Chapter 7
GAVAN
I groan as my cock pulses like velvet steel in my hand.
The release draws a snarl from my lips as ropes of hot, white cum spray against the tiled wall of the shower before dripping heavily to the floor.
I lean an arm against the tile and rest my forehead on it.
My chest heaves as I watch the last of my fantasy swirl down the drain.
It’s the fourth time I’ve done this since Eilish walked out of my office, after that kiss.
That was eleven fucking hours ago.
Since then, since that first taste of her swollen, full, defiant lips, I’ve pictured her in a dozen different fantasies. Stretched out on my desk, holding her knees up against her magnificent tits as I drive my cock into her. Bent over, whining for more as I pump gallons of hot cum up her ass.
On her knees in my shower, swallowing every drop from my swollen cock head like a good little girl.
I knew bringing her further into my world would be problematic. I knew it would throw me, given the confusing swirl of hatred and lust I have for her. But I’m not sure I was adequately prepared for the hurricane of destruction she’s already bringing into my head and my thoughts.
As I shower off, my dick still throbbing hard and needy against my thigh, unsatisfied, my mind replays the morning.
I like that under that gorgeous dress, she was wearing plain, boring underwear—a very utilitarian, probably-laundry-day blue bra with mismatched off-white full-coverage panties with little red roses on them.
Clearly, she wasn’t expecting to undress for me.
In that case, she’ll never expect what I have in store for her next.
I towel off after the shower before heading into my walk-in closet to dress for the hugely important High Council meeting I’m on my way to. Even so, my mind is not on the meeting, and what it means for my immediate future. I’m still just thinking about Eilish, and earlier today.
The defiance in her green eyes, that still didn’t mask the dark need in them. She looked at me with pure venom, but also like she hated the fact that she craved that control. Craved it even more than she wanted to hate it.
She does crave that control. I know she does. Because I know everything about Eilish. Every dark secret. Every fantasy. Every twisted need.
I’ve spent a year and a half learning more about Eilish than she knows about herself. Noting it. Categorizing it. Weaponizing it.
I’m going to use it to bring her to her knees .
* * *
“You ready for this, Boss-man?”
I roll my eyes at Korol, and his favorite dumb-ass nickname for me.
“Look, if you’re insisting on it, how about just ‘boss’?”
He grins. “I think Boss-man has some swagger to it.”
“It doesn’t if you’ve ever seen Cool Hand Luke .”
“What hand what now?”
“Jesus, Korol. I’m not sure I can have a second in command who’s so abysmally uncultured.”
“Hey, I’ve got plenty of culture right here,” he smirks, cupping his crotch.
“Sometimes I’m amazed you even put pants on in the morning, you fuckin’ caveman.”
He chuckles. “Well, if you’d actually come out with me some night, you’d see why pants aren’t exactly a priority at my present stage in life.
I mean seriously, the girls in this city?
I should be wearing a kilt for easier access.
They’re fucking aggressive in this town, man.
A kilt would save on broken zippers and lost belts, I swear to God. ”
I roll my eyes again at my new top avtoritet , on his way to being my official number two. Hopefully, he works out. I lost my former top captain and second-in-command about two years ago when we were at war with the Albanians. Volodymyr was also a good friend of mine, so that one really burned.
After that, I promoted Leo Stavrin to the position, even though he’d once worked for Konstantin’s shithead of a father, Antin. Leo had the experience I needed, though.
But then it transpired that Leo also had aspirations of murdering me in my sleep, burning my empire to the ground, and pawing through the ashes. My only regret about the fact that he’s dead now is that I didn’t get to do it myself, very slowly.
Korol might be young and somewhat inexperienced with leadership. But he’s loyal, fiercely so. Experience is learned, and leadership can be taught. But loyalty is priceless, and that’s either in you or not in you.
I also grew up with Korol. His father was a good friend of Vadim’s, and before it was revealed that I was actually the crown prince, Korol and I used to joke about running things ourselves one day.
Well, now, I’m here. And I’m bringing him with me.
I could, and do, give him a hard time about his current fondness for going out just about every single night and the endless string of women he’s been taking home.
But I also can’t really blame him. His new position as my top avtoritet comes with some major swagger, not to mention a seven-figure salary plus perks.
He’s young, rich, and handsome, in New York City . Of course he’s out there going fucking nuts.
I chuckle. “Just do us both a favor and try not to catch anything. I have no use for a second-in-command whose dick is rotting off from a new form of syphilis.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Not very encouraging.”
He laughs as I mess up his hair, just as the guards at the front of the office building nod and let us in. Immediately, I grin at some familiar faces.
“Well well well,” Ilya Volkov ducks his chin at me before turning to smirk at Konstantin, who he’s been talking to. “The king is dead,” he says before glancing back at me. “Long live the king.”
“Who’s dead?”
Viktor Komarov, Lukas’ father, smiles widely as he walks over and claps me firmly on the shoulder.
“Konstantin,” Ilya shrugs. “Or at least his sex life is.”
My brother glares at him. “My sex life is just fine, motherfucker.”
Viktor chuckles. “Yeah, well, talk to us again when you’re knee-deep in diapers and spilled breastmilk, and neither you or your wife has showered or slept more than an hour at a time in over a month, Romeo.”
Konstantin scowls. Ilya laughs as he pats his cheek. “Cheer up. You’ll get back in the saddle. In, like, a year.”
My brother’s face falls. “A year ?”
“Sorry, my man. Voice of experience,” Ilya smirks. He and his wife Tenley have a son, Asher, who’s about three weeks older than my niece Luna. “And then just as sex gets back on the menu, she’ll start back at work pulling crazy hours to catch up, and it all goes right out the window again.”
I grin. “Voice of experience again?”
His face sours. “Sadly, yes.”
Tenley took about nine months off work when Asher was born. But I know she’s recently back at the prestigious Blomkvist and Shier law firm here in New York where she’s a partner.
“It gets better,” Viktor smirks at the two of them. “Trust me.” In addition to adopting Lukas, Viktor and his wife Fiona have a nine-year-old son, Sasha, who already looks like he’s going to be as tall and broad-shouldered as his dad.
“What’s going on over here?”
Viktor turns to grin as Yuri Volkov, Ilya’s uncle, walks over.
Yuri’s based out of Chicago alongside Viktor, though he’s been visiting New York a lot recently—in fact, he owns the building we’re meeting in tonight.
Again, the Council isn’t a treaty or partnership between all seven families.
But the Volkovs and the Komarovs have been close for a long time.
Their unofficial partnership now includes the Reznikov empire as well, much to the chagrin of other members of the Council at times.
“The young’uns are complaining about not getting laid while their wives are going through pregnancy, childbirth, and everything that comes after.”
Yuri, himself now the father of two-year-old Adrik with his wife River, roars with laughter.
Ilya frowns. “That is not what—”
“You want some advice, Konstantin?” Yuri grins at my brother who is starting to look more than a little forlorn.
“Jerk off like a grownup and don’t even think about trying to pressure Mara into shit until she comes to you .
Pregnancy and birth is a goddamn mind-fuck for a woman. She’ll tell you when she’s—”
“Hey, Yuri?” There’s a sharp glint in Konstantin’s eyes as they narrow at the older Bratva king. “I’m taking a year off to treat my wife like the queen she is. Do me a favor and don’t ever fucking presume shit about her and me again, yeah?”
We’re all friendly here. And his tone is light enough. But Mara is Konstantin’s pressure point, and I know everyone here fully understands that.
Yuri grins as he claps Konstantin on the shoulder. “Atta boy.” Then he clears his throat.
“Well, I think the other members are already all upstairs. Shall we?” He turns to arch a brow at me. “You ready for the full weight?”
“Please. He was born ready,” my brother smirks, punching me in the arm.
“Okay then,” Yuri nods. “Let’s do this.”
* * *
“I hereby willingly relinquish my vote and my chair, passing both in complete confidence to my brother and co-king, Gavan, who will be voting in my place, with my blessing.”
In the softly-lit conference room, there are nods from all those seated around the table.
“Are there any objections?”
Yuri, the Council chairman, drags his gaze around the room before he turns back to Konstantin and me.
“We respect and approve of this exchange. Gavan Tsarenko will henceforth be the voting voice and High Council chair for the Reznikov family.”
Konstantin turns to me as we both stand, a grin on his face as he clasps my hand in his.
“ You’ve fucking got this, brother, ” he murmurs as he gives me a big bear hug. “You were born for it.”
He pulls away, turning to glance around the rest of the table. “Thank you, everyone. And now, if you’ll all excuse me, I have a plane to catch.”
Mara already flew back to London this morning, and now Konstantin will be joining her as he kicks off his year off from all things Bratva-related. With a final nod to the table, and one last firm shake of my hand, he turns and walks out of the room.