4. Carina
CARINA
“Of course not, my friend. Of course not.”
I narrowed my eyes, listening to Arturo using his phony voice. Waiting in the hallway just outside his office in the villa our parents left for us, I eavesdropped.
Every wheedling, lying, manipulative word.
“Of course not. We would never dream of losing our partnership and working arrangement with your Bratva.”
Slitting my eyes more, I zoned out and disregarded all the details out here.
I ignored the lingering taste of the black coffee I’d had earlier this morning.
I dismissed the feel of starchy sweat drying on my skin from the workout I’d cut short to find my brother.
And I didn’t mind the sight of the deep-blue carpet underfoot or the artwork hung in a golden, gilded frame on the wall across from me.
Mother never cared for opulence, too much of a Cartel leader’s daughter to fuss about frilly things.
Father insisted on adorning our home to suit what others would expect of a rich crime lord.
I saw this place as nothing but a setting. A location.
Instead, as I paused out here and listened in to my brother’s conversation, I zeroed in on hearing every nuance and pitch of his lies.
Because that was all they were. Lies and false promises.
If it hadn’t been for a couple of chatty guards patrolling near the gym area that I used outside, I wouldn’t have known about the change of plans, that the arms shipment the Volkov Bratva had paid for had ended up with the Hernandez Cartel.
The Hernandezes! Of all groups, them? My father had fought against them tooth and nail. And now Arturo was giving them a bought shipment?
I shook my head again, dismayed and furious that he could be making last-minute and rash changes like this, unchecked. He didn’t have to answer to me, but things ran smoother when he did.
If you don’t want to dream of losing the Bratva as a business partner, you’ve got a messed-up way of showing that sentiment.
“You’ll see that it was nothing but a misunderstanding,” Arturo said with a chuckle.
The sound of that fake and forced laughter grated on my nerves.
This isn’t a game.
This isn’t a joke.
Nothing about this is remotely funny or silly or trivial.
He had no clue what he was asking for, daring to risk the Bratva’s wrath by changing the scope of this shipment.
“Absolutely, my friend,” he said.
Quit calling him your friend, you idiot! You’re laying it on too thickly, whatever you’re up to.
“Yes, yes. Today. Now is fine. Hmm-mmm.” The sound of his footsteps from within the room suggested he was pacing or going toward the window to look out. “Absolutely. I look forward to seeing you here so we can discuss how to best smooth out this misunderstanding.”
For fuck’s sake. If he planned to smooth out a mess he’d caused, he’d need to rely on me.
“Stupid motherfucker,” Arturo muttered quietly a few seconds later. He had to have ended the call, using that dry and blunt tone.
I spun on my heel and darted right into his office. He stood at the window, still shaking his head like he was peeved but amused. Annoyed but not alarmed.
“What the hell are you thinking, screwing up a solid partnership with the Bratva?” I demanded as I entered.
No hello. No greeting. No knock. He was still family and never earned my respect as any boss.
As he twisted to sneer at me, I advanced all the way until I could get in his face if I wanted to.
I was afraid to approach him that close, though, because the urge to throttle him ran too hot in my veins.
After a cardio workout and some time with the punching bags, I should’ve been spent and tired.
Hearing about the delivery going to the wrong place and getting our cargo in the wrong hands only fueled my energy. Catching the end of a call with the Volkovs only woke me up even more.
“How many fucking times do I need to remind you that I don’t have to answer to you?” Passing me to sit behind his desk again, he jabbed a finger at my shoulder. I didn’t budge.
“Arturo, what?—”
“The answer is never.” He dropped into the massive leather chair like he was a king bothered by a pesky fly. “I don’t have to answer to you, Carina.”
I slammed my fist on the desk, making him jump. “This is my family legacy too! What have you done?”
He tsked, looking aside and smiling like I was a fool to be this upset.
“You sent the Volkovs’ shipment to the Hernandez Cartel?” I brushed my long hair back, annoyed that this ponytail wasn’t taming my long waves. “Are you insane?”
He sighed theatrically. “Carina, stop with the drama.”
Drama? You think this is nothing but drama?
That settled it. He was fully delusional.
“They are going to kill you. Punish the Cartel. Arturo, you lost a shipment they paid for!”
“And you have no clue what you’re talking about.”
He’d sicced that line on me so many times, it barely bothered me. “Then enlighten me,” I growled as I crossed my arms.
Taking his time to sit up, he folded his hands together. “I’ve got better plans.”
I narrowed my eyes, daring him to hedge like that. “What plans?”
“I’ve got plans for the Cartel. There are better partnerships to consider. There are new avenues of commerce.” He shrugged one shoulder and smiled. “You’re too closed-minded to even think outside the box like that.”
“Who?” When he didn’t make eye contact, I shook my head. “Who are you trying to do business with, Arturo?”
“Others,” he answered simply. “It’s time for changes around here.”
Change wasn’t always bad. Sometimes, it ushered in new opportunities.
I doubted that he had the foresight to play his cards well in that regard.
After such a long and successful relationship with the Bratva, among other staples that my father had drawn up trade contracts with, it seemed nothing but stupid to shop around.
But asking him for a name wasn’t going to get me anywhere.
He’d clearly want to keep his special plans secret, running with the theme of superiority I doubted he’d ever earn.
Quickly changing my tactic, I tipped my chin up and waited until he leveled me with his gaze.
“And for the moment, for the present, what exactly do you intend to do when the Volkovs show up with that invitation you just gave them? What do you intend to discuss when they come here, furious and understandably disappointed that you changed plans after the deal had been agreed on for that shipment?”
What kind of lies do you think you can pull out of your ass now, huh?
He shook his head, watching me like he couldn’t understand how I was so simple-minded. He clearly had something in his head that he was keeping close, but he had to have a solution for the angry Russians heading this way now.
“We can’t afford any more fighting. Not now.” Even he couldn’t argue with me on that. “We’ve lost too many lately.” Recent fights with other smaller gangs and Cartels in the area had severely hurt the force’s morale and fighting power.
“And we’re going to lose one more,” he muttered softly with a slow smile that I didn’t trust for a single second. He tilted his head to the side, as if he were sizing me up for the first time.
“What?” I lowered my arms, so not in the mood for any mind games or jokes.
“We’re going to lose one more around here,” he repeated.
“What do you mean?” Was he planning to actually fight the Bratva men when they arrived? That would be suicide.
“You.”
I blinked, waiting for the connection to click. “Me? What about me?”
“You are going to handle this situation for me,” he stated as he stood.
“Me?” I let out a frustrated breath. “You’re expecting me to smooth things over with the Bratva?
Fine.” It wasn’t the first time that I’d been expected to be a diplomat when things went south.
I never was allowed in meetings with the Volkovs, but I’d contributed to other strategic discussions with other crime lords.
I had to in order to pick up the slack from Arturo.
“But I need to know what the hell you’re planning. You can’t be this rash and change a shipment without alerting anyone. If I’m going to persuade the Volkovs that we’re still operating in good faith, then I need to know?—”
“I didn’t say you would enter any explanations or discussions with them.” He rounded the desk, propping his butt against the edge of the behemoth of polished wood.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re going to be the token of good faith.”
I furrowed my brow, eager to get a real answer out of him before I hurried to shower and clean up for a diplomatic meeting.
“I will offer to trade you. To arrange for you to marry into their family to avoid any need for fighting or war.”
I set my teeth together so hard that they clacked. Shutting my mouth was my only sane option. Screaming at him wouldn’t do me much good.
You’ve lost your mind.
You think you can just hand me over?
Like this!
“They can’t come here and suspect that I’m reneging and failing to support our trade partner?—”
“You are! You are fucking up this partnership,” I shouted.
“Then I’ll offer you in marriage, to show that we’re still friends.” He chuckled and stroked his beard. “The ultimate sign of ‘good faith’ between friends.”
I shook my head. “You’re going to use me to avoid war with them?
” The question left me as a seething, red-hot drip of venom.
“You think it’s right to use me? As a symbol of good faith?
” The decibel of my voice shot higher with every word.
My temper was a beast I could barely control once my threshold for bullshit had been hit, but I couldn’t care now.
“Yes.” He nodded once, almost gloating at this solution.
“If you had only consulted with me before you wanted to screw up this shipment and consider new partners?—”
“No. I don’t consult you, Carina. I never will because I am the boss. You are my sister. My pain in the ass and nothing more.”
I stepped back, not to cower or retreat but to have more space and clearance to charge at him. He had the audacity to say such crap like that, and I couldn’t stand here and resist the urge to correct him. “Are you… Are you doing this just to get rid of me?”
No one liked to be nagged, but that wasn’t what I did here. We didn’t get along, but it wasn’t due to bickering. I constantly saved his ass. I was the brains behind the scenes. He could try to deny it and think he was keeping the Cartel in power on his own, but it was true.
He’d never paid attention to our father or mother or any of the leaders. I’d listened. I’d taken notes. I’d learned how this Cartel operated since I was a young girl. It was due to my continued input that the Cartel was still together and thriving.
“You are going to marry into the Volkov Family as a sign of good faith between us.” He huffed.
“I suppose you could share some intel while you’re at it.
You know?” He pushed off the desk. “However, I have a hunch your future husband won’t be as receptive or forgiving of your trying to butt into business any more than I ever have.
I’ve only humored you because you’re my sister.
But by the end of tonight, you will be their problem to put up with. Not mine.”
I ground my molars and swallowed down a scream before turning to exit the room.