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FORTY-FIVE
MAXIM
“ S top.” I scream, slamming my open palm on my desk, the force reverberating through the room. Everyone stops and turns to face me. “We will not plan anything if you all keep screaming over each other. We need to get past our differences.” My voice is strained, the tension of the moment crawling under my skin. I glance at Sophia for support. Ten minutes into this chaotic planning session, Luca had already called it, and now Sophia, with a massive headache, had retreated to the corner. Or at least that’s what I thought. I’m starting to wonder if she just wanted to escape the chaos.
She gives me a sympathetic smile before standing and sitting on my lap, offering some much-needed comfort. “Maxim is right. We need to move past all the negativity if we’re going to figure out who these people are and what they’re planning.” She looks at Andrei. “Jenny was controlled, just as Elena was. Place your anger on the rightful person. She had no control over anything either.”
“That’s bullshit. You’re making excuses for her!” Andrei screams, his voice raw with frustration.
“Lower your fucking voice when speaking to Sophia,” I growl, a surge of protectiveness rising within me.
Sophia pats my leg gently, a calming gesture. “It’s okay. He’s angry. He has the right to be angry.” She sighs, her shoulders slumping with the weight of everything. “But I’m not defending her actions, especially involving Elena. That was her idea.”
Jennifer speaks up, her voice quiet but firm. “To my defense?—”
Andrei’s head snaps toward her, his eyes blazing with anger. “You’re not allowed a defense.”
“I know you’re angry, and I’m sorry for what I did to you and Elena,” Jennifer says, her voice thick with remorse. “But helping the syndicate was the only way I saw of getting out of a hard situation. And involving Elena was my way of trying to help her too. You know how hard she had it, living under her father’s roof.”
From the back of the room, Elena speaks up, her voice soft but cutting. “Jenny was trying to help me at first.” To my surprise, Jennifer and Elena have been friends for years, a strange but understandable pairing. Jennifer is strong, outspoken, confident. Elena, on the other hand, is quiet and reserved, her life shaped by the torment her father inflicted. “I tried to end it. I told her I couldn’t keep doing this. I was in love and pregnant. I couldn’t keep helping her. At first, I thought she understood, but I was wrong. She threatened the baby.”
“I’m sorry for doing that to you, Elena,” Jennifer says, her voice trembling with regret. “I know it might not mean much right now, but I would never hurt you or the baby. I was desperate. They were breathing down my neck, and I didn’t know what else to do.”
Elena’s eyes soften, but the bitterness remains. “Deep down, I know that, but it doesn’t change what you did. It doesn’t change the damage it caused.” Elena stands, her gaze flicking to Andrei, waiting for him to follow. But he doesn’t move, not even a glance in her direction. Elena sighs, clearly used to this dynamic, and leaves the room.
Andrei’s eyes meet mine, and I silently ask if he’s okay. He shakes his head, and I can feel the weight of his frustration.
Sophia stands from my lap, sits next to Andrei, and says something to him in a low voice. His lips curl into a lopsided smile, and he presses a gentle kiss to her forehead. At least they’re not at each other’s throats anymore.
Luca leans back in his chair, stretching his arms as if to break the lingering tension in the air. “Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, what’s our next step?” His tone is dry, but I can tell he’s ready to move on.
I cut straight to the point, frustration mounting. “What do you know about the syndicate?” I’ve been dying to ask him this, but between all the shouting and Luca’s constant commentary, it was impossible to get a word in.
Sophia chimes in before Luca can answer. “The best place to start is to learn more about them. We can’t attack ghosts.” She’s right. We need information.
“I tried looking through my father’s old files on his computer,” I say, frustration creeping into my voice as I recall the failed attempt. “Nothing popped up. If he had ties to them, he hid it well.” I pause. “This falls on you, Luca. Sophia’s dad said your father was part of the syndicate. You’ll have better luck finding information than me.”
Luca leans forward, his expression serious. “I’m heading back to New York tomorrow. I’ll start my search then.”
I nod, silently acknowledging the weight of the task ahead. The room falls silent as Luca exits, the tension thick in the air. We have our next move, but I can’t shake the feeling that the deeper we dig, the more dangerous this is going to become.
“I’m going to head out too,” Andrei says, standing.
“No, you and I need to talk,” I responded, stopping him in his tracks. He looks at me, confusion written all over his face, and hesitates before sitting back down. I can see the tension in his shoulders as he waits, his body language telling me he’s not sure what I want to say.
Jennifer speaks up, her voice soft but filled with a quiet desperation. “I want out.” The words hit me like a punch in the gut. “I’ve already caused too much damage. Can you get one of your men to become my bodyguard? I just want to live the rest of my life with my kids without constantly looking over my shoulder.”
I feel a heavy knot form in my stomach. She’s in deeper than she knows, and I know what I have to do. My mind races, and then suddenly, an idea comes to me. I grab my phone, texting my cousin Mikhail in Russia. His response is almost instant.
Send her my way. They will be protected.
I look back at Jennifer, my mind already set. “I have a better idea. You’re going to Russia.”
Both Sophia and Andrei say, “Russia?” at the same time, their confusion evident on their faces.
I let out a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. “I may not know who they are, but I know the type of people they are. Even if I put a bodyguard on you all the time, it wouldn’t guarantee your safety. If they had no issues sending someone to kill me, they won’t hesitate to do the same to you—especially since you betrayed them. By now, they must know I didn’t take you against your will. You’re not going to be safe here, but in Russia, you’ll be living in an impenetrable fortress.”
She sighs, clearly conflicted, but I can see the wheels turning in her head. “Impenetrable?”
“It’s safer than Fort Knox,” I say firmly, trying to give her a sense of security.
“Okay, I’ll go,” she finally says, her voice a mix of acceptance and resignation.
“Perfect. I’ll set it up so you leave tonight. I’ll message my pilot,” I reply, my fingers already moving to arrange the flight.
“Why tonight?” she asks, her brow furrowing in concern.
“The faster you leave, the less chance they’ll have of finding you. Now go, pack. Get your kids and be at the airport in seven hours.”
She gives me a quick, grateful nod. “Thank you.” Then, she hugs Sophia tightly before heading out, leaving me alone with Sophia and Andrei.
“Everyone’s gone. Can you tell me what you needed to talk about?” Andrei asks, his voice still edged with confusion.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. This is the hardest part, the part I’ve been avoiding. But I can’t avoid it any longer. My mind is made up, and it’s time to face the consequences.
“I’m retiring,” I say, letting the words hang in the air, almost like I’m testing them out, trying to gauge their weight.
Andrei jerks his head back, his eyes wide with disbelief. “What do you mean, retiring?”
I chuckle softly at the absurdity of it. “I’m leaving all of this to you,” I say, nodding toward him. “You’re much better suited to this role than I am, Andrei. You have the patience and the drive I don’t. This whole time, I thought it was my calling, but it’s not. I was forced into this position with no other choice.”
He stares at me, shaking his head, as if he can’t believe what he’s hearing. “You’re fucking crazy. You can’t do that,” he says, his voice rising with frustration.
“I most certainly can and will,” I reply, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.
He turns to Sophia, searching for reassurance, but she shrugs, a little too nonchalant for my liking. “Don’t look at me. I had no idea he was planning to do this.”
“This isn’t her doing, Andrei,” I snap, my voice sharp. “Don’t point fingers at her. It’s all me. I’ve seen the way you’ve handled things. After the fire, before that. You know the men. You have a passion for this job I don’t have. You’re the one who’s built for this life, not me.”
Andrei’s face twists with emotion. “I can’t do this. I can’t,” he repeats, his voice raw. I can feel the pain in his words, the weight of everything he’s carrying.
“Yes, you can. You are more than capable,” I say, my conviction unwavering.
He laughs bitterly, the sound hollow. “You’re crazy. There are people who won’t stand for this change,” he warns, his tone low, as if he’s trying to prepare me for the inevitable fallout.
“Then we’ll handle them when the time comes,” I say, my voice hard as stone.
He looks at me, his face a mix of disbelief and admiration. “Are you serious?”
“Very,” I answer, holding his gaze. There’s no turning back now.
Andrei falls silent, his eyes searching mine for any hint of doubt. But there is none. I’m done with this life, done with all the blood, the danger, the endless lies. It’s time for something new.
“What are you going to do from now on?” he asks, his voice softer now, tinged with a touch of curiosity.
“I’m going to continue helping you from a distance,” I say, my gaze shifting to Sophia, who’s watching us with a soft, knowing smile. “I’m going legit like I’ve wanted to for some time. With you working in the shadows like you love, we can have it all. I want to give my baby the father we never had.”
“Father?” Andrei’s eyes widen, and he stands, his smile suddenly broad and filled with disbelief. “ The Maxim Volkov, who always has a stick up his ass, is going to be a father?”
“Yes, he is,” Sophia chimes in, her voice filled with pride.
Andrei wraps his arms around her in a tight hug then turns to me, his smile genuine and full of warmth. “Congratulations, man. I’m happy for you.”
As I watch them, warmth spreads through my chest. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Maybe this is the right choice after all. Maybe, for the first time in my life, I’m actually doing what’s best for me—and for my family.
Everything’s going to be alright.
Seven months have passed since that day in the office, seven months full of changes, battles, happiness, and bloodshed. Andrei has blossomed into the man I knew he could be when he took my place as Pakhan. It was a rocky start—we got pushback from some people, but that was quickly handled. They either followed him or died. Some chose death, and I had no problem being the angel of their demise. I stare at myself in the mirror as I finish adjusting my tie. These past few months have been interesting, to say the least. Luca found an informant to give him information about the syndicate when trying to find leads through his father’s things turned out to be a bust. We also have Danny feeding us information on every move the syndicate makes. It wasn’t my idea to set that bastard free—it was Sophia’s. She gave him an ultimatum: either work for us or live a life full of pain. She was serious when she told him we would torture him to the brink of death, let his body heal, and do it all over again.
I’m glad he chose to help, because it allowed me to focus my attention where it was needed most: Sophia. Around the fifth month of her pregnancy, she developed high blood pressure—preeclampsia. I thought I would miss calling the shots, but I don’t. It’s freeing to have that weight off my shoulders.
“It’s time,” Andrei says from outside the door.
“I’ll be right out,” I reply, checking myself one last time in the mirror. I take a deep breath, feeling the calm settle over me as I walk out of the room and into the backyard.
The scene before me is nothing short of breathtaking. Over three hundred guests sit in white chairs with blue bows neatly arranged on either side of the white walkway. Blue hydrangea petals cover the path, creating a soft carpet for my steps. I take my place at the altar next to Andrei, who stands tall, his eyes focused on the ceremony. I nod to the priest, and then I turn my gaze to the end of the aisle, where she will soon appear.
A deep breath fills my chest as my heart races in anticipation. A huge grin spreads across my face as I wait, watching the doors open. The world around me falls away for a moment, my entire focus on the woman about to walk down the aisle.
My reason for everything—the reason I’m leaving it all behind. Forever.
She steps into view, and time seems to stand still.
The end.
Table of Contents
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