Page 32

Bratva’s key players were invited to a monstrous house on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, Russia. All eager to discuss their next moves against me, no doubt. There was no way I was going to miss that.

All the pieces of the puzzle had fallen into place. Now, I held a handful of cards myself. The balance had shifted, or so I hoped.

The event was an annual gathering, a gala of sorts, held in honor of those who had contributed to the wealth and prosperity of the organization.

It was a tradition that had held for decades, and the Russians were nothing if not traditional.

The surviving members of the founding families and their appointed heirs have been entertained by the Pakhan, by Ilya, for two days. Days filled with negotiations, arguments, persuasion, and overindulgence in the most luxurious food and alcohol money could buy .

I slipped into a fabulous black dress I had bought in Italy, one that gave me the right amount of flexibility, just in case things went sideways. I didn’t bother to tell the shop assistant the real reason I needed it.

By the time I arrived, the meeting had already started. That was exactly how I planned it. After all, who didn’t live for a little drama?

The handler, who I’d been in contact with, opened the massive wooden door. Gasps of shock filled the room.

I held my head high, where it should always have been.

As everyone turned to their fellows for answers, I scanned the crowd for the men I’d come for.

They were actively searching the earth, trying to understand how someone managed to show up on their home turf.

Malek was the first to break through the shock. “How?” he stuttered. “How is she here?”

I turned to the handler, letting him answer. After all, he was the one who managed the guest list.

“Ms. Taya has provided proof of her right to sit at this table,” the old man announced.

If I thought they were shocked before, it was nothing compared to the looks on their faces now.

Ilya sat at the head of the table, his face reddening with each passing second.

I didn’t dare look around, focusing instead on the two faces that had been occupying my mind for the last few months.

Malek, now seated once again to the right of the Pakhan, exploded. His voice roared through the room. “Can someone explain?”

With a brief nod of thanks to the attendant, I entered. The sharp clicking of my heels on the centuries-old floor followed me to the last empty seat.

Once settled, I raised an eyebrow and asked, “What’s the problem? I thought you wanted me to become an official member.” I tossed Malek’s earlier demands right back at him .

“What is the meaning of this? Have you changed your mind about marriage?”

I resisted the eye roll. As if. “Oh Malek, not a chance. But I’ll gladly clarify for you.”

I stood, meeting each of their gazes, before the carefully guarded words, carrying the weight of death and misery, slipped from my mouth.

“I am Taya Laurov. The only daughter of the Black Widow and Kristian Laurov, the most respected of the rulers. As the last of Pakhan Laurov’s kin, I am here to stake my claim over the Bratva’s approval of leadership.”

The members eyed the chair I occupied, glancing between my face and the furniture, slowly making the connection.

I let the moment linger, allowing the weight of my words to settle before I continued, aiming straight for the jugular. “I hereby do not recognize either Ilya Aistov or Malek Zuev as the rightful leaders of the Bratva.”

The words tasted bittersweet on my tongue, but with them, an era was coming to an end. “Their actions have not prioritized the best interests of the Bratva. Therefore, I call for their immediate removal and for a new Pakhan to be appointed in their place.”

A graveyard silence followed. Ilya’s eyes widened, threatening to pop out of his skull. I could practically see the wheels turning, desperately searching for anything to undermine my claim, but I pressed on before he could throw doubt into the mix.

“Should the Bratva require proof, a DNA test will be conducted to confirm the legitimacy of my claim.”

I covered all fronts, patched up any air holes. There wasn’t much they could do now and I relished every second of that certainty.

“Should the Galkin family choose to recognize Ilya as a member of their family, I’ll have no issue with that.

Ultimately, the decision is theirs. I only request that Ilya no longer hold any position of power and will bow to the rightful Pakhan.

Given the circumstances, if his fiancée wishes to be freed from their marriage contract, I’ll grant it.

As for Malek, a decision will be made, along with the newly appointed leader, regarding his role in the brotherhood. ”

I eyed the two men, absorbing their desperation like a sponge. Not long ago, I’d been in their exact position, standing on unstable ground, trying to make sense of who had pulled the carpet out from under me.

“One more thing. I took it upon myself to ensure the safety of the Galkin family and anyone connected to me or them by adding them to the List of the Angels.”

I slammed the document down in front of Ilya, savoring the despair that seeped from him.

Enjoy the taste of your own medicine. And choke on it, I thought.

“Their current spouses, their future partners, their children born or unborn are included,” I said, my voice sharp. “My father’s list has been reinstated. And signed by others outside the organization.”

I watched them, letting the words sink in, knowing the chaos they’d bring.

“As my witnesses, and for the necessary demonstration, I brought in a representative from each organization bound by the agreement.”

I turned the phone over, revealing the faces of the men from my summer meetings, all present. Even the Don. They’d kept their word.

Satisfied with their reactions, I ended the call with a nod, then looked back at the room.

“In case any of you get stupid ideas…” I paused, letting the weight of it settle.

“She can’t just march in dictating us,” Ilya protested, his words childlike.

Ridiculous and sad, considering how I once idolized him.

“She can, Mr. Aistov,” the handler replied firmly. “Pakhan Laurov was so respected in the community that he and his family held the most votes. Add to that the vote of the Black Widow or Inna, as I knew her. And now, with Ms. Laurov officially anointed, the total gives her the majority. ”

Ilya faltered, but the handler wasn’t finished. “Her decisions can’t be overturned, not even by all your combined efforts.”

The handler’s gaze turned back to me, and I could see the sincerity in his words. “Your father would be proud of you, Taya. I have long awaited someone from his blood to step forward and lead us.”

I nodded, the weight of his praise not lost on me. “Thank you.”

When we spoke earlier, I realized how strange it was to meet someone who knew my parents. The handler seemed eager to share stories about them, but I stopped him. As much as I appreciated his intent, I wanted to hold on to the few memories I had left.

“I’m afraid I might disappoint you in that regard,” I admitted to the old man. Looking around the room, I addressed the other families politely. “If you don’t mind.”

The handler clapped his hands, signaling the end of the conversation. He hurried the other members out of the room for dinner.

As the crowd filtered out, I finally spoke to the Galkin men. “You guys stay,” I suggested. “I think you’ll want to hear this.”

There was no way I could see this through without slipping back into who I was around them, so I avoided eye contact, focusing on the task at hand.

“Laurov’s daughter?” Malek spoke, his voice dripping with disbelief. “I’ve been fucking royalty?”

Expecting comments like that, I softly laughed, numb to whatever he was trying to provoke. “Good for you.” Men, and their egos.

“You almost married one, too,” I added, pursing my lips. “Almost.” Ilya’s face twisted into a murderous expression when our gazes locked across the table. He didn’t even realize he was to blame for all of this.

“What are you doing, Taya?”

I stood my ground, steady in my response. “I’m putting a stop to what you should have prevented from the beginning,” I sneered. “This little secret of mine would have never seen the light if you trusted me more. ”

I didn’t flinch, leaving all my thoughts out there. “You forced me to use it to my advantage and protect those who needed protecting. To keep my freedom. I refuse to let you two rule when neither of you is worthy.”

“Or maybe you were planning this all along,” Malek accused, his voice dripping with suspicion.

I laughed, dry and cold. “That is precisely why you and I would never work out.” Among other reasons.

“I don’t want to be in charge,” I admitted. “I’m happy to let others take the place. I’m good at what I do, thanks to you, sure. But mostly thanks to the blood that runs through me and hard work.”

Finally, taking pride in who I was and where I came from, as my mother reminded me in her last words, I spoke, “I am the daughter of a power couple. Royalty among our kind. Now everyone knows, and it’ll cost me.

” I chuckled darkly. “Hell, it already cost me my entire childhood. I never met my father, but I’m told he was a man of honor.

He valued fairness. Something you’ve lost the meaning of.

” I locked eyes with them. “I know for a fact he wouldn’t climb to the top on the backs of others.

You won’t use me or anyone else to grab more for yourselves. ”

“Who’s better?” Ilya asked quickly.

I let the pause linger, letting the tension build before I calmly announced the news, fully confident in my decision. “The Galkins.”

Ilya shot up from his seat while the Galkins exchanged whispers.

“You’re joking,” Ilya protested.

I shook my head. “It’s theirs if they want it.”

“You just put a giant target on your back,” Ilya sneered, pointing an accusatory finger.

He had no idea.

“I just repainted the old one,” I sneered right back, leaning over the table. “The same one I’ve had since the moment I was born.” The very same one that brought my mother to her early grave.

Ilya eyed the document abandoned on the table, briefly reading the text .

“What do you think will happen when the Italians start asking for more? Demanding more?”

“The Galkins will deal with it accordingly. And I will gladly assist,” I settled his doubts. “But unless someone gives me a real reason to act, believing their word is assurance enough.”

I saw the fight in him, the anger, but there was something else. As if he bit his tongue and organized his thoughts, which is exactly what I expected Ilya to do. So I moved on to the biggest problem I had uncovered of them all.

“Malek, you let your obsession take hold of you.” My gaze sharpened, unflinching. “You better make every breath count, because the second I hear you’re growing in numbers, I’ll hunt you down. No deals, no negotiations.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” Malek growled, his voice rising.

“I don’t want you to be,” I answered coolly. “Fear isn’t necessary when you’re confident in your own strength. And trust me, I am.”

“So tough,” he sneered. “Even mummy and daddy couldn’t protect you.”

I leaned forward, my smile barely there, but loaded with meaning.

“Long live the new generation,” I whispered, the words shaping our future, this organization, and perhaps even the world.