Chapter 40
Zoya
I take my first breath of relief outside the school, with no one tailing me.
Flagging a taxi down, I slide into the back seat, a little smile on my face.
The cab driver looks back at me with a narrowed gaze.
I can’t blame him. I’m in a suspicious getup.
But when I flash a smile at him, he probably takes that to mean I’m not harmless and starts driving.
The streets blow past us, in tune with my heart hammering in my chest, wondering if Sasha has already come back with my water. I didn’t mean to run away like that and make her life difficult. I know Alexei is going to chew her out. But I have to do this. I really do.
After a few minutes of driving, the cab pulls over in front of the café I chose.
It’s a secluded one, close to the expensive areas in Russia.
If we meet at a sketchy location, I’m scared that there will be a high chance that Dato has people planted there to assassinate me. I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Getting out of the cab, I pay the driver and head into the café. A woman in the same uniform as the other ladies I can see scattered inside approaches. “Hello, ma’am,” she greets in a high-pitched tone. “Would you like a table?”
I shake my head. “I have a reservation with Sergei.”
“Right. Okay,” she nods. “This way, ma’am.”
I follow her lead further into the café until we get to a secluded area. I see the tuft of Sergei’s head. He’s looking down, typing something into his phone. The minute he sees me, he gets on his feet, waving me over.
I slide into the booth with a quick smile, looking at Sergei. He still looks like he just got out of bed, except his white hair is becoming a lot more visible. He usually dyes it the second it shows, and I used to tease him about it constantly.
“Why don’t you ever wanna grow old?” I would ask.
And then he would respond, “Well, the girls are still coming after me. I still have to keep up with these twenty-year-olds.” I laugh thinking about it. I can see him trying to get my reaction.
“You look different,” he says, bringing my mind to the present.
“Different how?”
“Well, I mean, you’re getting a little fat.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Okay. Did I say I was coming here to talk about my weight? And if we’re talking about looks, you know you’re getting too old to keep dyeing your hair, right?”
A chuckle escapes his throat. “Yeah. That’s the Zoya I know. I thought we’d lost you after… You know… Anyways….” He turns to the corner, reaching his hand for a folder on the seat, and then places it on the table. “I did a little digging and found your man.”
My eyes light up. “So who is he?”
Sergei puts his hand inside the file and brings out a photograph. Then he turns to me. “Your man’s name is Levan Janelidze.”
I look at the picture. It’s a formal portrait.
But this particular one - the background looks like old Russia.
There are buildings that are no more, broken down and created into new structures that even I know of.
In the picture, he has dark hair, a suit, and a genuine smile that makes him look like he wouldn’t hurt a fly.
Still, you can tell he's incredibly confident, even though it's just a quick shot when he wasn't ready for the camera.
Yet I know for a fact that behind all that, he still looks dangerous.
“You wanna know something, Zoya?” Sergei scoots to the edge of the seat, getting all serious.
“This guy…when you sent the picture to me, I was sure he was a dead man. According to my sources, there was talk around that your husband killed him about five to six years ago. But you said you saw him. So how would a dead man come back to life?”
I shake my head in confusion. “That makes no sense.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Sergei whispers. “But he’s alive, and I know that for a fact.” He hands me a couple of printed notes from his pocket before continuing. “He’s been hiding from the Pakhan for a long time, which is why he keeps such a low profile.”
I narrow my eyes and look at Sergei. “Then how do you know he’s alive? How are you certain he’s the same person I saw?”
Sergei puts his hands down with a slap on the table. “That’s because I have my sources, Zoya. And yeah, there are some things that will fly under the radar for the Bratva. But I have an insider in the group.”
“An insider? Can you connect me to this ‘insider’?” I say, putting air quotes with my fingers.
“No can do, sweetheart,” Sergei says sweetly. “If I get any more involved, I’m a dead man. The most I can do is hand over the information. But first, why do you think your husband is looking for him?”
I shrug.
“There was a peace deal years ago between the Georgian families and the Romanov Bratva,” Sergei starts.
“Everyone was present at that meeting, and it was supposed to end on a happy note. Trading was supposed to resume as usual, and they all looked forward to that. But something went sideways. Levan and a couple of other men, including Dato’s older brother, plotted and killed the elder, your husband’s father. ”
“That same day, after the meeting was done, it was chaos,” Sergei continues after gauging my reaction.
I just sit there, my mind all over the place.
“I remember how tense everyone was that period when your husband was going on a rampage. And then he killed Levan. The fight was so intense on the day Alexei found out that it was Levan and Dato’s older brother who did it. ”
“I never thought that battle would come to an end, and I’m surprised he’s very tame at the moment. Your husband is referred to as a demon on the streets. But I guess even demons can be tamed.” He pauses, looking at me. “I don’t know. You’re kind of a little demon yourself.”
I wave him off. “Okay, stop. You’re going off track. Do you know what else happened?”
Sergei rolls his eyes and continues. “After the hit, Levan vanished.
He faked his death, got a new name, and moved away.
The Bratva and your husband thought he was dead or too scared to ever show his face again.
But a guy like Levan doesn't just retire after killing the old boss. He went into hiding to wait for the perfect time to come back and take out your husband.”
The waitress comes back with cups of coffee and drops one in front of each of us.
“So what do you think?” I ask him. “Is he using Dato, or is he advising him?”
Sergei brings the cup of coffee to his lips. “Advising is a very generous word. Orchestrating is closer to it. Pushing his nephew to provoke the Bratva, to grab territory, and escalate conflict at every possible opportunity.”
He places the cup on the table gingerly and closes the folder. “This is revenge play at play, Zoya. Levan wants the Romanov Empire burned to the ground, and he’s using that unstable kid to light the match.”
I lean back into the seat, processing this information.
“Honestly,” Sergei continues, leaning back too, “this is getting brutal. I know in our circles, people disappear. People get hurt. Bodies wash up. That’s the work.
But this…” He rubs his face with both hands.
“I would suggest you drop this entirely. Your husband is in the dark business, and you’re a woman.
Not saying that you can’t handle yourself.
I know you can. But he’s right about not telling you this.
I mean, look at how reckless you’ve been.
Since the time I’ve known you, you’ve been so reckless. I think it’s time you sit it out.”
He fixes me with a look that stays serious when I don’t say anything.
“This is not a game, Zoya. Dato is known for his cruelty. He doesn’t differentiate between men and women when it comes to targets.
He’s had children killed. Entire families, gone, to send a message.
” Sergei’s voice drops. “I don’t think you’d survive being taken by him. ”
Well, I did survive, I think, even though my mental health is a disaster and I still flinch when someone shoots an apple off a man’s skull for sport. But I wouldn’t sit idle and let that animal operate unchecked. Not after the stunts he pulled. Not after what I’ve seen.
“So he’s actually alive,” I murmur. “Where is he?”
Sergei exhales through his nose. “From my sources, he’s based somewhere outside Moscow.
Since he’s the one pushing Dato to poke the Bratva, I’d say he’s positioning for a larger move.
” He holds up both palms. “But beyond that, I don’t know.
And I don’t want to know. I’m fifty-six years old, Zoya.
Figure I got ten good years in me. I don’t wanna shorten it by five. ”
When Sergei pauses, his expression changes. He kind of looks sheepish. “So there’s this woman I’ve been seeing,” he starts.
“Sergei!” I roll my eyes disbelievingly. “We’re in the middle of…”
He cuts me off. “She’s a bit young. About twenty-six.
And she’s really interested in me and wants to start a family.
” He smiles tenderly. “I don’t wanna ruin that by getting my throat opened in a parking lot somewhere.
” Sergei takes his hand to take a sip of his espresso. “Plus, the sex is incredible.”
I close my eyes, trying to hold in my irritation. “Sergei, I don’t want to hear about your bedroom activities with a woman who’s more than half your age.”
“She does this thing where…”
“Sergei, stop!”
I stand up, grab my bag, gather the folder and notes, and stuff everything inside. “Thank you for the information. I mean it.”
His hand catches my wrist before I can move away from the table. “I’m serious, though, Zoya. Don’t poke your nose into this.” He searches my face. “Even though I know better than to think you’ll actually listen.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say.
“No, you won’t.” He grips my wrist harder. “Didn’t you hear what happened?”
I still. “Hear what?”
“A reporter from our branch, Komarov,” he says, his voice clipped. “Went missing last week. They found his body in a black bag, floating off the shore.”
My eyes widen in shock.
“This is mafia work,” he says. “And unless you want to end up sealed in plastic and bobbing up in the current, I would stay very, very far away from what’s coming.
” Sergei releases my wrist but does not break eye contact.
“The war is already here, Zoya. The politicians are terrified that this might actually spill into the open. Alexei Romanov owns practically all of Russia and half of Europe’s underworld.
Anyone stupid enough to mess with that, or anyone connected to it?
” He pauses, letting his words settle. “It’s going to be bloody. For everybody.”
I take a deep breath and gather my thoughts. I understand why Sergei is like this, and I know he’s just trying to look out for me. But I’m not a baby.
Then his hand slips something into my palm.
I look down cautiously to see a folded paper.
He leans forward, keeping his voice low.
“If you’re really going to do this, you need to listen to me.
There’s going to be a meeting at this address at 10 PM tonight.
You might have already guessed, but it’s a Georgian meeting.
My sources say Levan will be there, but you need to get a disguise to blend in.
If not, they’ll kill you on-site. That’s the best I can do for you. ”
I nod. “Thank you. For everything.”
I turn to leave when I hear him say behind me, “Don’t thank me. Please, just stay alive.”
I walk out of the restaurant without turning around.