke.
“You have my blessing for the casino project. I’ll expect regular updates, however.”
“Of course.”
“And the baby is yours?”
“Yes.” I refused to accept any other outcome.
“Then you’ll need this.” He reached down and pulled the antique sapphire and diamond ring from Ekaterina’s bony finger. “This was your mother’s ring. It has always been worn by the pakhan’s wife. If you intend to marry the girl, which as the mother of the next bratvah heir, you should, then give her this ring. It will legitimize the relationship to our comrades.”
I took the ring and examined it. The stones sparkled in the light, the craftsmanship exquisite. The diamond alone was worth a fortune, but the vibrant sapphires were also impressive. Thea would love it.
“Thank you.” I tucked the ring in my pocket and stood, casting a glance down at the body of my dead stepmother. “Shall I call Horace?”
“No, I’ll sort her. I just need a minute.” He refilled his glass and drained it.
There was nothing else to say, so I left him to his thoughts. Now that I’d secured my future, I had plans to put into place, and the most important one involved making Thea my wife.