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“Because he blames Marco for his parent’s death!” Urie informs me. “He wants a war to break out between the crime families and maybe wants to take over your position?”
“That doesn’t even make sense. If James did take me out, he wouldn’t get my position. He already runs the Boston Mafia, and when Marco retires or is retired, James will take over Moretti Law. So I think James has everything he could want.“ I frown at Urie. “Who told you the bullshit about James?”
“I have eyes and ears everywhere,” Urie tells me. “You know I have your back, Andrey, and as such, I have to find out these things.”
I stare at him, assessing him. His eyes meet mine, and while he seems genuine, Urie has always had a tell when he’s not being candid with me. Something is definitely up with him, and that’s a problem because I usually trust Urie with my life. Right now, I’m doubting that trust.
Urie and I grew up together. Besides being my right-hand man, he is also my best friend. His family has been loyal and served mine for generations. I’d hate for anything to come between not only our friendship but our trust.
When I took the position of Pakhan eight weeks ago, I suspected Sergei of being a mole for my father, but I was wrong. He is loyal to whomever the Belov Pakhan is. I’d hate for his son to have switched sides.
We’re under attack by a faceless enemy threatening to spark a war between crime families—not just in Boston but across the country and Europe. The hackers successfully shipped another three containers of painted ladies through Velvet Transport from ports we lease but do not own.
I’ve had to suspend operations at three of the leased facilities, where we tracked most of the painted ladies’ containers being sent from.
It’s a fucking headache because these ports were crucial hubs for our operations. Now, we’re scrambling to reroute our unique customers’ goods to the nearest ports that we actually own. Coordinating these logistics is slowing down shipments and causing delays, which could impact our credibility with our clients. It’s a vulnerable position to be in, especially with the threat of a broader conflict looming over us.
I’m in a precarious position. My top priority is protecting Isabella from both the Bratva and the Mafia. She incapacitated the bosses, and I’ve pinned the blame solely on Konstantin to divert attention from her, but the truth could still leak out. Tensions among our men and Marco’s, or rather James’s, are escalating due to the threat of the painted ladies.
Initially, I suspected Marco was behind the hacking since the hackers would only communicate with him. However, after speaking with what I assume is their leader, I’m convinced Marco isn’t orchestrating this. I’m sure they want him and my father dead once they’ve achieved their objectives.
Now, my focus is on preventing Konstantin from killing Marco before we resolve the hacker issue. I also need to ensure my father’s safety, although it seems no one cares as long as Marco and my mother are alive it seems Ivan Belov is dispensable.
My mother is crucial to our operations, and her safety is tied to the company’s future. If anything happens to her she’s threatened to expose our entire operation to the FBI, leading to its dismantling.
Marco can’t disclose what the hackers want; the consequences could trigger a catastrophic chain of events. All he has disclosed to James and me is that Isabella holds the key to their motives. Finding her and bringing her back safely is paramount.
So I need people I can trust, and that’s always been Urie for me. He’s been my right-hand man and best friend since childhood. It would be a devastating blow to discover he’s been playing me or, worse, betraying me, especially now when trust is everything.
In this dangerous game where one wrong move could lead to war, Urie’s loyalty has been my anchor. If that trust crumbles, I’ll be navigating these treacherous waters alone, with enemies on all sides and Isabella’s safety hanging in the balance.
“Are you going to tell me why you’ve had a bug up your ass for the past eight weeks?”
“It’s not a bug, Andrey.” Urie leans forward, his eyes filled with concern. “It’s worry. For you, the Belov Bratva, your father, and mine.” He shakes his head. “Olga and I are getting married in a few months, and if all this goes south because you trusted the wrong person…”
“Is this about Olga?” My brows crumpled together. “Urie, you’re my right-hand man, second in command now. You know there is always a risk we won’t go home one day.”
“I know!” Urie leans forward and runs a hand over his face. “I would just like to make it to our wedding day so that…” He shakes his head and lets out a breath. “So that my child is born legitimately.”
“Child?” My eyes open wide as I stare at him. “Olga is pregnant?”
Urie nods. “We were going to ask you to speak to your father to try and get the wedding moved up, but then everything went down with you and Isabella. Then you took over as Pakhan.”
“Fuck it, Urie!” I bellow. “You should’ve just come to me with this.”
“We were waiting to find out if everything was okay and if Olga was actually pregnant,” Urie explains. “We had a scare before, and it was an ectopic pregnancy.”
“I remember that.” I nod and smile.
The memory flashes through my mind of how worried Urie was about breaking the news to Olga’s father, Sasha Lebedev, a Belov Bratva vor and our fixer. Sasha had dedicated his life to protecting Olga after his wife’s tragic death when Olga was just three years old. Sasha, in his devotion, had even sworn off relationships, determined to safeguard his daughter’s well-being.
Sasha’s unwavering dedication and deadly focus earned him the nickname Polar Bear. Once he sets his sights on you, there’s nowhere to run or hide. I wouldn’t want to be the one in Sasha’s scope.
I now grasp the reason behind Urie’s recent odd behavior, but it still irks me. He should have trusted me from the start. Yet, something about his demeanor continues to nag at me, a lingering doubt I can’t quite shake off. Nonetheless, I will give Urie the benefit of the doubt. After all, he is family to me. Family and loyalty are sacred in our world.
“We still carry the lies from that pregnancy about her having to go to the hospital with us,” Urie reminds me. “Olga is stressing now because we found out three weeks ago that it’s real.” His eyes soften, and he smiles in awe. “We’re having a baby.”
“Congratulations, Urie.” I lean over and shake his hand. “How far along is Olga?”
