“In Mikhail’s case, he’s my second cousin, and his father, Maxim, was blessed that his father allowed him to break with family tradition. I do not resent that. I was thrilled Max had that opportunity.” He paused again.
“Matvey, just tell her,” Victoria said softly.
He sighed, then confessed. “I am aPakhan, which means boss in Russian. In my case, I am the boss of a Russian Bratva family. You may have heard of the Bratva, the Brotherhood. We’re the Russian equivalent of the Mafia.”
The silence afterward was heavy. Kathlyn sat frozen, staring. Anastasia and I moved toward her, but we were beaten to her by Iker. No one broke the silence. We allowed her to process it. It took her a couple of minutes to speak.
“So you’re a mobster, the head one. That means you run illegal guns, gambling, drugs, and do murders-for-hire and God knows what else.” There was disbelief and horror in her tone.
“Mom, I know this seems terrible, but it’s not as bad as it sounds,” Anastasia told her.
“I understand your disgust. I was raised never to question what my family did. It was only after I got older that it changed. I saw how Maxim lived his life. However, I am too high up to walk away from this life, Kathlyn. If I tried, it would be seenas a weakness and a threat to the others in the Brotherhood. Victoria, Mikhail, and anyone else considered close to me would be hunted and killed alongside me to ensure no one turned on them or posed a threat.
“Since I could not walk away, I made sure I was feared while changing what my people are involved in. I substituted higher-yield legitimate businesses for the most heinous businesses. I do not deal in trafficking in any form. Forced prostitution is a no. We do not hire ourselves out as assassins. Illegal gambling, selling weapons, and other things are done within strict parameters. I am not saying I am an angel, but I am not the worst devil out there.”
Kathlyn remained quiet for several more moments, then sighed.
“I don’t believe in judging anyone. I know what it's like when it happens. And while I’m wary of what you just shared, I’ve also been having a lovely day with you and Victoria without a single thing to make me question you. As long as my daughter, Reign, and these other wonderful people remain unharmed, then I don’t need to know more. I’ll wait and see personally how things go.”
Matvey bowed his head, “Thank you.”
Victoria was teary-eyed. She stood and went to Kathlyn. They grasped hands and kissed each other’s cheeks. The tension bled away, allowing us to slowly resume the relaxed, fun atmosphere.
Everyone stayed until after dark. We didn’t want the night to end, but eventually it had to. The couples were the first to go, followed by Sharlena and Sawyer. Then it was time for Iker, Matvey, Victoria, and Kathlyn to leave. Iker was escorting Anastasia’s mom home since he’d told the guards he’d let them know when they were needed back at the townhouse.
In the lobby, Matvey and Victoria’s bodyguards met us. They'd stayed outside the apartment, but I knew they’d been around. They took their boss and his wife’s security seriously. No one wanted to be the one who fucked up and let thePakhanand his wife get hurt or killed. It would spell a death sentence, I had no doubt.
The six of us, along with Konstantin and Rurik, Bratva bodyguard and soldier to Matvey, stepped outside together. The car with Emil in it waited at the curb. Rurik stepped over to open the car door for the Ivanovas. We were still saying goodbye when, out of the darkness, a figure in a hoodie stepped out, wearing a mask. An arm was raised. I had no time to move. The gun in the figure’s hand was aimed at me. Vaguely, I heard yelling.
“Cover them,” Matvey shouted as he and Victoria were taken to the ground and their bodies covered by Konstantin.
“Die, motherfucker,” the dark figure growled in a voice I recognized.
I knew I was dead. Except I wasn’t. I was saved by the last person I ever imagined saving me.
“No!” Anastasia screamed as she threw herself in front of me.
The shot rang out loud just as she made herself my shield. Her scream of shock and pain curdled my blood. Another shot was fired on the heels of the first. I waited to feel the burn, but it never came. Instead, the figure, which was Sameer, was tackled to the ground.
Chaos broke out around us. Kathlyn was crying and yelling. I was kneeling now, holding Anastasia in my arms. Blood was coming from the wound in her upper shoulder area. I pressed my hand against it. I didn’t know what else to do.
“Take him,” I heard Matvey bark.
He took control. I noticed a second car had pulled up behind the one Emil drove, and more of Matvey’s men got out. Sam was dragged inside, and then it took off. ThePakhanremained, though he knew that the police would be called. There were people still out on the streets. Kathlyn dropped to her knees next to me. She sobbed as she touched her daughter’s face. She was talking to her, but I zoned it out. I looked up.
Iker and Matvey’s furious faces looked back at me. Victoria was in the car with her alarmed face pressed to the window. Emil was with her. Rurik and Konstantin were facing away, guarding us.
“The police will come. An ambulance is on its way. Go to the hospital with her. Take Kathlyn. When the police come to question you, tell them you have no idea who did it. The suspect ran. Leave the rest to us,” Matvey rattled out swiftly.
“I can’t. There are witnesses and cameras,” I said.
“You leave the cameras to me, and eyewitness testimony is debunked all the time. You take care of her and let us deal with him. We won’t end his miserable existence without you,” Iker promised in a low voice.
Shock was giving way to fury. The desire to hurt, to kill, was rising.
“Make sure he survives until I get there,” I snarled.
Iker and Matvey nodded. The sound of sirens came nearer. Matvey got into the car with his people and drove off. It would cause more trouble if he stayed.
