“You’re like the perfect couple!” Karina holds both their hands in hers, excitement emanating off her in waves.
I stroll to her side and adjust my glasses. “Is it just me or did you not sound this happy when I announced my marriage, Kara?”
She smiles awkwardly and links her arm with mine. “Of course I was!”
“Try again without the subpar acting skills.”
“Well…I just didn’t think Kristina was for you.” She smiles at her new sister-in-law. “No offense. I do believe in you and Kosta.”
Interesting. Karina and I happen to share the same sentiment.
I look at the newlyweds, who are wearing the rings I chose—or more like, Viktor did. I told him to get Konstantin’s size, not mine, because I saw this scene long before it happened.
The only difference was that I was so close to pitying the sorry fuck for liking a robot. Turns out, she’s not a robot around him. Which is all that matters, I suppose.
“Congratulations are in order,” I say in my cool tone.
“Thank you,” Kristina says. “I owe you.”
“You sure as fuck do. I’ll hold you accountable to that.”
“Hold me accountable instead.” Konstantin interlinks his fingers with hers, but he’s not looking me in the eye.
“You’ll both be. Make her pregnant as soon as possible or else I won’t be able to defend you if Igor finds out the only reason he allowed this to happen is a sham.”
Karina squeezes my arm. “Can you stop ordering people around, especially on their wedding day?”
“I decline,” I say absentmindedly while checking my watch.
There’s a text from Maksim.
Fucking finally.
There were some complications, Boss. I’m going to need to stay in hiding for a while. I’ll speak to you when I have better capacity. I’m safe.
I know he said he’s safe, but the fact that he has to stay in hiding and isn’t returning immediately like I asked him to is derailing me from the initial plan.
He didn’t even mention if the mission was a success.
Everyone heads out to the wedding reception that’s been held at my house. I’d like to bail on this soul-sucking reception, but that’s impossible, considering that the highlight of the day will happen during the event.
The afternoon weather is beautiful with a clear sky and a slight chill in the air. The reception is set up in the garden and around the pool with an enormous buffet section. Classical music echoes in the air, played by some famous quartet the wedding planner found somewhere. The guests chat and drink their hearts out, or more like gossip about the dramatic groom swap.
Brothers, no less.
As is customary, Kristina takes the heat since she’s the ‘whore’ who got between brothers. I hear Rai putting anyone she hears saying such rubbish in their place.
“You should add Adrian to the list since she was engaged to him a long time ago,” Rai tells someone. “It’s not her fault she’s popular and you can’t have her.”
God forbid anyone speak ill of any woman in front of Rai. She’ll skin them alive and wear it as fur.
Konstantin and Kristina, who are the main topic of discussion, seem to have checked out. Over the past hour, they’ve been either dancing or kissing like some hormonal teenagers.
I expected Karina to hide in her room, but she appointed herself as Kristina’s nonexistent bridesmaid. She’s spent most of the time either adjusting the bride’s hair, makeup, dress, or all of the above. She’s taken a thousand pictures of them, too, and made me pose in a few of them—including some selfies of the four of us.
I’m just waiting for the day to be over already. Rai and Vladimir have been glaring at me nonstop, Adrian has shaken his head at me more than once, and Mikhail seems more confused than a virgin on her wedding night. Damien has misread the whole fucking atmosphere, and, I kid you not, he thinks the fact that I’m not married means we can fight.
How he came up with that correlation is a mystery, but I’m not going to ask. In fact, I’m ready to punch him to the next planet, except for the small fact that I need him today.
Finally, the Pakhan calls for a closed meeting in my office. No guards are allowed inside. It’s just the leaders of the Bratva.
I linger in front of my office where all the senior guards are gathered and whisper to Viktor, “Keep trying to reach Maksim.”
He nods. Apparently, Viktor got a similar text from Maksim—again, with no specifics as to whether or not the mission was a success or if he’s really safe.
“And find Yuri. Tell him to pump himself with medication and get his ass here.”
He nods again.
My expression is cool and collected as I walk into my office. The Pakhan sits behind my desk, and Mikhail and Igor are settled on the two chairs opposite him.
Vladimir stands to his right and Adrian to his left, leaning against the bookshelves, legs crossed at the ankles.
Rai and her husband Kyle sit on the sofa, both cradling her very pregnant belly.
Damien, on the other hand, is opening and closing, then throwing down books that his illiterate mind doesn’t understand. I’m going to bet that he was looking for some images and is personally offended when he finds none.
The moment I close the door behind me, Damien chucks the book in his hand to the floor. “Fucking finally. Let’s get this over with, Pakhan. I have shit to do.”
Sergei stands with difficulty, his attention on me. I smile back so charmingly, I trigger a snarl on Vladimir’s face.
I can tell Sergei isn’t one hundred percent down for this option, but he, Igor, and even Adrian know that I’m the best choice for the leading position. Damien and Mikhail are too volatile. Adrian and Vladimir are anti-leadership. Igor works best when he’s in a support position. Rai is a woman. Kyle is a new addition who has a long way to go to prove his loyalty.
I’m the most balanced and lucrative of the bunch, and that’s a fact.
Sergei addresses everyone in the room, “As I announced at the beginning of this year, I’ll be stepping down as Pakhan due to illness. It’s time to bring new blood into the brotherhood, and while I planned to reserve this position for my son-in-law, my daughter went and married some lawyer who doesn’t belong in our world. As a result, I nominate Kirill as the next Pakhan.”
“You can’t be serious!” Rai stands up with Kyle’s help. “He’s too manipulative to lead, Granduncle.”
“Manipulative or not doesn’t matter. Kirill brings in the most deals, money, and success to the Bratva, and he’s managed to do that in only a few years since his return from the military. Not to mention his pure Russian ties who have been in the brotherhood for generations. I believe he’s the organization’s best option for survival, but I won’t make a final decision on this until a vote is taken.” He pauses for effect. “Those in favor of Kirill becoming the next Pakhan, raise your hand.”
Sergei is the first one who does so, followed by Igor. Mikhail watches the other two, then focuses on me. He’s always been a follower of Igor and Sergei, but at the same time, he’s suspicious. However, I did promise him a hefty reward, so he puts his hand up.