Chapter 59 Episode 59

“Each one worse than the last,” I snarl. “I’m not interested in a lecture about peace and harmony, Yulian. That may be your vision, but it isn’t mine.” “If you retaliate, it’ll get ugly.” “I’ve got news for you: it already is. Now, let’s get this over with.” “What about her?” I snap. In my head, though, I’ve already got her location marked. Nothing will harm her. I don’t think I’d be able to bear that kind of pain. “Upstairs,” I say impatiently. “Resting.” I push past Yulian, making sure he knows just how annoyed I am with him. When I get to the bar room, Lev is the only one of my men there. Rodion is sitting on the sofa next to a man who looks vaguely familiar, though his name is a complete blank. “Anton,” Rodion says without bothering to get up. “Thanks for having me on such short notice.” I give him a tight smile. “Of course, Rodion. You know you’re always welcome.” “Am I really?” he muses. I sit down opposite him. Lev, of course, resumes his usual standing position just behind me. Yulian takes a seat between Rodion and me. “Why would you even ask?” “Because I got word about a deal that was made behind my back,” Rodion says. “At your behest.” Behest. Jesus. He really does mean business. “What deal would this be?” “Come on, Anton.” Rodion rolls his eyes. I can just make out the frustration underneath his simpering smile. “You know what deal. Flemming.” For a second, Rodion looks unsure. “Are you denying that you cut a deal with him that purposefully excluded the Ivanovs?” “We have historically gone in together,” I acknowledge. “But there’s no contract that states it’s legally binding.” “Because it’s always been a show of good faith.” “Good faith,” I murmur, just so that he can really let those words sink in. “What a concept.” He’s trying hard to keep his expression light and polite, but I can see the twist in his eyes. His rage is one insult away from surfacing. He decides to change tactics instead of addressing the issue of our splitting loyalties. “I’m sure you remember my nephew?” He gestures towards the pasty-faced f**k by his side. “I can’t say that I do.” The man looks at Rodion like he’s not sure whether to speak or keep his mouth shut. “Does he really have Ivanov genes?” I ask. Rodion glares at his nephew. “My sister’s son, Yaromir. He hasn’t had the training I would have liked. But he’s family.” I wonder how long he’s been waiting to say that. The message is subtle but clear: I may have been his son-in-law, but since his daughter’s death, the title has lost its power. A nephew, even an inept-looking one, is still better than a man who doesn’t have any Ivanov blood in his veins. “Do you speak?” I ask, turning to the man. He isn’t much younger than me if at all, but there’s a wide-eyed naivete to him that makes my lips curl. He’s untested, pliable, weak. Disgusting. “I… I’m just here be-because my uncle asked me to be,” he says, tripping over his own tongue. “What a good little puppy,” I say with a dark chuckle. I can feel the tension rolling off of Lev. I know I’m pushing buttons now, but I can’t help it. Rodion really thought I’d be threatened by this dimwit? Give me a goddamn break. “He’s my nephew, Anton,” Rodion says, displeasure evident in the clench of his jaw. He doesn’t actually care about me insulting his nephew. It’s all about the symbiotic nature of respect. Give some to get some. I’m doing neither, and I couldn’t care less. “And I married your daughter, Rodion,” I say. “I would have thought you’d have a little more ‘good faith’ in me.” “I might, if certain rumors didn’t continue to circulate.” “I thought we’d put this fignya to rest.” “I thought we had, too,” he says. “But then you choose to make questionable decisions like sidelining my family. It makes me question your motives.” “My motives have and always will be the same. I do what is best for the Stepanovs and nothing else.” “And what about me?” Rodion asks. “As your ally and father-in-law, where do I stand?” I raise my eyebrows. “I think that depends on you.” I gaze at the old man, realizing suddenly that he reminds me of Marina. Not in the obvious ways, of course. Marina was loudly opinionated, prone to drama and hysterical outbursts. Rodion is the polar opposite in that regard. But there is something in his eyes that reminds me of his daughter. A shifting darkness. I realize suddenly that I despise him for it. “Me?” Rodion asks. “No, I don’t think so. This is all about you, Anton.” “Rodion.” Yulian jumps in despite my annoyed glance. “What are we doing here? We’re all family—” “Family?” Rodion asks, cutting him off. “Is that what we are?” “Like it or not, Anton is your son-in-law.” “Is that true if my daughter is dead?” he asks, his voice going flat and dark. “Is it still true if my son-in-law has been accused of murdering her?” “Accused by whom?” I demand. “Do you have a name to give me?” “Of course not. No one would dare make such an accusation publicly.” “Then maybe they shouldn’t be making it at all,” Lev growls, speaking for the first time since I walked into the room. He’s usually the silent observer. Which means he only speaks up when he feels like he has no choice but to. “Lev has a point,” I say, turning back to Rodion. “You’re really going to take the word of some faceless rat who’s too afraid to come to you directly?” “He might be scared for his life.” “That fear might be legitimate where I’m concerned,” I say. “But you? He could approach you directly. You would surely protect the man. Unless of course he isn’t confident in your abilities…?” The old man rises to the bait. “I am the f*****g don of the Ivanov Bratva. We have survived generations and we will survive generations more, only ever growing in power.” Not exactly the most historically accurate story I’ve heard about the Ivanovs, but I’ll throw the man a bone. And they say I’m not charitable. “You are powerful, Rodion. I don’t dispute that. But you are not the most powerful Bratva in this country. In fact you’re not even the most powerful Bratva in this city.” His eyes go wide. “Is that a challenge?” “It needn’t be,” I say. “Should I remind you of the plan that was put in place the day I married Marina?” “f**k that plan!” Rodion says, losing control for a moment. “The plan was that you would keep my daughter alive. The plan was that she would be happy!” I have to admit that I feel a grudging sense of respect for the old man. He loved his daughter. He wanted her to be safe and happy. Except that he didn’t raise her to be the kind of woman who was easily satisfied. She wanted things that no one could give her. And yet, if I had a daughter, wouldn’t I want to give her exactly the kind of life that Rodion had given Marina? I think about the baby… the child I lost. The child Marina lost. On the rare moments when I allow myself to go to that dark place inside me, I feel the loss so deeply that it fuels the regret I feel about Marina. “Rodion,” I say in a measured tone, “you need to put this rumor to rest once and for all. If you give it attention, it’ll only get stronger.” “Convince me then,” Rodion says harshly. “Convince me that you had nothing to do with her death.” “We’ve been through this before.” “Isn’t our alliance worth anything to you?” Rodion demands. Lev and Yulian are standing on either side, flanking me. I step forward. “You want the absolute, no-holds-barred, pure f*****g truth, Rodion?” “That is precisely what I want.” “Anton.” Lev hasn’t moved, but he’s tense. Rodion turns his attention to him. “No, it’s time I know the truth. Let your don talk.” Like anyone could f*****g stop me. “The truth is that Marina Ivanov was a spoiled, selfish, violent, narcissistic whore.” Rodion’s expression goes black with anger, but I keep talking anyway. “She was as ugly on the inside as she was beautiful on the outside. And I realized within weeks of our marriage that I could never love her. But as much havoc as she caused, as close to hell as she made my life, I did not kill her. I was relieved when I heard she was dead, but I did not kill her. What I was planning on doing… was divorcing her.” The revelation hangs in the air for a moment as Rodion processes that. “You were going to divorce her?” “Yes,” I say. “And I told her so myself. That’s what prompted her to commit suicide. Though, in all honesty, I agree with you: Marina was not the type to take her own life. Like I said, she was too egotistical for that. My theory is that she wanted to scare me. She wanted to punish me for our last fight. So she tried to attempt a suicide in the hopes it would get my attention. I don’t think she meant to actually go through with it.”