56. Bronwyn

56

brONWYN

We checked into a hotel under fake names, paying cash. I insisted on being the one to go up to the reception desk because my face was less well known, but my heart was racing so fast I thought I was going to have a heart attack. There are plenty of Russian mafia families in New York, many of them with connections to Spartak. After our loud confrontation with Konstantin at the club, there was a good chance people knew we were in the city. It would only take one waiter or valet parking attendant to recognize us and make a phone call, and we were dead. We spent the night in our room with the door bolted, tensing every time we heard footsteps in the hallway. By morning, we were frazzled wrecks.

Konstantin’s mansion was amazing, three stories high and built of huge slabs of cold gray stone, its doors flanked by massive pillars. We pulled up outside and got out, blinking in the sunlight. It was a beautifully clear morning, the sun sparkling off the snow. I’d put on the crisscross black dress and white jacket Rachel had given me, along with the emergency heels, even though they were hell on my legs: I needed every bit of confidence I could muster.

A bodyguard led us around to the back of the mansion and through a garden that wasn’t so much overgrown as taken over by nature. Trees had twisted together like battling serpents, plants climbed over crumbling brick walls and a huge, ivy-covered oak loomed over everything like a benevolent monster. In summer, it must have been alive with wildflowers, butterflies, maybe even rabbits. Even now, in winter, it was beautiful in a spooky kind of way.

The bodyguard led us to a Victorian glasshouse, the one part of the garden that had been restored, with fresh white paint and sparkling panes of glass. Inside, a wood-burning stove made it comfortably warm. A ginger cat was sprawled on the floor, bathing in the stove’s warmth and it gave us a glare for letting a draft in. Konstantin and his girlfriend were sitting at a circular, wrought-iron table and rose to greet us. “Hailey,” the girlfriend told me, shaking my hand. That confused me because her name on social media was Christina. Unless that crazy story Radimir told me is true?

We sat down. “Last night,” said Konstantin, “I neglected to congratulate you on your wedding.” He looked at me, then at Radimir. “You’ve clearly found someone very special.”

Radimir squeezed my hand. “I have.”

“You’ve given me something to think about.” Konstantin turned and looked at Hailey. She cocked her head and stared at him, but his face was inscrutable. Did he mean marriage? Was he serious, or just teasing her?

At that moment, one of Konstantin’s servants appeared with a tray of coffee and pastries. Konstantin looked up...but not before giving Hailey a tiny smile, as if to say, we’ll talk later. I poured myself a cup of coffee and just the smell of it was enough to kickstart my tired brain.

“Tell me what you need,” said Konstantin.

“Men,” said Radimir immediately. “At least thirty good men, with guns, to defend our territory and let us hit back. We didn’t want this war,” he leaned closer. “But with your manpower, we can win it.”

Konstantin poured himself a cup of coffee, then sat back in his chair, thinking. “If I help you, I’m going against The Eight.”

“You’re not known for following the rules,” pointed out Radimir.

“True. But there must be something in it for me. Something big. What are you offering?”

Radimir nodded. And then, to my horror, he turned to me. I’d just lifted my coffee cup to my mouth, and I stared at everyone, wide-eyed, over the rim. Yes, it was my plan, but… I stared at Konstantin. He was worth billions, he was one of the most powerful men in America. I was a bookworm who couldn’t even get her store to turn a profit. I can’t do this!

Radimir took my hand and squeezed again. I looked up, panicked…but when my gaze settled on those frozen-sky eyes, I went still. I’d never seen him looking more confident, more sure. He believed in me.

I glanced down at myself, at my new dress, shoes and purse. And made a decision. I glugged down about half my cup of coffee and the caffeine rose up to my brain and bellowed at it like a drill sergeant.

“Radimir explained your operations to me,” I began. “And it turns out, the needs of our families are almost exactly opposite. You import massive quantities of merchandise through the port here in New York. But you’ve saturated the market here. Meanwhile, we have a massive market, but we don’t have the same port access you do.” I leaned closer. “We can open up Chicago for you...and from there, the whole Midwest.”

Konstantin wrinkled his nose. “I admire your vision, but as an outsider, you don’t understand how we do things. A deal on that scale would make us too reliant on you. Every family must be able to stand on its own, it’s...tradition.” He shook his head and put his hands on the table, ready to stand.

“Actually,” I said, “I do understand. Because I’m an outsider. This tradition that’s so important to you, the blind obedience to The Eight, the deals done on trust...that’s exactly what got us into this mess.” I stabbed a finger on the table. “That phone call blindsided us because the Bratva don’t use technology in that way. The next generation of criminals are coming up and they’re lean and they’re hungry and they don’t care about family or truces or how you do things. If the Bratva wants to survive, it’s going to have to adapt!”

It went very quiet. I could hear myself panting. I’m standing up. When did I stand up? I stared at Konstantin, who was doing his inscrutable thing again. My stomach dropped. Did I just… lecture Konstantin Gulyev?

I held my breath.

“Good speech,” said Konstantin at last. He looked thoughtfully at me and then at Radimir, stroking his chin. At last, he said, “Maybe it is time to shake things up a little.”

Radimir and I let out silent sighs of relief. And for the next two hours, we thrashed out details and figures, with Radimir and Konstantin like two huge, heavy cogs that only grudgingly wanted to work together and Hailey and me subtle drops of soothing oil that helped them mesh. I caught Hailey’s eye a few times during the negotiations, and she nodded silently to me. It slowly dawned on me that maybe this is part of our job. Female cooperation to counteract all the male machismo. We went through two more pots of coffee and I wound up eating three of the pastries: in my defense, I hadn’t eaten the night before and the pastries were melt-in-your-mouth, buttery perfection topped with caramelized nuts.

When we were done, we walked out to our car, drunk on success and buzzing with caffeine. For the first time since our honeymoon, it felt like there was hope. Konstantin said he’d organize an escort for us to the airport and he and Radimir went to talk to Konstantin’s chief of security. That left Hailey and me alone for a moment.

“You know, you did really well in there,” Hailey told me softly. A cold breeze blew across us and she snugged her coat tighter around her shoulders.

I nodded in thanks, then looked around at the mansion. “I’m not sure I’m ever going to get used to this.”

Hailey smiled. “I remember that feeling.”

I looked sideways at her. Started to ask...and then bit my tongue. And then thought screw it and asked anyway. “I heard this story...about you and Konstantin.” I stared at her. Did she really used to look like someone else? Be someone else? “Is it true?”

Hailey opened her mouth to speak but at that moment, Radimir and Konstantin returned, followed by six of Konstantin’s security team. Hailey gave me a teasing smile, then hugged me goodbye. “Next time,” she promised. I hugged her back, grinning. I felt like I’d made a friend.

Radimir and I climbed into our hire car. Konstantin’s security guys got into a big black SUV that would follow behind us. I suddenly felt a lot better about the drive back to the airport. I pried the five-inch heels off my feet and stretched my throbbing, aching legs. The confidence boost had been worth it, but oww.

I looked up and found Radimir looking at me. “Thank you,” he said solemnly.

I eyed the heels ruefully. “Yeah, well, don’t expect me to wear those except for emergencies. And maybe in the bedroom.”

His eyes flared with lust. Then, “Not just for putting yourself through pain. For everything. For the plan. We have a chance, now.” He shook his head, gazing at me in wonder. “I used to think doing this job meant being on my own. I was wrong: I needed you by my side. And I used to think it was weak to feel things. Now, I can’t imagine not feeling the things I feel for you.”

That flame at the center of me, the one Nathan had snuffed out so completely? It flared and swelled, back to its full size, lighting me up from the inside. I bit my lip, feeling the emotion well up and choke any words. I threw my arms around him and kissed him instead.

Halfway to the airport, we stopped at an intersection. I saw a sign and suddenly put my hand on Radimir’s on the steering wheel. “Queens,” I said, pointing.

Radimir looked at me blankly. “So?”

“If we turn off now, we could be there in a few minutes. We have Konstantin’s men with us, we’ll be safe enough.” Radimir still looked blank. “Isn’t Queens where your old friend lives? Alexei?”

Radimir looked away. Then he looked at the sign. I waited, praying…

But he shook his head and turned towards the airport. “I told you. People like me don’t get to have friends.”

I watched him sadly. He’d changed so much since I met him, he’d let me get close to him, but he wouldn’t let anyone else. Why? Because of what happened to him and his brothers in Vladivostok, whatever that was? I wanted to help him, but I couldn’t unless he let me. And I wasn’t sure he ever would.