Glazov

Nothing is going to convince me that Logan isn’t up to something. I hope for my son’s sake that she isn’t an informant. This is the first woman to truly capture his interest, and I really would regret having to kill her. All the women before Logan, Kodiak treated like they were just fuck fests. This is the first time I’ve been obsessed with any woman since my wife as well, but for me, it is in no way sexual. I’m used to women who I can read like open books, and this girl has secrets. I can smell them on her, and I want to know what they are. Is someone threatening her? I almost hope that is the case. At least then, it will mean that I can kill someone besides her. I love my son, and I don’t want to hurt him by taking away the first woman to captivate his attention. Concerning my children, I’ve managed to do something most Bratva fathers are unable to do. I’ve kept their love and respect; they don’t hate me because of my involvement in organized crime. All three of my children are deeply involved in the Bratva cells I rule because they’ve chosen to follow in their father’s footsteps. Even my daughter, Roksana, is a force to be reckoned with in the world of organized crime.

Suddenly, a thought hits me, and I push the speaker button to call her into my office where I still sit with my cousin and son. I eye my beautiful, redheaded daughter as she makes her entrance. She is as stunning as her mother and acts just as aloof. She has no time for a man in her life, and she is all business. As usual, she’s wearing a dress that flows in such a manner as to hide the gun she’s carrying in a small holster strapped to her thigh. Unless you know it’s there, you won’t see it until she’s putting a bullet between your eyes.

“What’s up, Daddy?”

“I want you to befriend Logan.”

She smirks as she eyes her brother Kodiak.

“I thought Kodiak had that covered. With the way he stalks the poor girl, I doubt she’s doing anything you aren’t already aware of.”

“You and I both know a woman will share things with another woman that she won’t reveal to a love interest.”

“So, is she a love interest?”

Though she’s speaking to me, she is directing her attention toward her brother who is now glaring at her. The boy is seething.

Kodiak answers in a threatening tone that promises retribution.

“You better not do anything to fucking turn her against me, Roksana.”

“Damn, you’re touchy over this one, aren’t you? Far be it from me to get in the way of true love.”

She gives her brother a serious look that lets him know she’s done teasing him.

“Your secrets are safe with me. If you like her that much, then I do too. That is, of course, as long as she isn’t doing anything to hurt this family. I suggest you keep your woman on a short leash, Kodiak. Find out what she’s up to, and put a stop to it. We both know Daddy is never wrong when it comes to reading people. As dull as the girl’s social life is, I’m certain she hasn’t done anything that can’t be undone, at least not yet. Stop her before she gets in too deep, and we can all continue to be the happy family we are.”

“You heard me, Roksana. Just don’t you dare do anything to run the girl off, or you’ll be answering to me. Not even Daddy will be able to save you!”

I watch as he stands up and kicks the chair out of his way before he storms out of the office. I really hope I don’t have to kill this girl. It’s obvious Kodiak really cares about her. I wait until he leaves before I address my daughter.

“Take it easy on the girl. I don’t want any family rifts, princess.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

She leans over to kiss my cheek. I know, even though she purposely antagonized her brother, she won’t do anything to hurt him. If Kodiak truly cares about the girl, and he does, Roksana will take her under her wing and protect her. It will serve two purposes: it will provide me with more Intel, and it will put a stop to the bullying the other women at the gambling house are subjecting her to. They are all scared of my daughter, and if Logan has her seal of approval, the rest of the girls I employ will follow suit. It’s the pecking order. When it comes to the women employees, Roksana is, and always will be, the queen bee.

I nod for her to leave and give me privacy when the phone rings, leaving only Novak and me alone in the office.

“Antonio, how nice to hear from you. You put on quite a show with the lemon juice on top of the salt solvent. It was a nice addition to your normal sadistic routine.”

“Yeah? That’s why I’m calling. I wanted to let you know that I found your little device on a sweep.”

“Well, you know me. When I can’t be there in person, I like to be present in spirit.”

“No, you didn’t trust me to not lose that shipment of guns.”

“Oh, don’t get your feelings hurt. I don’t even trust my own mother.”

“You don’t have a mother, asshole. You were spawned from the devil.”

“Is that why you called? To ridicule my heritage?”

“No, I have an issue with the Haitians.”

“I thought you and Ricardo already dealt with that nasty little sex trafficking problem.”

“We did, but you know how it is. You get rid of one problem and another crops up.”

“So, what have they done this time?”

“I’m guessing it was a form of retaliation, but they have kidnapped the sister of a woman who works for me. The girl was in the Dominican Republic doing humanitarian work, and now, if rumors are to be believed, she’s in your neck of the woods.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard talk that the Haitians are getting involved in the sex trade here.”

“The problem is, Glazov, they’re not just muscling in on your trade in Russian brides. They’re doing snuff films as well. The sons of bitches are live streaming captive women, killing them off as the grand finale.”

“Damn, that is cold-blooded. This is the first I have heard about all of this. I’m all for bringing women in from Russia to be brides when they’re willing, but taking them against their will for money on my turf is unacceptable behavior. I don’t need the fallout of this shit coming back on me. I don’t want the authorities thinking I’m behind all this just because I run the Bratva cells here in Louisville.”

“Motherfucker, you took your wife against her will.”

“That’s none of your damn business, Antonio! I have never, nor will I ever, condone kidnapping women and raping them. Killing them on camera and selling it to Internet pervs is unacceptable as well.”

“I’m not insinuating you have ever been in favor of that type of shit. I’m just sayin’ that you’re not exactly lily white. You need to send a message to not only law enforcement, but also to your competition that you don’t tolerate outsiders muscling in on your turf.”

“I don’t need you telling me how to conduct my fucking business, Antonio. You and that crazy ass brother of yours have got enough going on without worrying about me and mine. Butting in to my business isn’t on the Colombian cartel’s to-do list.”

“Just as bugging my warehouse to watch how I do business shouldn’t be on the Bratva’s to-do list.”

I snarl at my cousin, giving him a dirty look. He looks like he’s enjoying the pissing match between me and Antonio a bit too much. I listen as Antonio continues his rant.

“There’s no sense in us having a cock measuring competition; we both know mine’s bigger.”

That draws a snicker out of my cousin, which only pisses me off further.

“Fuck you and your cock, Antonio! You can go look for your own bitch then. I’m not some petty ass gangbanger who needs to solidify my reputation. My fucking reputation precedes me!”

“Oh, calm down. I’m just trying to give you a friendly heads-up. You Russians are so temperamental.”

“Damn straight we are. Antagonizing me is no way to ingratiate yourself with me or my organization.”

“Look, the issue is that the woman who is being held, and will ultimately be killed, isn’t my woman, as you so eloquently worded. She’s yours.”

“How the hell do you figure that?”

“She’s on your turf, bro.”

“And she’s the sister of one of your dancers, bro.”

I can just imagine Antonio Wayne with his feet propped up on his desk, haughtily declaring that I am responsible for this shit just because it’s happening on my turf.

“Fuck you, Antonio. Go find your own bitch!”

I slam the phone down. My lip is bugging me, my cousin is pissing me off, and Antonio Wayne is the biggest fucking brat I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting. I jerk the phone up when it rings, glaring at Novak who’s now shaking he’s laughing so hard. He’s even smacking his leg with his palm, and I swear the tears are about to come at any second. I’m glad he’s so fucking entertained. I’m certainly not; I’m just pissed. If Antonio and Ricardo weren’t allies of mine, I’d board a plane right now and kill him myself, the antagonistic little shit.

“What?!” I growl into the phone, thinking it’s Antonio again. It isn’t; it’s his big brother, Ricardo.

“So, I see that little shit called you to bail his ass out,” I spit into the phone.

“Glazov, please accept my apologies for my little brother. You know how he is. He only rags on you because he loves you.”

“Yeah, I’m really feeling the love right now, Ricardo.”

“Please, help us look for the woman. If you find her, just ship her back to New York so she can be with her sister, and all will be well. I would see it as a personal favor to me, and our enemies would perceive the act as a sign of solidarity.”

Now, that does strike a chord with me. He continues talking while I contemplate the possible benefits of helping the Ramirez brothers.

“I hate to think an innocent woman is being held captive and will be killed in a snuff film, all because the Haitians have a vendetta with my brother and me.”

I run my thumb across my lower lip, wincing when I accidentally brush over the top one. I should have killed that son of a bitch who busted my lip.

“You take care of them on your end, Ricardo, and I’ll see what I can do about the girl.”

“Thank you, and once again, please try to ignore my little brother’s antagonistic antics.”

I hang up without saying anything because I can’t promise to do that. I’m not overlooking a damn thing. Antonio Wayne isn’t going to change for anyone, and I’m damn sure not changing either. It’s a simple case of it is what it is. We both know that no matter how much we purposely irritate each other, in the end, we’re allies. I’d still love to get the little bastard in the ring though. Perhaps that’s the answer. By the time I finish wiping the mat with his ass, he’ll show me a little more respect.

I turn my attention back to my cousin who, thankfully, seems to have gotten his laughing fit under control.

“You and I both know that was a lucky hit that guy got in, so laugh it up while you can. Even your cast-iron stomach will lurch when you see what I do to him in retribution.”

He doesn’t reply because he knows what I’m saying is true. When I gut the motherfucker and strangle him with his own intestines, anyone there to witness it will be horrified.

“Nikita! Get in here,” I growl into the speaker.

I look at Novak. He's twirling a toothpick in his mouth, smirking like he’s enjoying the show and just waiting for the next act to start. The little troublemaker is having a lot of fun at my expense, watching me argue with Antonio Wayne and brood about my busted lip. He is languidly stretched back in his chair, and just the sight of him so relaxed and happy right now is aggravating me.

“Why don’t you get that fucking toothpick out of your mouth and quit looking so damn smug?”

“It’s cinnamon flavored; I like it.”

“Why are you even still sitting in here?” I bark out.

“Because I’m looking forward to seeing you jump all over Nikita’s ass.”

“You’re a fucking instigator, Novak.”

“No, Antonio Wayne is.”

“I won’t argue with that.”

I look at my phone when I hear a text alert come through, and it’s a picture of the woman we need to rescue. I’m not in the habit of rescuing damsels in distress, but Ricardo made a damn good point about presenting a united front against our enemies. Securing my alliance with the Columbian cartel will make it worth any inconvenience. Out of everyone, the Ramirez brothers are two connections I don’t want to lose or piss off. In the process, I will also be getting rid of enemies attempting to make a name for themselves on my turf. I need to stop this shit before it starts. There is no way I am going to allow gangbangers to come in and take over my territory. My family has worked for generations to secure our Bratva legacy. This is the exact reason I raised my children the way I have.

I look up to see Nikita making his way in. He really is the spitting image of me. His workout regime, along with my DNA, has given him a huge build. His shoulder-length, blond hair is pulled back in a tie, and he’s wearing a custom tailored suit; the kid is me twenty years ago. Even now, people mistake us for brothers. I’ve worked hard to maintain my body, and it shows.

When he sits down, I slide my phone across the desk to him.

“She’s pretty. Who is she, Dad?”

“She could be your wife… after you rescue her, that is.”

I’m joking, but at the same time, I’m feeling him out too. If he finds her attractive, and she needs to be rescued, he might go along with what I have planned without any opposition. Of course, he isn’t going to realize that my intent is to make his childhood crush jealous, but hey, Natasha needs a little motivation. I don’t want to be eighty years old before I have grandchildren. These two need a little prodding in the right direction to get together, and I’m just the guy who can work behind the scenes to make it happen.

His eyes go cold. Oh yeah, he looks just like me.

“It’s not my job to rescue women, and you, of all people, should know how I feel about Natasha.”

“Perhaps Natasha needs some incentive?”

“Natasha isn’t the kind of woman you want to provoke, Dad. Are you trying to get this woman killed? Even for you, that’s an odd concept. I’d end up rescuing her just to have Natasha kill her in a jealous rage.”

“There’s nothing like a good cat fight,” Novak interjects.

We both glare at him, and he shuts up. This is none of his concern.

I was trying to keep my plan to make Natasha jealous my little secret; so much for that! Then again, if I manipulate the circumstances correctly, it should still work.

“I’m not in the habit of rescuing women either, Nikita. I am, however, in the habit of securing my territory. These are Haitian gangbangers invading our turf, and they kidnapped the woman of one of our allies with the intent to kill her in a snuff film.”

“Which ally?”

His questioning is disrespectful, and he’s beginning to piss me off. I lean forward to get in his face.

“Boy, don’t ever forget that you work for me. I brought you into this world, and I’ll take your ass out!”

I resist a chuckle as the grown man seated in front of me regresses back to the little boy I raised.

“I’m sorry, Dad. It’s just that I don’t know this woman.”

“Let’s start this conversation again, and this time, just fucking listen to me, son.”

I stare at him before I continue, silently communicating that I don’t want to hear any arguments. When I am sure he is listening, I continue.

“A while back, Antonio Wayne and his brother, Ricardo, had a run-in with some Haitian pirates. The bastards boarded one of Antonio’s boats at sea, and they kidnapped a bunch of women he was bringing over from Colombia to work in his club. Antonio swears Colombian women are some of the most beautiful in the world.”

I reach over to retrieve my phone, and I show my son the picture of the woman again before I continue.

“Judging by the look of her, I would say he is correct in his assessment. Antonio sent his men in, rescued the women, and killed off the Haitians. Now, a different sect has come in, trying to take their place, and it looks like they’re out for vengeance. You and I both know it’s common for gangs to come in, wanting to take over territory that has been cleaned up. In our line of work, it’s a never-ending cycle; the battle over turf is always an issue.”

“I’ll do anything I can to help you, Dad. You know that.”

That is all I need to hear. My son is on board.

“That’s all for now; both of you can leave.”

I glare at Novak, daring him to say something. Evidently he got the message because he leaves with his arm wrapped around my son’s shoulder, laughing about how Nikita might be getting a wife soon. Thankfully, he is on to pestering someone besides me. I’ve had enough of his shit for one day.

I’d forgotten how much of a pain in the ass my cousin could be, and he’s wasting no time reminding me with his childish antics. More than once when we were kids, we ended up rolling around in the dirt, fighting over some shit he’d done to me. It’s odd how distance can make you forget all the bad stuff about someone. In the end, though, the bottom line is that he’s family, and I know he has my back like only family can.

Once again, I lean over to push the button on my speaker. This time, I call for my wife. I watch as she saunters in barefoot and wearing a sundress. Damn, she’s hot. I can already feel my cock getting hard for her.

I observe her as she sits on my desk and places her feet on the armrests of my office chair. She isn’t wearing any panties, so it’s clear to me that she knows exactly what she’s doing. I stand up, pulling my wife's body close to mine, breathing in her scent. I am as in love with her today as I was twenty years ago when I first captured her against her will, blackmailing her into being mine. She is no longer my captive, but I am still a man given to stalking her every move. I am a predator, and she is my prey; that much has not changed.

She touches my bloody lip, still swollen from the confrontation with the man who owed me money. No one died, though blood had been spilled. It is another day of life to be spent with my Ptichka.

I undo my belt and pants, allowing them to fall down around my ankles, and hook my hands under her thighs to pull her toward me. By the look of her glistening folds, it’s obvious I affect her the same way she does me.

I slowly push into her, relishing the initial feel of being enveloped in her warmth. My hands wander to the top of her dress, and I pull it down so I can wrap my lips around one of her nipples. She feels so good. Taking her slow and easy, I’m making love to her rather than taking her, and it feels like coming home.

I need this. I need the reassurance that we are more than just sexually attracted to each other. I need to know that we are in love. She is, and will always be, the love of my life.