Chapter 25 #2
“Yeah,” he whispers. “I told them you were great. I told them you’re brave. And I promised them I’d take very good care of you.”
I smile but shake my head. “The girls better not think this little jaunt to Colombia gets them out of our next practice.”
“Mmm,” he nods soberly. “Of course not.” His lips still twitch.
I smack his chest. I know he’s giving me shit. “I’m serious!”
“I know you are. We’ll be back in time.”
I lean back against him. “Polina was a fucking beast when they attacked.”
He huffs out a breath that’s a half laugh and half groan. “You girls are going to make the rest of us obsolete.”
I stifle a snort. “Hardly, though I fully intend on using Aria’s prowess in support of my plan for world domination.”
“I’m sure she would love that.” He squeezes my shoulder.
“But will Mikhail?”
“You’ve demonstrated your leadership abilities and your honesty. I’m sorry any of us ever questioned it. Don’t worry about Mikhail. We’re allies now.”
The power of the Romanov Bratva and the talent of the Los Sangre Dorada will be dynamite. We’ll have to exercise caution and use fool-proof methods of communication, for starters. But the potential for what our families could do together is damn near mind-blowing.
“I’ll want to coordinate our efforts to rebuild and heal,” I tell him.
“And we’ll want to do the same.”
We all will—our families. Our rival factions.
Me and Lev.
Five hours later, after a few more snacks and naps and establishing our plans, we land in Colombia in the early afternoon.
“Do you have friends here? Allies? Relatives?” Lev asks another question as we gather our bags.
I nod. “Of course, but I’m not here for them. This won’t be a time of visiting friends and relatives but securing my men. It’s time to assert my authority and make it clear human trafficking is no longer part of our operations. We’ll have to squash any dissent.”
“Absolutely. And you anticipate some?”
I sigh. “It’s inevitable. The key is to bring it to the surface and end it, rather than letting it simmer and cause division.”
“And then what?”
I nod. I’m not here on some sort of mercenary rescue mission. I’m here to solidify the newly hatched Los Sangre Dorada and make it my own.
“We will start there. After I see who remains loyal, I’ll be better equipped to make our next move.”
Lev leans over and kisses me again. “You’re going to make an excellent leader.”
I wink at him. “So will you.”
I step out of the plane into the bright, warm light of my homeland and feel a little wistful. It’s so different here, so beautiful, though I think I’ll grow to learn to love The Cove in my own way.
Unfortunately, I can’t trust everyone here. Not now, not after Javier's death. Though we’ll keep my involvement confidential, unrest always follows the fall of a leader. I must settle my family home and put our affairs in order, but first things first—we drive to the cartel’s headquarters.
I need to quickly assert my dominance. Calling together the leaders and most powerful members of Los Sangre Dorada, I organize a meeting at my family home.
Later today, I have a meeting with a lawyer to manage the property and assets I now control as the sole remaining survivor of the Morales family—the one responsible for carrying on our legacy.
It will not be the legacy my father wanted.
Twenty-two men arrive. Two have gone rogue, but I did not come into this position blindly. Juan-Carlo, an older man who took me under his wing when I was just a little girl, has kept me informed. The two who have gone rogue were stealing from Javier and expect blowback. I’ll deal with them later.
“Thank you for coming,” I tell the men assembled before me. Lev sits beside me, his back ramrod straight. I don’t miss the way the men stare at him with a mixture of respect and fear—his reputation, and the reputation of the Romanov Bratva, has preceded him.
Lucky me. There’s something about knowing this man who they fear, this man who is mine, that makes my heart beat faster. I squeeze his hand under the table. He runs his thumb over the top of mine. I swallow and clear my throat.
I begin, my voice commanding. “In the wake of my brother’s death, I will assume the position as head of Los Sangre Dorada.
Effective immediately, all human trafficking operations end.
We will be completely disassociated from any tasks or connections.
Anyone caught defying this order will answer directly to me. ” I look at Lev. “To both of us.”
I will not wait one more second to end this reprehensible work.
I let the weight of my words settle. “We have many other lucrative avenues of revenue to pursue.” Murmurs ripple through the room, some nodding in agreement, others looking uncertain.
Lev stands, his presence a silent promise of support.
When his deep voice rings with authority, the men sit up straighter.
“Isabella and I are united in this decision. We expect loyalty and commitment to these new directives. Anyone who disagrees is free to leave—but understand that opposition will not be tolerated.”
It’s crucial they know that Lev and I will rule together. They might try to defy me alone, though usurping my place of position would be difficult since none of them have Morales blood. But none dare defy me with the power of the Romanov Bratva at my back.
I look into Lev’s eyes with my next words. “I have secured an alliance with the Romanov Bratva. The combined forces of our families will forge us into a powerhouse.”
We hold hands in front of everyone. I stand straighter. “Any questions?”
I field a handful of questions, but thankfully, these men were loyal to me, and few were to my brother, the dictator. It’s honestly going better than I anticipated.
Over the next few days, we work tirelessly.
I do my best to be firm but fair with Lev by my side.
Slowly, I begrudgingly earn the respect of the remaining few who were initially skeptical, those I hadn’t won over before Javier’s demise.
With Lev’s strategic mind and unyielding support, the transition is smoother than I had hoped.
Within a few days, our trafficking ring crumbles like a rickety old bridge. I take pleasure in watching those held captive set free while simultaneously working our other income streams. Solidifying the cartel’s new normal will take time, but the initial days are promising.
With the amount of work that we need to do, we stay a bit longer than planned.
It doesn’t take long for us to hit our first wrinkle.
I’m honestly relieved because there’s no possible way we’d skate through this transition without opposition.
I’d rather bring the toxins to the surface now and cleanse them for good.
“A small faction is resisting our new direction,” Juan-Carlo tells me, scrubbing a hand across his leathery face. His warm brown eyes are wary. “Address them directly and publicly. They are too cowardly to continue.”
I nod and call a meeting.
When everyone is assembled, I take my place as their leader. I stand and address them.
“It’s come to my attention that some of you are unhappy with my decision to end what my brother began.
” I sip on a glass of lemon water, hoping my nausea subsides.
I need to stay strong in the face of adversity, no matter what it takes.
No one here needs to know I’m pregnant yet.
They might see it as a vulnerability they can exploit, and I have yet to determine who’s loyal.
Damn it, though, I’m craving a good, hearty plate of golden empanadas and an afternoon nap, but duty calls.