The Crippled Mafia King’S Forced Bride EP 2

Rodion POV's

Three months later

There are never enough drugs.

I put the sheet filled with notes on the pile of papers on my desk and focus on the numbers on the laptop screen.

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

Call Sergei

I lean back in my wheelchair and look at Maxim, who is sitting on the other side of my desk

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

I need him to arrange two additional shipments this month

Maxim/Second in Command

He already negotiated the quantities with Mendoza for the quarter. I’m not sure the Mexicans can double it on such short notice

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

They will. Now, tell me what the f**k happened because I know that look well, and I know I won’t like the answer

Maxim/Second in Command

Samuel Grey embezzled three million dollars. Our money

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

*Sigh and shake his head*

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

Who is Samuel Grey, why did he have access to our money, and how did he manage to do that?

Maxim/Second in Command

Our real estate mediator. The money was meant for buying two more lots near the north warehouse. Grey thought he could borrow our money for a week for some investment which ended up being a Ponzi scheme.

How much of an idiot a person would have to be to steal from the Bratva? Sometimes I’m amazed by people’s stupidity.

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

Can he pay it back?

Maxim/Second in Command

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

Kill him. And make an example out of him

Maxim/Second in Command

I had something else in mind. People . . . people are starting to talk, Rodion. We need a distraction, fast. I think Grey can provide that distraction

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

Oh? And what have they been talking about?

I’ve known Maxim since he started working for my father two decades ago, as a foot soldier. The old pakhan never could determine a person’s potential. Wasting a man as capable as Maxim by assigning him to basic fieldwork was one of many mistakes I corrected the moment I became pakhan twelve years ago. Right after I killed the bastard.

Maxim/Second in Command

You. Still being unmarried

That’s old news

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

But that’s not all, is it? What else?

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

*Narrow his eyes*

He’s not looking at me, his gaze focused on something on the wall behind me

Maxim/Second in Command

There are rumors that you won’t be able to run the Bratva much longer and someone else will take your place. Someone more . . . physically able

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

And do you share their opinion?*raised his one eyebrow*

Maxim/Second in Command

Do not insult me, Rodion. You know I’ve always stood by you, and I’ll keep doing so. Even if I don’t think you’re the most capable pakhan the Bratva ever had. But you’ve been holed up here for three months. You haven’t been to any of our clubs to check on the operations like you did at least once a month before the explosion. And you haven’t been seen with a woman

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

So the status of my se× life is a better indicator of my ability to run the Bratva than the fact that we doubled our profit the last two months?

Maxim/Second in Command

People need the feel of stability, Rodion. They still remember how your father took over the previous pakhan’s place and the chaos that followed. The Bratva lost more than fifty people to internal skirmishes, and the business was devastated. They need to know that it won’t happen again.

Maxim/Second in Command

A wife means there will be an heir who will be ready to take over your place when the time comes, without internal war or people dying

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

I will not tie myself to some random woman for life just to pacify our ranks

Maxim/Second in Command

Let me show you something

Maxim takes out his phone and starts scrolling

Maxim/Second in Command

My daughter went to school with Samuel’s daughter. They weren’t close friends or anything, but they hung out together often, and I remember her showing me the videos she took. I asked her to send me one of those last night when I heard what Samuel Grey did

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

What would videos of teenagers have to do with my ability to lead the Bratva?

Maxim/Second in Command

Well, she’s not a teenager anymore. Natalia Grey finished art studies at The Art Institute here in Chicago in two years instead of four, and she’s currently the most sought-after young artist in the country. Her paintings sell for four figures each

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

So what, we’ll hire her to paint us a family portrait?

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

*Pinch the bridge of my nose*

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

You are barely fifty. Are you going senile prematurely?

Maxim/Second in Command

We aren’t hiring her to paint us a portrait. We will be blackmailing her. Her father’s life for her services

Rodion Ivanov/Pakhan/ML

To do what?

Maxim/Second in Command

To marry you, Roman. Well, temporarily at least

To be continued