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He sighs like he doesn’t have time for me, or he isn’t interested in this conversation anymore.
“You are much too close to Esperanza for me to trust you with this.”
I attempt to hide the way her name makes me physically want to double over in pain as I grit, “Are shitting me?”
“No.” He looks me up and down. “I said no.”
“But,Otets—“
“Do you ever listen a measly moment of your pathetic life, Adrik?” He growls, standing up quickly, hand to his belt and I know he’s packing an 8-inch blade just below it. I don’t step back though, in fact, I step forward. Because maybe I have a death wish now that life somehow feels even more miserable than before, and could be I’ve just grown up enough to be sober and bold at the same time.
“You’ll regret keeping me back.” I threaten, and he pulls out the blade, swinging it at me. I don’t flinch, and he seems shocked by this, almost irritated. So, he swings it again, this time nicking the tip of my ear. Blood rolls down it accompanied by a burning pain, but still, I do not move. I stare him down until he purses his lips into a crooked curl of disgust.
“I highly doubt I will ever regret anything besides having you as a son.” I want to lurch forward, strangle him until he begs me to stop and lets me go with them, but I won’t. I can tell by his threatening tone that he will take necessary measures to keep me away. And by the blow of his words that I’ve always known to be true, I can tell he will kill me if I take one step out of line.
“Get out.” He enunciates, and I turn around, marching out of the room with intentionally heavy feet. I head straight for the elevator, heart pounding as I pull out my phone and jump inside.
It’s empty, so I put on the emergency stop and ring Espie’s phone. It hangs up after a long round of rings, so I try a few more times until I realize she may have blocked me. I may have fucked up everything for her, but I won’t be the reason she— or anyone else— dies tonight.
Next, I try Vince, but he hangs up after the third ring and when I try again. A piercing set of ascending notes goes off in my ear this time, then a robotic woman’s hassling voice alerts me that my call cannot be completed as dialed.
“Fuck.” I shake the phone and through the glass, see some of our boys waiting at it, looking up at me like I’m an idiot. I press the stop button again and the elevator rises to the top floor and I step out and into my suite. Three of my brothers are playing video games on the couch, and they don’t even notice I’ve arrived. I bolt up the stairs and down to my room, shutting the door and locking it behind me. Then I cross to the bathroom and lock that door too for good measure. I make my way to the back of the bathroom and head into the fully enclosed, stone shower, closing that door and turning on the water.
I will not risk anyone knowing what I’m doing.
After dialing a number of a man I know too well, for reasons too extensive to explain, I wait while it rings.
“Adrik Mikhailov, you bastard.” The smile in Artyom’s voice carries through the phone like music to my ears.
“Hey, Arty. I need a favor.”
“Oh, I haven’t given you a favor since you were…”
“Sixteen. First car bomb.”
“That’s right.” He sounds older than how I remember, older than someone I only spoke to eight years ago. He’s in a tough business— Arty. Everything the Bratva needs, the sources, and has guys to get the job done when gaps need to be filled.
“Yes… Well, listen. Tonight, I need to ask something of you. Something I really wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.”
“You’re scaring me.” He chuckles, waiting for me to get the words out.
“I need you to go against the Bratva for me.”
The line is silent for a little too long, and I wonder if I might have missed his answer with the running water. I feel like anyone could walk in at any time and my heart is racing because Espie is in danger, and it’s all my fault.
“Go on. I’m in a safer place to speak frankly.”
I sigh a silent breath of relief before continuing. “I need you to help me stop my father from making a huge mistake.”
“Which is?”
“He’s going to kill the San Giovanni’s tonight, or at least try. But I’ve never seen him this deranged. It’s like he’s driven mad by fury.”
“That man is always driven mad by fury. It’s his constant state.”
“Will you help me?”
“Hm. I don’t know, kid. It’s really asking a lot.”
