Page 50 of The Pakhan’s Heir

“I was thinking about heading over there myself. I’ve been hearing some things about Geddy that I need him to check out.”

“Like what things?”

He pauses. “I’d rather talk to Kostya about it.”

“You’ve got the Pakhan on the line, Rikki,” I say. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”

“Well, they’ve been saying that Gedeon was behind the assassination.”

I almost laugh. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

“I didn’t. But some of the things I’ve been hearing… It’s making me doubt myself. I just need Kostya to verify some stuff.”

I sigh as the doors open. “Well, I’m at his apartment now. You can tell me and I can talk to him.”

“No, I need to talk to him myself,” he says. “If he tells me to my face that it’s just smoke and mirrors, then I’ll know it is.”

I chuckle. “I’m a month into being Pakhan and my own brother doesn’t trust me.”

“Well, we’re not dead yet,” he says, and I can hear him smiling, “but the year’s not out. You’ve got plenty of time to fuck this up.”

“Thanks. I’ll call you a little later.” I pause as I stop at Kostya’s door. “Let’s plan a dinner or something. You, me, and Yeva.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’d be nice.”

We say our goodbyes and I hang up. If there’s one thing that has always annoyed me, it’s the rumor mill that seems to be so pervasive in this Bratva. I think sometimes that our bottom line might be bigger if my brothers didn’t gossip so damned much.

I knock on Kostya’s door. He only lets me wait for a few seconds before opening it. “You’re late,” he says as he lets me in. “You said you’d be here at ten. It’s a quarter after.”

“A Pakhan is never late. He’s right on time,” I say, misquoting my favorite book. Kostya knows it and he just gives me a smirk.

“Funny.” He motions for the living room. “Please, let’s sit.”

Kostya has lived in the same apartment since his status was elevated. He’d gone out and bought an apartment in a high-rise as a present to himself. He’d said something back then about always wanting to live in a place like this since we were boys.

I have a seat on one of two couches that face one another in his living room. At my back is a wall with a hidden fireplace and at his back is another wall with his hidden gun stash. And facing to the north is a balcony overlooking the city with nothing but sliding glass between us, the railing, and a twenty-seven-floor swan dive to earth.

“You have breakfast yet?” he asks me as he stands at the arm of the couch opposite me. “I picked up some Danishes this morning. If you’re hungry⁠—”

“No, thanks. If you’ve got coffee, though, I’ll take a cup.”

“Coming right up.” He leaves, and I take a moment to look around his place. Everything is right where it belongs in Kostya’s home. I think that’s his nature. When something is out of place, even if it’s by a few inches, he needs an explanation or else he starts sweeping for bugs. I can’t say it’s not smart, but it definitely speaks to his innate sense of paranoia.

“Thank you for talking to me here instead of at your place,” he says from the kitchen. “What I’ve got to say is of the utmost sensitivity, and no disrespect or anything, but given our suspicions, I can’t take too many chances. This conversation should be had with just the two of us, you know what I mean?”

“Understood,” I say back to him. “So, this is about the traitor, then?”

“Yes.” He pauses, then, “Cream or sugar?”

“Sugar, no cream,” I respond. I hear the coffee hiss loudly, his fancy K-Cup machine making short work of the refreshments. Less than a minute later, he reappears with two cups of coffee in hand. He hands me mine and sits down across from me, sipping from his cup.

“Before we get into this,” he says, reaching for a coaster and pulling it in front of him, “you should understand that as a sovietnik, my interests are purely what’s best for you, my Pakhan, and for the Bratva. As you know, I have and will serve you with the same loyalty as I did Fedor for all these years.”

I drink my coffee as I regard him. “You’re preparing me for something.”

“I am.” He lets out a heavy, almost apologetic sigh.

“Okay. Just get to the point.”