One-eyed Ronin

Chapter 13

After a week, I felt the need to distance myself, requiring space to process my emotions over not being able to be with the woman I love. Coincidentally, my brothers in the Russian Mafia needed my help with management.

Without personally informing my twin sister, I made the decision to go to Russia. I handled the Chenskaya Bratva, and so far, things were going well. I invested in narcotics and advancements in pharmaceuticals, including research into alternative methods of human reproduction.

While in the office analyzing sales, a Russian woman about my age entered. Her long blonde-brown hair was tied in a bun, complementing her brown eyes and smooth, fair complexion. Standing at about 5'8", she was strikingly beautiful in a white turtleneck and fitted pants. My eyes couldn't help but notice her nose and lips.

"Done checking me out, Ronin?"

Her voice is very soothing to hear. Wait, she looks familiar.

"I'm sorry Miss, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's fine. After all, I've been waiting for you all this time. I'm glad I got your attention. Do you really not remember me?"

"Sorry, but I can't..."

I stopped, my eyes widening as she suddenly threw a vase towards my face. Luckily, I managed to dodge it.

"What the hell... Tasha?!"

Tatiana "Tasha" Daranova was my childhood friend here in Moscow, Russia. We used to play together during my vacations here. She's the granddaughter of my grandfather's friend and although not involved in the Mafia, she was well-respected because my grandfather treated her like family.

"So I had to throw a vase to get your attention."

"You could have just told me."

"It's fine." She approached and began picking up the broken pieces of the vase.

"Hey, you don't have to do that..."

"Ouch," she winced, cutting herself on the shards.

"I told you, you're stubborn." I took her hand and led her to my chair, fetching the first aid kit to tend to her wound.

"Did you miss me?" she asked.

"Well, of course. I missed my Barbie doll friend here."

"Correction, your wife."

"Since when did we get married?"

"When we were children. You proposed to me, remember? We had a ceremony, and I said, 'I do'."

"We were 13 back then. We're 25 now. Forget about it. I can't give you a family; I'm a lesbian."

"Why are you always talking about family? I love you, Ronin, and I accept you wholeheartedly. And who says you can't give me a family? I would be happy just to have you. We can explore IVF, adopt, have dogs – we can build our own family together."

"You really want that? Even if they're not your flesh and blood?"

"Yes, Ronin. It doesn't matter. I love you, and I want to build a family with you out of our love."

"Why are you here?"

"Can't I visit my husband?"

"Hey, someone might hear you and think I'm actually married."

"Well, you are my husband." She said it loudly enough that I was sure my men outside the door had heard.

She smiled at me and hugged me tightly, and I hugged her back. I remembered how our first meeting had gone – she threw a vase at me because I'd told her she was ugly, though that was just my way of getting her attention. She was truly beautiful, and I had a crush on her back then. That's why I'd even proposed to her and had my grandfather's men pretend we were having a wedding.

"I want to go to the Philippines, hon, and I want you to accompany me," Tasha said.

She'd called me "hon" or "honey" ever since our playful pretend marriage when we were still children.

"Tasha, I'm quite busy here, you know."

"Call me by your endearment from before, or else..." She held another vase in her hand.

"Okay, okay, relax, my wife. I'll finish my job here, and then we can both go home."

"Yes, finally, I can see your twin sister."

"Yeah, right."

"By the way, hon, I learned that you invested in alternative human production. The results will be out later in the nth trial stage. I want to accompany you, please. I'm interested in what you're doing here in Russia."

"Okay, Tasha. Just wait for me here."

However, being as stubborn as she was, she sat on my lap and looked at me seductively.

"I said, call me by your endearment, or else..."

Her voice turned me on, so I didn't hesitate. I leaned closer to her and kissed her passionately. My kisses moved from her lips to her earlobes, neck, back to her lips—it was a slow kiss. Suddenly, my men arrived and entered because Tasha had left the door open earlier.

I stopped kissing her and gently guided her off my lap.

"Boss, sorry to interrupt with your wife, but the scientist just called. You need to go to the lab."

"She's not my..."

Tasha interrupted what I'm going to say.

"Let's go hon. I'll be with you."