13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

T oula

The Russian had been right. I’d missed spending time with Irini, even if she couldn’t or wouldn’t interact with me.

The first Tuesday visit didn’t go well. It was awkward on my end, and I didn’t know if she could feel the tension in the air. I tried, I really did, but I didn’t know what to say. I talked about school, about my classes, and how I snuck out of the house to sit in the library. When her eyes danced, I reached out for her hand and laced our fingers together. Her eyes shifted again, and I couldn’t write it off as just a flicker of light. Irini knew more than she could ever communicate.

The second Tuesday visit was a little better. I’d saved my snippets and stories to make sure that I had something to talk about. This time, I sat across from Irini and watched her. Her eyes still danced, but there were subtle movements that I would have never seen before. Her fingers would tap out a tune only she could hear. She’d shift her weight from one side to another. It was the little things that gave me hope. When she’d lived in the compound, she’d be as still as a statue until otherwise directed. One thing was clear, she was comfortable here, and I had the Russian to thank for that.

From then on, I never missed a Tuesday. It didn’t matter how busy school got or what stage construction on the club was at, if it was Tuesday, I spent the night with Irini. It wasn’t always about filling her in. Sometimes, we watched movies, or I’d read aloud to her. I’d even made her listen as I finished an assignment. She’d shifted towards the back of the couch and closed her eyes, making a joke about falling asleep over the textbook. I had laughed and teased her until it was time to go. I had been lucky, making it to the library in my father’s house before I sobbed like a baby. My sister felt safe enough to live inside her own head, and I was grateful.

This went on for a few months, until one day, we had company. I walked through the entrance to the living room, expecting Irini to be waiting for me. She was curled into the corner of the couch, and Katalina was sprawled in one of the winged-back recliners.

“I brought a rom-com. If it sucks, at least the eye candy will be good. It’ll be fun, and I have stuff for nails. God, these look atrocious.” Her foot dangled over the recliner’s arm as she examined her fingernails.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her, taking the seat next to Irini. I interlocked our fingers, imagining she squeezed mine in hello.

“I visit on Thursdays, but a good-looking birdie thought Irini might like sister time. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he meant. Here I am.” She held her arms out wide, kicking her feet. “Ta da!”

After that, it became a weekly tradition. There were no expectations. No watchful eyes, looking for flaws. We were just sisters, spending time together and building an unbreakable bond. The staff didn’t seem to mind. They prepped the room with pillows, blankets, and snacks.

** *

T oula, Age 20, Year 6

“I’m here,” I called out from the front door. “Seriously, it was like the universe was against me today,” I said, walking into the living room. “I had to go buy a packet at the bookstore for tomorrow, but the line was almost to the back of the store. Traffic was heavy, and the restaurant had a ton of delivery orders.”

“It’s about damn time,” Kat said from her recliner. “I’ll forgive you as long as you brought the goods.”

“Of course, I did.” I held up the takeout Chinese food that I’d picked up on the way there. “Angelo was mad about having to stop, but he’ll get over it.”

“It’s probably because Páteras reamed him the other day,” Sophia chimed in. She was laying on the sofa. Her head butted against Irini’s leg.

“What happened?” I headed over to our make-shift table, where there were plates and drinks waiting.

“I only heard what my driver was telling my guard on the way home from school a few days ago. Is there a gang across the street from your club, Toula?” she asked.

“Yeah, they took over an abandoned home.” I kneeled in front of the table, pulling out containers of Chinese food.

“Oh, okay. That makes sense now. My driver told my guard that the gang leader called Páteras. He said he tried to extort protection money. When Páteras said no and laughed at him, he said he could take you, since Angelo is useless. ”

“I could have told Saint that Páteras would never bend to his demands. I’m not that important, and he doesn’t yield.”

“Saint?” Kat said in disbelief. “You know his name?” She stood up from the recliner, walking to the table.

“Of course, I do. I tried to be reasonable with him, but he’s thinking small and didn’t want to listen. Probably because I’m a woman. Who knows? If Saint had just played nice, he could have made a ton of money for his gang.”

“What the fuck did you say to him?” Kat plopped down next to me, sitting so close we touched from shoulder to hip.

“Watch your mouth. You don’t get in trouble for that here, but you’ll go home and let one slip.” I nudged her. “A little space?”

“Yes, Mitéra.” She rolled her eyes and moved over to her spot on the floor.

I waved Sophia over. She sat up, stretched, and then reached under Irini’s arm to help her stand. Irini would only eat small bites, but it was enough. It had to be.

“You never said what you did, Toullie,” Sophia chimed in.

We’d all handled Irini’s first marriage differently. I had hidden within my books, hoping no one would notice me. Kat had learned how to play the soldiers to her advantage. A quick touch on the arm. A well-timed smile. She was good at twisting them around her little finger, but Sophia was dangerous. At thirteen, she’d learned to listen before speaking. Soaking in any conversation that floated around her, she’d figured out how to use information for her own gain, playing the soldiers against each other.

“I tried to be nice and negotiate with Saint. I told him if his men worked security, I would pay them more than the regulars, but he told me no and laughed in my face. He told me they didn’t work for us, but if I wanted to pay protection, they would ‘look out’ for me.” I wrapped a noodle around my chopstick and brought it to my mouth. “He irritated me. I looked into the property, and they’re squatters. It wasn’t hard to track down the actual owner and buy it.”

“That can’t be all of it,” Kat said, pointing her chopstick at me.

“It isn’t.” I laughed. “Páteras’ lawyer served them an eviction notice. The gang tried to intimidate me the day they received it. Flashing around guns, like we’re not exposed to them every day. Saint said some derogatory things, and I told him he didn’t want trouble with Páteras. I reminded him who I was, and told him if he didn’t clear out, I’d make sure he didn’t have a choice. He heeded the warning, and I’ll turn the house into a 24-hour coffee shop.”

“Why did the guards say the Russians raided the house, killing a few of the men and putting the fear of God into the rest?” Sophia ate as if she hadn’t dropped that nugget of information.

“What are you talking about?” Setting my container on the table, I focused on the top of her head. She was trying to ignore me, but it wouldn’t work. “Soph,” I chided her.

“Fine,” she huffed. “They said that Angelo was in trouble because the Russians had stepped in to protect you. It should have been his job, and he was busy at the brothel. What’s a brothel?”

“Nothing you need to worry about,” Kat cackled.

“You either,” I said, directing the words right at Kat. “I don’t know. It makes little sense. How is Angelo leaving the property when he always stands at the front door?” I went to pickup my chopstick, and that was when the thought hit me. “Unless the Russian is there.”

“When was the last time you saw the smoke show?” Kat asked.

“Last week. I’m not sure what day it was, but he sat with me as I picked out the glassware.”

“You know nothing.” I could have sworn that Irini had spoken. My head instantly snapped to look at her .

“Irini?” I begged her to speak again.

She never raised her head, but there was a whisper that lingered in the room. “You know nothing.”

“I brought a movie. It’s a rom-com. You like those, Irini.” Kat started talking to fill the silence, but she caught my eye, and we shared a look. The Russian had taken care of a problem that my father wouldn’t address.

***

I lya, the Russian

“She actually fucking did it,” Adrik said, standing next to me, swirling the bourbon in his glass.

“Yeah, she did. Did you doubt her?” I asked him, watching the people. There was a bridal party sitting at one table, taking shots. The dance floor was packed, and there were random people sitting or standing around the open space.

“That’s like asking if a zebra has stripes. Of course, I doubted her, and I wasn’t the only one.” Adrik surveyed the room. “No one wanted to tell you this was a bad idea. There were many conversations in the shadows that said all the prep we did for this moment might have been for naught.” He took a sip from the glass.

“No, I understand. When I first saw this place, I couldn’t believe the don had set her up like that either. It was the one thing we didn’t account for, but it worked out alright. The kitchen is going to be profitable, and now she’ll start on the coffee shop across the street.” I smacked him on the arm.

“You got lucky. I don’t like what she makes you do. How many more times are you going to clean up her mess before your luck runs out?” He hit me on the arm hard enough that I swayed before walking away.

I let out a dry chuckle as I went back to people watching. He was right. I had gotten lucky. If Toula hadn’t been so smart or hard working, this place would have failed miserably. I was proud of my malenkaya lisichka. If Irini didn’t survive and Toula became my wife, the Russians would have no issues with the tradeoff. They would only see it as a positive, and I’d have to put boundaries in place to make sure they didn’t overwhelm her with their money-making schemes.

Walking around, I took in the details, nodding to associates that I knew along the way. The music was too loud to carry on conversation on the main floor, which suited my mood. I didn’t feel like engaging. This wasn’t about me, and I wanted to bask in the glow of Toula’s success.

I’d been here plenty of times, but the details appeared different with the lights turned down. The glass chandeliers sparkled every time the strobe lights hit them, bouncing bright lights off the steel walls of the warehouse.

A voice came from over my shoulder. “Isn’t it past your curfew?”

“It’s not a school night, malenkaya lisichka.” I smiled, not bothering to turn around.

“Hmmph, that depends on who you ask. My father says that I still have a lot to learn.” She took a step forward, so that we were standing shoulder-to-shoulder, staring at the dancers on the floor. “How’s your investment?” she asked.

“Is it safe to say you’re in the black for the night?” She wouldn’t recoup all the costs in one night, but if the traffic was any sign, she’d cover them in a few months. The kitchen ran independently, and as long as she brought people through the door, I was golden .

“Yes. The take has cleared seven figures, and it’s not even midnight.” She crossed her arms, but when I looked down at her, she didn’t appear happy. She should have been ecstatic. This was her night to shine, and she looked like she could go ten rounds in a boxing ring.

“That’s incredible, considering what you had to work with. Why are you not happy about your success?” I watched as she smoothed out her features and plastered a fake smile on. It was a survival tactic, but I hated it. With me, she should always feel comfortable enough not to hide.

“I’m happy,” she said, but her forehead still puckered.

“Tell me,” I pushed.

“You can’t fix this. You can’t send your men to deal with my problems.”

She knew. I’d been in her father’s office when the gang leader had made the extortion call. The right play would have been to say no to Saint’s demands and then follow it with a show of force. The only problem was the don had said no but had either thought that would fix it or didn’t care that he’d placed Toula in harm’s way. I had sat with her as she picked out the glassware, and Adrik had taken care of the rest. “How did you know?”

“It doesn’t matter. I know the basics, and I can assume the rest. You shouldn’t have had to step in. My father should have taken care of it, or does he only give a shit when you’re making him money?” Her lips puckered as if she’d tasted something sour.

“Easy. He has eyes and ears in this place, and you shouldn’t say things like that openly.”

“He can’t deny it when it’s all true.” She ran a hand through her hair. “He was here earlier, and you know what he said to me? ‘I knew you’d figure it out. Maybe I’ll give you a bigger challenge next time.’ This was all one big ruse. School, the club, everything. It makes me want to hop on the first flight to anywhere but here.”

“You’re talking nonsense.” I wouldn’t let her run. It was purely selfish on my part, but I longed for her. At the end of this game, I needed to be able to tell the world she was mine. Yet, there were whispers in the back of my mind that said she would be better off leaving.

“This is supposed to be the best night of my life, and I want to burn the whole thing down. If I run, vow you won’t leave Irini unattended. Promise me.”

I didn’t have a choice. There was no quick plan for this situation.

“Let me go,” she whispered in my ear. Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked away, but I didn’t watch her leave. I wasn’t saying goodbye.