"Sit the fuck down. I am arranging a meeting with Gigo this afternoon, meaning you behave yourself for as long as you can." I shove Iosif back into his seat with a growl. I kept my promise and I haven't seen anyone from the club in two weeks. I call them as often as possible but I'm losing my temper without them to calm me down.
Gigo and Iosif have been extra touchy recently and keep launching small assaults against each other. All of which I have stopped before they even reached their target, that infuriated them more but if there were any casualties peace would be even harder to negotiate.
"You two have been causing me a thousand issues for no goddamn reason so both of you are going to get your fucking act together." I hiss as I tap away on my phone, sending the meeting address and time to Gigo.
I smack him around the head and dismissing his annoying team of 'advisors' who spend their entire day complaining about everything. They think I don't speak Russian as well so the little bastards have been saying some not so lovely things about me - both crude and disrespectful but, in an effort to keep Iosif happy, I've let the comments slide.
"Go and put on your nice suit, if I see that fur coat I will burn it." I demand, tidying my hair in the mirror as he glares at me. He probably wants to shoot me again but he knows he needs me now, he's thinking beyond his ego and considering the lives he can save if he settles for once. I remind him all the time whenever he thinks about betraying Gigo and murdering him at the meeting.
Both parties agreed to leave their weapons at home, they are allowed three guards in the building and they will be unarmed as well. The only person who will be armed is me as I am technically impartial at this point in time, even if I do want to kill Gigo with my own hands. I just told Gigo that Iosif shot me four times, I didn't tell him that it was a long time ago though so that's going to be fine if he figures that out.
I am taking my own car because I doubt me turning up with Iosif is going to keep Gigo relaxed. I am wearing one of my black pantsuits with a black corset and some stilettos to look as professional as I'm able to set the tone for the meeting but I doubt anything will stop these two from going at each other's throats.
"Okay, let's go." Iosif declares. I follow him out to the courtyard and slide into my town car, Alaric holding the door open for me. Iosif's wife is coming as is Gigo's girlfriend, both of whom are here to stop people from reaching for the steak knives if I can't move quick enough. I am in the restaurant first to ensure a smooth transition as both of them walk in with chilling personalities and their women on their arms.
This is going to be fun.
"Evangeline. It is good to see you again." Gigo greets, shaking my hand and neglecting to introduce me to his newest squeeze. She doesn't seem to like me much but I brush off her glare without giving a shit. She's older than us, maybe forty, with blonde hair hastily styled like you would've done in the eighties and she has fine lines coating her face though it could just be because it's screwed up as she glares at me.
Perhaps I've had an encounter with her before and forgotten about it. I don't care enough to linger on it so I greet Iosif and his wife like I haven't seen them less than ten minutes ago. The two couples sit opposite each other, the women close to the windows and the men close to me. I sit down at the head of the table and kick back in my seat.
"So, you beckoned us here Miss White. What do you want?" Gigo's voice is gravelly from his constant smoking. He has scars all across his face and his hair is buzzed short. He is a warrior, while Iosif sends people to fight for him, Gigo likes to do the fighting himself. Gigo's father - Orion - called Gigo the Pitbull.
"I want you two to stop fighting because I'm fed up of dealing with your shit." I flag down a waiter in the empty restaurant and request some scotch for myself to calm my temper down. If I lash out this whole meeting will go to shit and I can't afford to do that right now. "So, tell each other what you want and we can negotiate."
"I want more land, that much is clear." Gigo starts, looking at me like I'm the one who's supposed to answer the question. I can't give him the land that he wants, only Iosif can. I feel like Jeremy Kyle trying to council a toxic couple.
"I want you off my land and back in Russia." Iosif barks, his temper already hardwired to go off at the slightest provocation.
"That's not going to happen. I have a stronghold here, I need more land."
"What do you need the land for, Gigo?" I lean forward on the table, twirling the glass of scotch to keep my hands busy as I consider stabbing my knife into his throat. My word is my covenant though and I promised not to kill anyone so that idea is out the window.
"Need more warehouses for my product and I need more territory to sell in."
"Is there any chance you'd consider a partnership with Iosif? You both traffic different things so if you gave Iosif a cut you could operate in his lands." Iosif turns red at the suggestion, looking between Gigo and I in despair and anger.
"I would consider it depending on the terms of said agreement."
"I'd want twenty percent at the least and I'd only let you operate on the eastern side of my territory." I almost sag in relief at that suggestion. The western side borders the Mexican Cartel and the Riders of Apollo, I don't want Gigo anywhere near them.
"Twenty percent? Are you joking?" Gigo laughs, leaning back in his chair and revealing his girlfriend who is still glaring at me. I must've killed someone she knew or something because I can't remember ever pissing her off to the point where I deserve such a glare.
"You sell methamphetamines, you make good money off of it. The eastern area is high on drug trade. You'd make enough money not to miss the twenty percent and you'd benefit off the protection the Russian mafia have with the police." I explain, watching as Gigo connects the dots.
While Gigo is powerful, he isn't so ingrained in the federal system that he can influence it the way Iosif can. Very few Russians go to jail in this area as Iosif can press the right button and they'll be out in a matter of days. "You'd also save money on bail, transport and police seizing. You'd make the twenty percent back every month with those." I continue, hoping to push him over the edge.
"Fine. I shall agree to twenty percent but I don't want my dealers in with yours. A strong Chinese wall between our dealers and we shall only communicate when the situation is dire."
"Your men cannot hurt mine. They cannot initiate non-consensual acts with anyone in my territory, any crime beyond the dealing itself will be dealt with by me - I do not appreciate petty thieves or assaulters in the area I have chosen to protect."
"My men will still be allowed to carry their weapons and if they are accosted by anyone in your territory they are allowed to deal with the problem themselves."
"Fine. The incident will need to be reported to me as soon as you are able so I can ease the minds of my people. I will not have random acts of violence in my streets."
"Understood. Eva is Switzerland once we have entered this contract. Meaning you cannot utilise her services against me nor can I do the same with you. Agreed?" I roll my eyes. Since when am I part of this stupid little negotiation? I understand Gigo's wariness about me, I am one of the unknown variables here considering my freelancing and I can easily just decide I don't like him anymore and kill him.
"Agreed. I will have my lawyer draw up a contract this evening. We will meet again tomorrow to discuss the fine print and then sign." Gigo nods in agreement, shaking Iosif's hand afterward.
Did I just win this? Did I just successfully get these two in the same room together without them killing each other?
"Is it my turn yet?" I tilt my head in confusion as Gigo's girlfriend brings herself into the conversation. Still glaring at me like I killed her dog.
"It is your funeral." Gigo acquiesces, gesturing in my direction as I raise my eyebrows in surprise.
"My name is Dierdre Pollock, I believe you know Mackenzie." I almost start laughing. Now I get it, she hates me because Mac is mine now and I've never been very good at sharing. "You're my replacement."
"I prefer the term upgrade."
YOU ARE READING
Mac (Riders of Apollo #8)
Romance"Are you going to kiss me or are you just gonna stare?" As if he needed the encouragement, he slams his mouth down on mine in a frenzy, his hands moving from the counter to my thighs and pressing himself against me completely. I try and overcome hi...
