Chapter Three
Maksim
“What the fuck do you mean someone intercepted our guns?” My anger has hit an all time high.
I’m seated in front of a group of my men as we discuss the Markov Bratva problem. The shipment of guns the mother fuckers took is worth over four million dollars and is going to get my organization jammed up by a couple of other powerful families if we don’t get them back.
“How did the Markovs know about the shipment?” Baron asks. Baron is a nice enough guy who got in because his dad is one of my trusted men. Baron’s more Americanized than the rest of us with his lighter features and his ability to like western culture more than we do. Plus, he’s a young ass kid.
My hackles begin to rise. “We got a leak?” I spit out and look around the room at my guys. “There’s a fucking leak here?”
Every one of my guys straightens their backs and raises their hands besides Lennie. Lennie is notorious for doing off the wall bull shit so I’m not surprised.
Lennie, one of my father’s men, pushes back his car and starts pacing in front of us. This isn’t something out of the ordinary for him to do. “I told you not to trust anyone.”
“Lennie,” I start but he shuts me up.
“I’m serious! First, it’s the helicopters. They are listening to our conversations. Then it’s the television. Next thing you know we’re all speaking some dumb ass language because someone mind controlled us! I’m telling you! This is all the beginning. I bet those Markov jack asses have this place bugged and are listening to our conversations-”
“Enough!” I interrupt him knowing that his rant won’t end unless someone shuts him up. “We get it.”
Boris smiles at me and points to his pocket that has the picture of Sergei’s wife in it. The woman has been on my mind since I laid eyes on her. I’m not going to lie at all about it. I wonder if she would ever be interested in someone like me.
I’m not like Sergei at all. He controls his bratva with more brutality and more force than I do. I kill people but I kill those that deserve it. I have taken down powerful families in the underworld, but I have only done it because they deserved it and had it coming for them.
“I need you to put Sergei on the phone,” I order to Boris.
Boris quickly dials and hands the phone over to me. The rat asshole answers it quickly. “I was wondering when you would call me.”
“If you missed me that much, you could have called me or came to see me.”
Sergei tsks. “What can I do you for?”
“For one, you can give me my shit back.”
He chuckles. “I could… But what would you learn if I did that? Would you learn to not call other people’s wives?”
My fingers tighten around the receiver of the phone. “She does have a sweet voice. I wonder what else about her is so sweet…” I let my statement hang in the air to see if he picked up on my innuendo.
“You touch my property, I’ll kill you!” He seethes.
It’s my turn to chuckle. I love it when I find out a person’s weakness. “Touchy, huh? Give me my guns back and stay off my territory.”
I pull the picture of Varya out of my breast pocket and look at the pretty face shining back at me. Her lips are lightly puckered from them being pillowy soft. I bet she tastes sweet.
There is something that crashes on the other end of the phone and then someone is breathing loudly on the other end of the line. “Maksim, you’re signing your death warrant.”
My lips curl into a sardonic smile. These assholes have been trying to get me for years. For years I have managed to stay out of the grasp of them, missing all of the assassination attempts.
Boris nudges me. “He’s with Ivanovich!”
Vlad Ivanovich has always been the allusive blue whale in the bratva lifestyle. The man has escaped capture numerous times and has gotten off on plenty of drug charges. I don’t need Ivanovich on my side because I handle my own outfit. I bet Sergei is hurting big time to need Ivanovich to step in.
“I’m not worried. Tell your friend to back up and give me my property back. Until then, consider this your warning. Markov has twenty-four hours to deliver my property back to my warehouse.”
“If he doesn’t?” Ivanovich goads me.
“You will find out and I guarantee he won’t like the consequences.” With that, I hang up the phone and look at my men.
Boris nods his head in silent understanding. He knows what is about to happen.
