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“And what was that?”
“Matteo was The Reaper!” Konstantin’s words have my jaw dropping. “You’re married to my sister now, so I can tell you what Marco’s side hustle is and why your grandmother always pushed Ivan to be his friend.”
“She knew one of the Moretti brothers was going to be or was The Reaper!” I guess.
“Yup!” Konstantin nods. “My uncle thinks Colleen found out it was Matteo. That’s why he had to die. She couldn’t have The Reaper looking into the container war. Roman is the one that forced Marco’s father to pass the position onto Marco.”
“Fuck!” I spit. “My grandmother dared to go up against all those powerful people and killed The Reaper.”
“Don’t look so proud!” Konstantin warns me. “Because of what my uncle suspects your grandmother and father did, it’s cost you and my sister the freedom of choosing your own paths. It got me sold, tortured, and exiled to Russia at the age of twelve. Not to mention nearly killing your brother and Stacy.”
“And here you all are chasing a faceless enemy that is implementing the same strategy as back then to probably completely topple the Belov and Moretti family,” Temur adds. “Now that Isabella is pregnant, they pretty much don’t need any of the Belovs or Morettis.”
“Because our kids will inherit everything.” It suddenly dawns on me why Konstantin was taking me for a trip down family history lane. “My mother drew up her will two years ago and named me and any offspring I may have as the sole heirs of the Velvet company.”
“And you didn’t think that it was strange she didn’t share it between you and Lev?” Temur asks.
“I always just thought it was because Lev was going to become Pakhan, and she wanted me to have my share of control in our organization,” I admit. “If what you say is true, Konstantin, that I was meant to be Pakhan, I’m beginning to believe that Marco and my father could’ve been behind the attack on Lev.”
“Makes you wonder if it is not them behind the painted ladies,” Konstantin mutters, his words starting to ring true.
“My father looks like the Irish mob beat him up,” I tell Konstantin. “Which would make sense as it was one of their families that was the first to be taken down by the painted ladies.”
“It was their families that were taken down the last time, too,” Temur points out. “Then there’s the fact that Marco and Ivan have been buying backroom loan sharking and gambling dens on the quiet.”
“That’s a lie.”
“I’m afraid not.” Konstantin pulls out his phone, scrolls through it, and my phone beeps. “I’ve sent you a contract for the Velvet Cigar Lounge, Velvet Sharks Den, and the Velvet Hunting Lodge.”
“Never heard of any of them.” My brow furrows. “Are they supposed to be new businesses owned by my family? Someone else could be using the Velvet name.”
“They’re joint businesses that Ivan and Marco now co-own,” Temur explains. “They were businesses taken over from crime families after each of the previous crime families were taken down by the FEDs after the families received a painted ladies shipment.”
“You’re fucking joking!” Taking out my phone, I open the documents Konstantin has just sent me, and my heart jolts. “That’s my father’s and Marco’s signatures.”
“I know.” Konstantin nods. “I’ve had them checked out.”
“The warehouse you found the hackers in had been bought by your father and Marco eight months ago,” Temur tells me.
“So it looks like Ivan and Marco are trying to expand their kingdom beyond just the Zhukovs and Andreevs.” My jaw clenches as it all falls into place. “That’s why the two containers haven’t been delivered to the Zhukovs or the Andreevs yet.”
“They’re waiting for confirmation that Isabella has conceived.” My heart is flooded with fear. “That’s why they kidnapped Isabella, Lev, and Stacy from you.”
“Once it’s been confirmed that Isabella is carrying your child,” Konstantin tells me, “I fear we’ll all become expendable, and they’re going to try and make us kill each other.”
“Using your grudge against Marco and my father,” I guess. “I thought you’d killed my brother, and I’d probably blame you for my father’s death as you did mark him.”
“They have Lev and Stacy already,” Konstantin adds. “Once we’re all gone, Isabella and your mother will be vulnerable. Easy pickings.”
“Once the baby is born, though…” My fear for Isabella escalates. “They won’t need her anymore.”
“I think out of all of us,” Konstantin assures me, “Isabella and your children are the safest.”
“Children?” My brow knits together. “James said Isabella said that to you.”
“My sister believes she’s having twins.”
The words ricochet through my nervous system, but I don’t allow myself to ponder them because now I’m even more fearful. “If Isabella has twins, if that gets out…that makes her even more valuable.”
