Chapter
One
FeliksRykov
I know what people think when they look at me. They see my bespoke suits and perfectly polished shoes. The platinum cufflinks at my wrists. The gleam of my belt buckle and the twinkle of diamonds that sparkle from my tie tack. They see these outward symbols of wealth and privilege, and it quiets their subconscious’s primitive recoil when I’m near. The human brain, much like any other animal’s, has an innate ability to perceive danger and move the body away from what it fears in an almost autonomic fashion.
My appearance is a deliberate cultivation. What the hindbrain whispers, the eyes refute. Societal misconceptions smooth the way, then I can do what I always planned to do.
I am Feliks Rykov,obshchakto Anatoly Balakin, thepakhanof the west coast. Bookmaker in the language spoken by most people in the nation thepakhanbrought me to as a young child, long before my aptitude for numbers convinced him to educate me for such an endeavor.
It’s a role uninformed people imagine for a nerd accountant type, who cowers behind a desk, punching numbers into calculators and software programs. Moving money and counting assets. Admittedly, I do those things. When I’m not unleashing torture and mayhem on those who would dare attempt to cheat or oppose mypakhan.
“You need to stop obsessing over Zinovy’s spending, Rykov. It is drops of pennies in the sea of our holdings,” thepakhangrumbles at me.
“If it were pennies, I would not care. But his extravagances made waves. Enough pennies, enough waves, and even the strongest ship can be capsized.” I wave at the pile of papers on my desk. We’re in the office where I do some of my work for the public side of our enterprises. The messy paperwork spread over the surface lays out several of Zinovy’s messes.“And for what? To stalk a piece of tail.Mudak. Asshole.” Frustration tangles my tongue and Russian words slip into my impeccable English.
“You will understand when you meet yourdushamoya. I would capsize a fleet of warships for my Irina. Zinovy would destroy an armada for his Petal. Your time will come.”
Mypakhan’swords feel like a threat.
“Unlikely. And not if I have anything to say about it. There’s nothing a woman can do for me that merits the effort required.” Left unsaid is their sixth sense that warns them away from me.
In my experience, even the ones who want to take a walk on the dark side shy away from more than a night or two in my bed. Not that I’ve ever bothered to disabuse them of their wariness. I can’t imagine neutering myself as Zinovy has to appease a female. Especially considering he hides in the shadows and waits for some mystifying perfect moment to make himself known to her. That couldn’t be me.
Anatoly chuckles indulgently. His demeanor, when he is alone with the few of us closest to him, is close to paternal asI’ll ever experience. I was merely a boy when he slaughtered my father for being foolish enough to double cross him. Fortunately for me, my mother was a favored maid to thepakhan’swife, Irina. When Anatoly moved his wife to America, he brought my mother and me along for the ride.
I love my mother. She sacrificed much to ensure a better life for me than my birth father intended. I respect Irina for her role at the side of thepakhan. I avoid thepakhan’sdaughter, Amaliya, like she’s radioactive. Not because she is, but I’m unafraid to admit I’d worry less about mishandling plutonium. She’s a brat on her best day and a tornado at her worst.
The three of them comprise the sum total of female experience I have maintained in my life. They are the only ones to see the monster behind my socially acceptable mask without turning away from me. So I think it’s no shock I disbelieve Anatoly’s prediction. I will never be like him or Zinovy.
“You will see, Feliks. A woman will come from out of the blue, and before you know it, you’ll be giving Roza many grandbabies to spoil.”
“Do not put such ideas into the universe! Worse, if my mother hears them, she’ll never let me be.” It soothes me to know my mother has become family to thepakhanand his queen despite her being merely an employee. Irina has never treated her as less than a trusted companion, and I know my mother has a place within thepakhan’shome no matter what happens to me.
“One of your generation must bring young ones into the family. I fear it will not be Amaliya and Shaw. Those two are too busy bossing around his band of miscreant bikers,” Anatoly grumbles.
I know his grousing is for show. Because of my mother’s relationship with his wife, I’ve been privy to a side of him not even his highest advisors and his second, Rurik, can claim. I seethe papa locked behind the cold monarch who rules over the West Coast Vor with an iron fist.
“Then let Sin and the street urchin he’s so obsessed give you the spawnlings you want. I’m not doing that.” I don’t add the ‘ever,’ but I’m sure he hears it.
“When I was your age, I was a father already. You are still young, but when the time comes, you will make Roza happy and give her grandbabies.” Command given, finality rings in his words, and I know the conversation is done. Which is fine by me; we’ve got bigger matters to address.
Namely, the Lexen City Council’s increasing reliance on Anatoly for lining its coffers. Bribes are part and parcel of doing business, but the hands reaching into our wallets are becoming a bit too demanding. Particularly considering little of our patronage is making it into the city’s infrastructure as it should.
“Greedy little fucks with their selfish vices. It is time you remind them that my generosity has limits,Obshchak. That my philanthropic contributions are not as wholesale as they might wish.”
Anyone overhearing the conversation would hear exactly what thepakhanintends them to hear—a high-power CEO blustering about business rivals.
Not that anyone overhears anything in this office. It’s as secure as any SCIF the military could conceive of. By necessity. That doesn’t mean we talk all openly about things best kept between us.
“Understood, sir. Then if you don’t mind, I’ll get busy with that and let you get back to finding someone else to populate the family’s next generation to appease the women.” I’m careful to soften my snark with a wink so thepakhandoesn’t take offense to being dismissed by an underling. We both know he is the boss and I would never disrespect him, but sometimes, it’s worth the adrenaline rush to tug the tiger’s tail.
Anatoly gives me another assessing look as he makes his way to the door, tossing a final grenade my way before exiting.
“Just remember, Irina and your mother want those ‘spawnlings’ as you call them. So if it won’t be you providing them, you damn well won’t survive their wrath if you scare Zinovy’s woman away.”
Chapter
