Page 97 of Daddy Brigadier

He interlocks his fingers, the tips touching as he leans forward. “How did your trip to Seattle go?”

“Honestly, it was unfulfilling,” I reply, leaning back into the chair.

“Home isn’t defined by a location. It’s about the people we share our lives with,” he says.

I glance at him, as if the most formidable figure in organized crime has just imparted the most profound wisdom, and he’s right.

“Yeah, that’s why I came to see my sister.”

Losing Valentin has taught me a harsh but undeniable truth that in the perilous world of organized crime, loved ones can be snatched away from you in an instant.

Elise is my only family, the one person who means everything to me, and the thought of potentially losing her is unbearable.

With a resigned sigh, I set the black key card on the desk. The Pakhan leans in, his eyebrows knitting together in intrigue.

“Ivy told me this card means I now work for you,” I say.

“Have you thought about what you’d like to do while working for the Bratva?”

“I didn’t know I had a choice.”

“If you’re anything like your sister, you came here knowing what you want already.”

He has a point. Straightening up with confidence, I meet the Pakhan’s gaze without flinching. “I want to work with the Volkov arms dealing business.”

Andrei lets out a sharp breath, a smirk appearing on his lips. “That’s quite an ambitious goal for someone so young.”

His words sting, and I lean back in my chair, gathering my thoughts. I sigh, glancing at the picture of Valentin once again. Then, I lean forward with determination. “I will never come close to being Valentin, but I love him … and every day until it’s my turn to join him in hell, I will work hard and make sure I honor his legacy.”

He leans back in his chair, contemplating, while the silence in the room hangs thick. Finally, he breaks our eye contact, reaching for his phone to send a message.

Who is he texting? It seems it’s so important that he must tackle it right in the middle of our discussion.

Setting his phone down, he locks his gaze at me with an intensity that feels as though he can peer right into my soul. “Valentin must have really loved you to give you his men and fortune,” he states, leaving me to ponder the weight of his words.

Valentin’s words, “I love you,” whisper in my mind, and I’m doing everything I can to keep the tears at bay, desperately holding them back.

“I didn’t ask for any of it,” I mumble.

Andrei’s phone buzzes, drawing his attention.

He reads the message, a furrow of hesitation crossing his brow. After a moment, he puts the phone down, and the intensity of his gaze makes me feel utterly insignificant.

“Your sister is in Mexico, brokering a weapons deal with the Martinez cartel.”

The weight of my sister’s prominence in the world of organized crime fills me with pride, knowing that she has carved out a formidable place for herself in a dangerous domain often dominated by men.

“Well, I need her here with me.”

He twirls the phone thoughtfully around his fingers, lost in contemplation. “Maybe, just maybe, the cartel will be willing to work with her little sister.”

My heart is pounding with excitement, and I’m fighting the urge to leap up and hug him.

This is a bold step up from the casino we created. I will be working with the most powerful Bratva in the world, negotiating deals with the cartel. This is the start of my rise as a prominent player in organized crime.

“Of course, you’ll be working for your sister.”

“I’d like that.” I’m actually looking forward to learning from her and spending time with her.