Chapter 39
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Roman
"What happened?" I ask Anton when we're outside the office.
In the last week, we've had to clean up so many messes with Devin, with law enforcement, with Maksim, that I feel like I haven't even closed my eyes before something else needs fixing.
"There's an Aleksandr Rastovski outside looking for you," he says, and the name makes me stop abruptly.
This is the guy Maksim said handles Ivan's business here. What the hell is he doing at my house?
Julia's words ring in my head. If he dares to do anything that puts Luna, Victoria, or Anuska in danger, I’ll rip his heart out with my bare hands. I'm tired of keeping calm. Maybe a little madness is necessary for everyone to understand that my family is untouchable.
"Come on," I tell Anton, who keeps his hand on his gun.
When we exit the house, I see five SUVs at the gate and head toward the center car. The car window rolls down and a forty-year-old man, blond with brown eyes, sticks his head out and smiles at me. It's not a friendly smile. It's the smile a fox would give you before stealing the fish from your basket.
"Mr. Borisov. We finally meet," he tells me but doesn't offer his hand.
"Say what you have to say and get off my property," I respond in an irritated tone.
I understand why Maksim doesn't like this guy. He has a deceptive aura. You can sense he'd stab you in the back when you're not looking. I'd shoot him right here, but I'm sure men ready to riddle us with bullets would jump out of the other cars.
"Straight to the point. I like it. Tell your pathetic excuse for a brother that he has exactly one week to give back what he stole from me or he won't like how he'll find his little whore," he tells me in an amused tone, but I don't miss the threat.
I don't know what bothers me more. That he insulted Maksim. Or that he threatened Julia. But my fist connects with his nose exactly three seconds later. I feel the bone crack, and grabbing his collar, I tell him everything he needs to know from now on.
"Next time you insult my brother, you'll leave here with a bullet in your head, my friend. And if you get near Julia, I'll make sure my brother enjoys all the resources I have at my disposal to hunt you down. Ponyal?" I add the Russian word for "understood," hoping the information will sink into that big head of his.
I turn to Anton and say loudly enough for my guest to hear, "If he doesn't leave in exactly ten seconds, shoot him."
My lieutenant just nods.
"You'll regret this insolence, Borisov," he shouts before the car starts, followed by the rest of the convoy of cars.
My hand is already on the phone, and Maksim answers within seconds.
"I got a visit from a friend of yours. Aleksandr, if I'm not mistaken," I tell him and feel I've hit a sensitive subject.
"What did he want?" demands Maksim.
"To send you a message. Apparently you stole something from him and he wants it back," I say and don't mention Julia because I know my brother is impulsive when it comes to his woman.
"Piece of garbage," he spits into the phone.
"I might have broken his nose," I say while entering the house.
Anuska is making donuts again. The smell of vanilla and powdered sugar fills the whole house, and I know it's her way of apologizing again.
"Why the hell would you do that? Not that I'm complaining," he asks.
"He spoke badly about my brother," I say and know he gets that he's that brother.
We're not as close as I am with Niko, but with Niko I've had thirty years of bonding. Maksim is ours, and although he's more distant, I realize he enjoys having a family. A less conventional one, but a family nonetheless.
"I'll handle Aleksandr. When I took over everything in Russia, he got nothing. He has some legal businesses here that help him with money laundering so I couldn't exile him, but I think it's time to change my approach," he tells me.
"Do you have protection?" I ask because it's a valid concern.
Who knows what resources that weasel has set aside?
"I do. Thank you, Ro," he says, and it's the first time he's called me Ro, so I can't help but smile.
"That's what older brothers are for," I tell him, unable to resist rubbing it in one more time.
"For God's sake..." He hangs up.
When I enter the kitchen, Victoria is eating a donut with hearts in her eyes. Her phone buzzes, and she frowns at the message.
Before I can ask what's wrong, Anuska's voice catches my attention.
"Do you think we could send some donuts to Julia and Maksim?"
I've avoided talking to her, but when she looks at me with this face, penitent and pained, I can't continue being harsh.
"Fine. Tell Anton to send someone," I answer, and she hugs me.
I can't just get over the secret she kept from us for years, but I can understand that she was too afraid of repercussions. I let go of some of my resentment and put a hand on back.
"Ro, do you think we could invite Julia and Maksim to my birthday next week?" Vi asks enthusiastically.
"I'll talk to them, and if they're ok with it, of course," I answer her.
Who would have thought two months ago that we'd have three new family members.
Before entering my office, I take out my phone and call Ilya in Moscow. Maksim told me there were several soldiers executed who had been following Ivan's and Aleksandr’s orders without the pakhan's permission.
"Roman."
That's all he says and his tone is slightly impatient. I think I interrupted something.
"Ilya, I want to know how you're doing with the rat extermination and if you know why they multiplied?"
He understands what I'm referring to and gives me the answer with a sigh. "Still cleaning up, but the poison is set for all of them. Apparently, the food here wasn't enough anymore and they wanted what's there too."
Greed is something I can understand. It's common in my line of work, but this wasn't just greed and Ilya knows that too.
"Why here specifically?" I ask.
"As you probably know, Ivan is dead and couldn't give us the real answer. Aleksandr, however, is forbidden to return here and I already have people hunting him in Chicago. I assume he knows about your connection with Maksim and sought revenge. Your conflict with the Irish was the perfect path," he states calmly, but there's slight irritation in his voice.
I think it bothers him that this betrayal slipped past him.
Ivan Rastovski was never officially part of the Russian mafia, but other lieutenants used his influence and resources to move shipments since he controlled the ports.
What I don't understand is how Ilya allowed that predator to associate with them.
"You knew what else Ivan was involved in, didn't you?" If he says yes, he better have an explanation ready.
"Of course. And before you accuse me of being involved, Roman, ask yourself why your twin brother is still alive when for more than twenty years he's been plotting to kill that worm," he says, and there's a weight in his voice that indicates he too was involved in this plot.
I know he won't reveal all his secrets, but my instinct tells me Ilya didn't willingly accept what Ivan was doing.
I hang up the phone, and all I want is to hold Luna in my arms. The thought that she could have ever been part of something similar to the torments Ivan's victims went through makes me see red.
She's safe. My whole family is safe.