Chapter 7 Mass
MASS
My main office in the Fortress is in the heart of the first floor.
It was once a gym, but I had it totally renovated a couple of years back when I got sick of riding the elevator to the top tower every time I wanted to work.
Now the massive area is filled with books, couches, a huge fireplace fit for a medieval castle, and several desks.
Computers hum and monitors glow. Several of my secretaries are working quietly at their stations.
It’s big enough in here for a mid-sized company to operate. Except it’s just me and my trusted few.
Lucy’s at her station nearby, ignoring everyone as always.
“She’s comfortable but a little out of sorts still,” Satya says, pouring me a cup of tea. Behind me, a portrait of five dragons tearing the world apart looms over everything. “I’ll check back in shortly.”
“That’s good. I want her taken care of.”
“Could I make a suggestion, Mass?” Satya smiles warmly. The old woman is one of the rare employees who uses my first name. To everyone else, I’m Mr. Cardone or simply sir, which I prefer. It’s easier to keep a distance when they treat me like their boss.
“I suspect you’ll say it regardless of what I want.”
“You might want to see her yourself.” She places a small plate of cookies beside the tea. I never eat them, but she always offers anyway. She keeps saying one of these days I’ll give up denying them, and on that day, my life will change. “She needs some reassurance.”
“She’ll be fine.”
“Physically, yes, absolutely. But mentally?”
“My wife will be strong. Or else—” I leave that unspoken.
Satya only nods, still smiling. “No doubt about it. Either sink or swim. That’s the Cardone way. Even still, she is your wife, and that is your daughter."
“You will ensure they have what they need.”
Satya hears the tone in my voice and she’s smart enough to let it go. “Alrighty, I can do that. Do you need anything else? Have you eaten yet?”
“I’m fine. But go make sure my wife is sufficiently fed.”
“Sir, yes, sir.” Satya grins, mock-salutes, and walks off. She gives Lucy a little wave on her way out.
I sigh and drink the tea. It’s strong and deeply flavorful.
I normally prefer coffee, but Satya is like a magician when it comes to brewing this stuff.
I keep asking where she gets the leaves from and she jokes that the secret is the only thing making sure I don’t cut her throat for some little mistake.
She’s not entirely wrong.
I lose myself in spreadsheets and emails. My empire is vast and complicated. Most of my job these days involves negotiations and logistics. I could outsource most of that work to dozens of competent underlings, but I didn’t get to where I am by handing away work.
I shape the world. I bend it to my will. I don’t let anyone else take that from me.
“Mass, news from Bulgaria.” Lucy appears in front of my desk with her customary phone shoved in her face. “Georgi Todorov reports that the missing shipment was found.”
“That’s good. How much did he recover?”
“Nothing. The drugs were burned and the girls are either dead or missing.”
I take a slow breath and blow it out. “Authorities?”
“Not involved, from what I understand. Someone else did it.”
“Who would involve themselves in my operations?”
She gives me a flat look. “You know who.”
I close my eyes and rub my forehead. “The fucking bear.”
“Medved,” she agrees while rapidly tapping at her screen. “How should we respond?”
I consider the options. Medved has been a problem for months, but recently he has gotten much too brazen and aggressive. The problem is every time I try to bring him down, he disappears into the deep forests of northern Russia or hides out somewhere in remote Moldova.
We all know what he’s doing. Not even Lucy will come out and admit it. But Medved has gotten more and more brazen while I’ve been unable to completely crush him.
The man wants my power. He wants to take my title.
That’s how a crime lord becomes a Dragon.
Ascent through blood.
Nobody is born to it. They only take it by force.
“Hire local gangs in Romania and have them smoke out any Medved-aligned factions. Provide weapons and funding.”
“You’re okay with starting a border war?”
“Approve of skirmishes, but avoid an all-out conflict. I will handle the exact weapons and munitions myself. If the fighting gets bad enough to reach the American newspapers, I’ll be unhappy.”
"We’ll get it done.” She hesitates and stops typing. That’s not a good sign. “There’s one more thing.”
“Another problem I have to deal with?”
“The New York families reached out. They’re unhappy with what you did to the Russos.”
I expected that. The New York families are nominally my allies, but they’ve always been shifty. They’re too powerful to ignore and too useful to outright destroy. I’m always forced to negotiate and play their game when I’d rather cut their throats and drown them in their own blood.
“Invite them to the Resort. Offer no apologies.”
“Frankly, Mass, I’m not sure they’ll come.”
“Make it clear that this invitation is not one they can safely ignore.”
“Are you willing to risk conflict for this girl if they refuse?”
“This girl is my wife now.”
“Right. Of course.” Lucy’s lips press together. “You know, the night you slept with her, I told you to blow off some steam. I didn’t tell you to knock her up.”
“Unexpected consequence. I hope you don’t think you’d survive lecturing me on the use of contraceptives.”
“I’d never dream of it.” She gives me the ghost of a smile. “Now that she’s here, maybe you’ll start having regular sex for the first time ever. I keep saying you need an outlet.”
“Are you done talking about my private life?”
“I guess.” She waves and walks back to her desk across the room.
I scowl at my second. She’s such a pain in my fucking ass. If she weren’t so damn good at what she does, I would’ve killed her a while ago.
But I learned something when I was a younger and much more brutal man.
I can’t surround myself with scared sheep.
If all I hear is bleating and crying, I’ll never get good advice.
I need strong personalities if I’m going to continue to run my empire.
I need Lucys and Satyas and more. There’s always a fine line to walk, but I’m not so stupid that I think I can start murdering anyone with an opinion.
I only wish I could.
It’s late by the time I make it back to my apartment.
My private space is high in the Fortress tower.
The elevator opens for me, Satya, Lucy, and now Allie.
I’ll have to add Rosie soon, but not until she’s older.
The kitchen smells like cooking, and I notice there are dishes left out in the sink.
I stare at them for what feels like too long, lingering in the strange feeling of other people having been in my home.
I knew what it meant to bring Allie and Rosie here. I’ve been alone for a very long time. I was aware that there would be an adjustment period.
Only I didn’t expect that to start in the middle of a simmering war.
This conflict with Medved is the biggest challenge I’ve faced since becoming Dragon.
I pour myself some wine and stand at the window in the dark.
I don’t bother with lights. The moon reflects off the ocean.
The view is truly stunning. I wonder if Allie stood here looking out.
I wonder if she saw nature’s majesty like I do, or if all she could think about was this prison I’ve trapped her in.
Not that anyone will call it her jail.
But that’s what it is, at least until she accepts her position.
I drink and wish things had been different.
I found out about Rosie only a few weeks after she was born.
I had a team infiltrate the Russo house, steal a piece of Rosie’s DNA, and I had my private medical team perform the paternity test. Once I knew the child was mine, I had her surveilled and guarded twenty-four seven as discreetly as humanly possible.
They never knew I was watching them.
That was enough. I can handle relationships from a distance. There were more pressing matters: tortures in Damascus, bombings in Warsaw, a string of assassinations in Suriname. I like to keep busy.
But Allie was always there, lurking in the background.
Until she was promised to another man.
I finish my wine and turn away from the windows. I put the glass down, stare at the dishes, and force myself to clean them. When my space is perfect again, I retreat into my bedroom.
Only to find two sleeping bodies.
Allie snores softly. It’s more like heavy breathing. I stand beside the bed and stare at her beautiful mouth, her pointed nose, her thick hair. I broke all my rules the night I slept with her, and I did it for a reason.
She’s perfection.
But the child confuses me. Rosie is like a loaf of bread beside her mother. The little one stirs and I step away, not sure how to handle it. What if she wakes? Will I have to put her back down again?
I force myself to get it together. I’m not afraid of a fucking toddler.
Without waking them, I slip into bed on my side. I can feel their warmth beside me. It’s strange having other people sleeping with me. I’ve never had another person in this room before, much less a woman and a baby.
I think about moving them. But the idea repulses me as soon as it forms.
Allie’s mine. Rosie is mine too, even if I don’t know what to do with her. They will stay with me, as close to me as possible, where I can make sure nobody else can touch them.
Especially while Medved is chewing at my borders.
I only hope I can acclimate to this soon.