“Yes, we thoroughly enjoy it, and it never wanes when it comes to our own women.”
“Speaking of women, mine wants to do some PR work for the libraries. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes, I love literature. She made a shitload of money off that book she wrote based on your diary. Weren’t you worried about your personal life being put out there for the masses to scrutinize, Novak?”
“It was fiction, and as far as the money is concerned, she made a shitload of money for us. Now that we’re married, what’s hers is mine, cousin.”
“You would have taken it anyway.”
“Like you said, it’s in our DNA. On another note, my wife is concerned about the Louisville library being shut down. Apparently, with e-readers being all the rage, they’re just not getting the funding they need to continue to operate.”
That pissed me off. I didn’t like the idea of that library closing its doors for good. It was a piece of history, and it needed to remain open for the public and future generations to enjoy.
“You tell your wife I’m on board. Have her set up press conferences if she needs to. I don’t care what it takes; I’ll support her in whatever she needs.”
I can see the pleased looked on Novak’s face. His wife will be happy, and even in the world of Bratva, the old adage, happy wife, happy life, still rings true.
“Let’s get back to the business at hand. Novak, the girl belongs to Kodiak. She’s his job. You just stay focused on the gambling house. Speaking of the girl, call Kodiak in here.”
“You got it, boss. Believe me, I couldn’t care any less about another woman. My hands are full with the one I have, and my cock doesn’t like anybody else.”
“Yeah, I suffer from the same issues. My hands are full, and my cock belongs to Kathleen.”
I sit and tap my favorite platinum pen against my desk while I await my son’s appearance. He enters, looking at me as though he fears he has done something wrong.
“It’s evident to not only me, but also to everyone else who attended the party last night, that you’re enthralled by my new employee. If you want her, there are some things I need you to do. The main issue concerns surveillance. I need to know what she’s up to. I suggest you find a way to bug her phone. We’ll also need to copy the data off her computer, and a tracking device on her car would be useful. I already know she’s a student; what’s her major?”
I can tell he is nervous by the way he keeps trying to avoid making eye contact with me.
“Journalism.”
My fist slams down on the desk so hard, the heavy paperweight that was resting there bounces and falls off onto the floor.
“Pick it up, Kodiak!” I growl.
“I’ll deal with her, Dad.”
“You better fucking deal with her, or I will. And when I say deal with her, I don’t mean letting your cock lead you around. Have you fucked her yet?”
“Dad?!”
He has suddenly regressed back to the little boy I raised.
“You heard me, son. You deal with that bitch, or she’ll be six feet under. With journalism as her major, you’ll have to watch her even more closely. God help her if she writes anything that pisses me off. I’ll bury her fucking ass alive! Now, get out of here!”
The poor kid jumps up from the chair so quickly that by the time I look up, he is gone. Good, he needs to know I am serious—dead serious.
Kathleen
“I can’t thank you enough, Kathleen.”
I know Katrina’s gratitude is sincere by the earnest look on her face, but she is doing us a favor too. The article she’s writing about the library will double as PR for my husband, though that isn’t the only reason we’re glad she’s doing it. We both care about that library. I can’t believe the city of Louisville is even considering closing it down. It hasn’t even been a year since the governor swooped in and saved it from its last close call. Unfortunately, this seems to be an ongoing issue. In this age of ever-evolving technology, I wonder how many more battles it will take in order to win the war. Losing isn’t an option; it never is for my family.
It looks like we are going to have to call in some more favors from Governor Anthony Johnson. I like the guy simply because he was bold enough to marry a hooker he fell in love with. The state’s governor trumps the city’s mayor every day of the week, and Glazov will capitalize on that as well as the relationship he has with him. This library will not be closing its doors any time soon. To keep it up and running, my husband will make sure every heavy hitter in the state of Kentucky gets involved if need be.
“You know, I’m glad you two decided to move here. I need a friend of the female persuasion.”
Against my will, I can feel myself starting to like this girl. Maybe there was more to her situation than just stealing Novak’s diary and plagiarizing him. I find myself hoping that’s the case because she and I have a lot in common. Already, I feel like we could become very close friends.
“Tell me about it. Novak is crazy about monitoring who I interact with.”
“I’ll tell you the same thing Glazov tells me… crazy is in their DNA. It’s not only that, but nobody gets what our lives are like unless they are in the organization.”
“That is so true. We live in the spotlight, yet at the same time, we’re kept so alienated from the world. It’s quite the paradox. Well, are you ready to head to the library?”
“Yes. Let’s just walk though. Parking is a bitch this time of day, and we’re only a block away.”
“Hey,” Katrina says to get my attention, eying the woman walking down the street. “Isn’t that the chick who was with Kodiak last night?”
“Yes, it is, and I think it’s time to do some reconnaissance.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“The hell I am. One thing you’ll find out about me very quickly is that I’m all about family. If that little bitch is up to something, I want to know what it is.”
“What makes you think she’s up to something?”
“Glazov has Kodiak watching her, and if Kodiak is watching her, there’s a reason. My husband can smell trouble from a mile away. That girl is hiding something, or he wouldn’t have Kodiak stuck up her ass the way he does.”
I pull on Katrina’s arm to duck inside a doorway when Logan suddenly turns around to look over her shoulder. It’s like she expects someone to be following her. It could just be that she is paranoid because she’s on Kodiak’s radar. For a moment, a wave of guilt washes over me. I remember all too well how I felt when Glazov stalked me in the beginning of our relationship. It was daunting and disconcerting, to say the least. One day, I was completely independent, and then the next, I was completely overwhelmed by a man I didn’t even know. Those circumstances would frighten even the most seasoned of women. If the girl means my son and family no harm, I have no problem accepting her. Kodiak is obviously beguiled by the woman. Before I can accept her, though, I need to know what her motives are.
“See? Why is she looking over her shoulder like that?” I ask.
“Oh my gosh, you are hilarious. I can tell you and I are going to get along just fine.”
We both watch as Logan walks into the library. Good, she is going the same place we are headed. Maybe I can pin her down to find out what the hell is going on. My husband has a terrible habit of not involving me in Bratva business. He has this misguided misconception that he is protecting me. I don’t need to be protected. I do, however, need to be informed. At least, that’s how I see things.
He is guilty of exactly what he is always accusing me of—he underestimates me. My husband isn’t the only one with stalking skills. Very little goes on that I’m not fully aware of. Twenty years of being with Glazov has taught me everything I need to be sneaky enough to stay in the know.
Chapter Fourteen
Glazov
I sit in my office and talk on the phone to one of the very few men I’ve ever known that inspires a feeling of caution in me. I’m not in the habit
of fearing anyone, regardless of his abilities, but Antonio Wayne Ramirez is a force to be reckoned with. When you deal with Antonio, you’re also dealing with his brother, Ricardo, and as if that wasn’t enough, the Ramirez brothers are backed by the Colombian cartel. Those motherfuckers are crazy. They have a nasty little appetite for violence. Add that to Antonio’s sadistic nature, and under the right, or I should probably say wrong, circumstances, you have the recipe for a full-blown war. Keeping the peace with them is much easier than dealing with the repercussions when they’re pissed off.
Relations between us have always been fine. That is, up until now.
“Antonio, what you want me to do could cost me a shitload of money. The shipment of guns has already arrived and is in my warehouse, ready to go. Money has changed hands. What you’re asking…”
“I wouldn’t normally ask you to do it, but this is a unique situation in which a friend needs help. Damon D’Angelo is a high roller here, and he’s connected to a lot of people on the right side of the law. He’s got tons of money, and doing this for him means that he will owe me a favor. You know how beneficial that can be.”
Knowing he’s right, I sigh and ask him for the details.
“Damon’s girlfriend is a model. She’s been abducted by some crazy fuck who has a personal vendetta against him. The guy just happens to be affiliated with the IRA as well, and that’s where we come in.”
“If you’re telling me that to reassure me…”
“The kidnapping was personal for this prick; he took the girl just to get back at Damon. Now, for what reason, I don’t know. As for the guns, he’s doing this shit without the IRA’s knowledge. I didn’t give him enough time before the meeting to call in for backup, and I think he’s trying to impress them by closing this deal all on his own. Once this is done and it’s made known how royally he fucked it up, the IRA will kill him themselves just for failing. This is the perfect opportunity, Glazov. You get the guns, I get the money, and after a little bit of coercion, we find out where the crazy fuck hid the girl. Everybody goes home happy.”
“The guns are already mine!”
“He doesn’t know that though! He thinks I bought them from you and that I’m going to sell them to the IRA instead of giving them to the Colombians. Look, all I’m asking is to borrow the guns to make it look real—that’s all. Ship them here for this meeting, and you’ll get them back when we get the girl.”
“You’re just riding on everybody’s coattails, aren’t you, Antonio?”
“Fuck you! I make my own success, and I don’t like anybody else to do it any more than you do…”
Even through the phone, the tension feels almost palpable, and there is an angry, awkward silence.
I take a slow, deep breath, trying to suppress the rising frustration this little shit is making me feel. When I finally feel calm enough to answer, I speak slowly.
“Antonio, because of our alliance, the Russians and Colombians have always had a good working relationship from New York to Louisville, Kentucky. That’s the only reason I’m willing to consider doing this. However, I am NOT willing to put my money on the line for your friend, Damon D’Angelo. I don’t give a damn how many models he fucks. If anything happens to the guns, I want my money back. I don’t care whether it’s you or he who pays. I don’t have guns, money, or time to gamble with. I’m doing this as a favor to you and your brother.”
“I can assure you, I won’t be losing the guns. If, by chance, something fucked-up goes down, then I’ll pay for them. Who better to have indebted to you, Glazov, than Antonio Wayne and Ricardo Ramirez? Fuck, doing this gives you more favor with my brother, solidifying your connections in Guatemala and El Salvador.”
He is right about that; it does. That’s the only fucking reason I am agreeing to this crazy ass idea of his. The Colombians aren’t in the habit of playing nice with anybody. Having connections with the brothers does give me a lot of power. Even if Antonio Wayne is an antagonistic little shit, he is a good man to have in my corner.
“My regards to your brother.”
I hang up before he has time to say something else that will, undoubtedly, only piss me off. Antonio likes stirring shit up, and I’m not the kind of man who has the time or the patience for his games. It is the reason I normally deal with his older brother when I need to do business with them. Ricardo is more like me—no nonsense.
What I hadn’t told Antonio was that I would be at that meeting, hidden in the shadows. Granted, it would only be via a live video feed that my boys would put in, but it would still be fun to watch Antonio in action. He’ll be in New York, we’ll be in Louisville, Kentucky, and we’ll all still be together. Oh, the wonders of the modern age…
Kathleen
“Stop making me laugh, Katrina.”
I elbow my new friend in the ribs as we stand behind a huge bookshelf in the library, spying on Logan. As of yet, she hasn’t done a single damn thing that’s even mildly noteworthy.
“I say we make ourselves known. She isn’t doing anything. What’s her story anyway?”
“Supposedly, she’s working her way through college.”
“Dealing cards?”
“Evidently, she has some kind of killer ability to count cards. I heard she grew up as some gambler’s kid, and he taught her everything he knew. She runs track and got a partial scholarship to attend the University of Louisville.”
“Oh, great! If she runs, none of us will be able to catch her.”
I turn to look at my partner in crime.
“Don’t underestimate Kodiak; he’s got more ways than one to keep a hold on that girl.”
“Speaking of Kodiak, where is he? Isn’t he supposed to be watching her?”
“Yeah, don’t be surprised if he jumps out from around the corner.”
“Oh my gosh, only in our families. We’re all crazy.”
“I think you have to be to live this lifestyle, to truly understand us.”
“Well, let’s just reveal ourselves.”
I don’t answer her. Instead, I just step out from around the corner of the bookshelf, and I have to stifle a giggle as she scrambles to follow behind me. Yeah, I can tell that the two of us are going to have a blast together. Sooner or later, I’ll have to bring up the infamous book, but right now, I opt for later. I’m having too much fun, and I don’t want to ruin it. I wonder if our husbands will come to regret introducing us. By the time we are finished wreaking havoc together, I’m certain they will, at the very least, have second thoughts.
“Logan, what a coincidence seeing you here.”
I eye the brunette beauty standing in front of me. She is really quite beautiful in a very natural way.
“Oh, Mrs. Glazov, it’s great to see you.”
“Please, dear, just Kathleen will do. You’ll make me feel old.”
“Oh, no. No, I-I didn’t…”
That was all she had gotten out when I stopped her, patting the poor girl’s arm before she had a panic attack. How in the world is this timid little girl ever going to survive my son’s intensity? I decide to change the subject before she turns a deeper shade of crimson.
“So, what are you doing here?”
“Oh, just homework, you know… college stuff.”
“Well, it’s great to see you, dear, and I look forward to seeing more of you. My son has made it pretty clear he’s quite smitten with you.”
Once again, the poor girl blushes. She really is going to have to toughen up and learn to control her responses if she is going to make it in this family. My phone ringing gives me the perfect opportunity to excuse myself. We quickly say our goodbyes so I can answer it.
Glazov
“You’re nosy!”
I growl into the phone, aggravated with my wife. What the fuck is she doing spying on Kodiak’s girlfriend?
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Liar! You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m talking about you stalking Kodiak’s girlfriend.
”
“How would you know I’m stalking her, unless you’re stalking me?”
“Because Kodiak called me, wanting to know why the fuck his mother was questioning his girlfriend.”
“I didn’t realize she was his girlfriend. I assumed she was just another poor victim being subjugated by the ridiculously dominant men in this family, just a pawn in the games they play.”
“I don’t fucking play games with you. You’re real bold on the phone, Ptichka. You need to watch your step.”
“I know, Glazov. You’re always watching. I have to go now. Bye.”
I push the button to hang up and toss my phone onto the desk. My wife has the ability to irritate me even more and even quicker than Antonio Wayne does.
Glazov
I eye Novak as we discuss business with the Ramirez brothers.
“So, Antonio doesn’t know you’ll be watching him via live feed, correct?”
“Antonio doesn’t need to know. You pack those guns up with that planted Intel device in our warehouse here. I’ll get a few Shestyorkas to pick them up and deliver them to New York. They’ll make sure everything is wired where we can see what’s going on. When the exchange goes down, we’ll be lurking in the shadows via a live video stream while he deals with Aedan O’Hara. I’d like to know why a member of the IRA chose to kidnap some unknown model. This will enable me to satisfy my curiosity, and it will give me insight into Antonio’s psyche.”
“Why didn’t you ask Antonio Wayne why he’s doing this favor for Damon D’Angelo? Wouldn’t that have been simpler?”
“Nothing is simple with Antonio Wayne. He’ll tell me what he wants me to know, which may or may not be the truth.”
“I have to be honest with you, cousin. I don’t like it. Letting that shipment of arms be used as a favor just isn’t like you.”
“If it was anybody but the Ramirez brothers, I wouldn’t be doing it. Look at it like this, Novak; it’s better for them to be indebted to us rather than angry with us.”
“I still don’t like it. If that fucker loses our guns…”
Glazov's Legacy (Born Bratva Book 2) Page 5