Mob Boss Series Book #1: The Russian Heir

Chapter Thirty Seven: Democracy Is Unfair

Brody's POV
Five years ago...
"I know this is sort of last minute but I have wanted to say it for the longest time. Lettie, I love you." I cringed. Do I sound sappy?

What am I even doing? Reina took Lettie and I'm here rehearsing how I'm going to tell her that I love her and I would like her to leave Bryce for me?

I dragged my fingers through my hair.

"This is pointless. The geek never gets the girl." I sat on the edge of the bed. Maybe I should let this one skip through my fingers. Maybe it is time to get out of Bryce's shadow and be my own man.

But what am I without Bryce Romanov? Nothing. I'm nothing. I'm just the boy who would  have been bullied in the hallways of school, the loser without friends, the guy who can't get the hot girl because the only guy they see is Bryce.

I'm crazy jealous of him. There are days I wish he would just drop dead but then I stop and think. He's my brother. Deep down I care for him but he's not very helpful where women come to play because he is like neon lights in a dark room and I'm just the shadow in the darkness. No one sees me. Not even my parents. It's always about Bryce!

I could get a straight A in a test but all attention would go to the D that Bryce brought. If he gets a C it was a celebration. If I got anything less than an A because I purposely failed to get their attention, they would only laugh and tell me to be serious.

All attention has always been on Bryce.

Deep down I care for his m but I am starting to fear that the love is diminishing to equal the hate. I have always looked up to my big brother but now I want to be my own man.

A sharp knock drew my attention to the door.

My dad stood in the door way and threw me a back pack. I barely caught it. It's heavy. "What's this?"

"You need to go. Now."

I know the urgency when I hear it. "What about Bryce?"

"He's leaving too. Don't come back for anything. Disappear. Do you understand? Do you remember what I taught you?"

"Yes sir I do." I answered.

He pressed a kiss on my forehead and cupped one side of my face. "Watch your back, keep your head down and be you ur own man."

Presently...
When he told me to be my own man, he must have meant it. He knew that Bryce wouldn't be there anymore. I took his advice. I became my own man and apparently, away from Bryce's shadow, I am quite different.

I'm clear about what I want and expect from people. I'm more productive without having to water down to make Bryce look good.

All I needed was the girl and then my list would be complete but the girl doesn't want me. She wants Bryce. It's always Bryce.

I know what an ending looks like. The last ending I almost saw was that of my family. That moment when my father gave me a back pack and told me to watch my back, to keep my head down and be my own man, something ended and something new had to begin.

It's more like when a wild fire destroys a forest and something new sprouts from the ashes. I have learned some hard lessons from what happened to my family. I have learned that you have to be the apex predator so that you don't turn into prey. I have always viewed my father as a powerful man but his power was not enough to keep us safe. While Bryce and I got away unscathed, mom barely made it. I had to be the apex predator and what better way than to be the brains that control the muscle?

It would have been idealistic to unite the Russian families. They are a hardheaded self loving lot. Uniting them wasn't an option. But knowing what I know from my father's dealings with them, I used blackmailed to my advantage. The Volkovs were the first and it wasn't hard when Lelyah couldn't keep her mouth shut when high on Vodka and pleasure. She had a lot to say about her father and I gladly listened. A little digging here and there and viola! Blackmail worthy information. I told her father I'll be marrying Lelyah and he didn't question me. He also works for me.