KING OF NEW YORK

CHAP17. BFF For Now

**Chapter: Hidden Shadows**

Lucas Materazzi was not a man to trust easily, yet something about Dimitri Romanov had shifted his perspective. In their countless dealings, Dimitri had proven not only loyal but refreshingly uninterested in the mafia power that clung to his family like a curse. That made him valuable to Lucas in ways no other ally could be. For Lucas, Dimitri's lack of ambition to become the Don of the Russian mafia represented an opportunity-a vulnerability in the Romanov empire that could be exploited, should it ever come to that. But first, there was an obstacle to remove: Elijah Romanov, Dimitri's father and the shadow that loomed over Victor's empire.

Elijah Romanov was a ghost. No credit cards, no paper trails, and no one could pin down his habits or whereabouts with any certainty. He existed only by name-his last name, Romanov, was the key that opened doors in the underworld. Everything Lucas had heard about Elijah came with a mix of fear and awe. The man was a perfect shot, never missing a target, and many of the bloodiest executions carried out by the Russian mafia had his fingerprints on them. It was said he was the silent weapon behind Victor's reign, his second in command, though he never sought the spotlight.

For Lucas, Elijah was more than just a threat to Dimitri's claim to power. He was an enigma, and that made him dangerous.

Lucas had heard about Elijah through Leo during their college days. Leo had mentioned Elijah in passing-just whispers of the name and its chilling reputation. But now, with Dimitri becoming a key ally, it was time to dig deeper. Lucas enlisted Danny, his ever-resourceful assistant, to find anything she could about Elijah. But even Danny, with her vast network of informants and intelligence sources, came up empty-handed. All she could produce were his birth certificate and Dimitri's, confirming Elijah's existence but leaving the rest of his life shrouded in darkness.

"Ghost," Lucas muttered, frustrated by the lack of information. "The man's a ghost."

Dimitri had reluctantly opened up to Lucas about the complicated dynamic between his father and Victor. The family rift had started with Dimitri's conception-an incident that had nearly sparked a war between the two Romanov brothers. A woman had come forward, pregnant, claiming the child was Elijah's. Victor, always the pragmatist, had insisted on raising the child and integrating him into the Romanov empire. Elijah, on the other hand, had vehemently denied paternity. The argument had torn the family apart. But as Dimitri revealed more, the truth became even more twisted.

Elijah's denial wasn't just out of reluctance to raise a child. According to Dimitri, it wasn't entirely baseless-because Elijah Romanov harbored a secret so well-guarded that even Victor hadn't known. Elijah was gay. No one in the Romanov family had ever suspected it, and it wasn't a secret Elijah wanted to share. But it explained so much-why he had never been seen with women, why he had lived in the shadows for so long. For years, he had kept his personal life concealed, a layer of protection over his reputation in the ruthless world of the mafia.

But even Elijah couldn't hide everything forever.

Lucas's interest in Elijah's secret life took a sharp turn when he discovered something shocking. While investigating a lead with Dimitri in New York, Lucas had followed a trail that led them to a high-end restaurant. It was a routine check, part of Lucas's effort to find weaknesses in the Romanov power structure. He wasn't expecting anything unusual. But what he saw stunned him.

There, seated at a private table, was Elijah Romanov-and with him was Liam Davis, Aisha Sunak Materazzi's assistant.

Lucas couldn't believe his eyes. Liam and Elijah were deep in conversation, their mannerisms more than just friendly, their connection clear to anyone who knew what to look for. The two men were lovers. The situation was almost too good to be true-Lucas had stumbled onto the Romanov family's most explosive secret.

The tension in the restaurant was palpable as Lucas and Dimitri quietly observed from a distance. Dimitri, who had long suspected that his father was hiding something, looked as though the pieces were finally falling into place. For Lucas, however, this revelation was a gift. Not only did it explain Elijah's long-standing denial of Dimitri's paternity, but it also gave Lucas leverage-leverage he could use against the Romanovs when the time came.

For now, Lucas played it cool. He didn't confront Elijah or Liam that night. He knew this information was too valuable to waste on a public confrontation. Instead, he stored it away, waiting for the right moment to use it.

Over the following days, Lucas kept close to Dimitri, continuing to solidify their alliance. He subtly guided Dimitri into a position of power, convincing him that taking over the Romanov family was not just his destiny but the best way to protect himself from the chaos brewing within the mafia. Victor Romanov was a powerful figure, but his influence would eventually fade. Elijah, with all his secrets and shadowy past, could never be trusted to lead. Dimitri, despite his reluctance, was the only Romanov capable of keeping the family intact.

But Lucas had other motives. If Dimitri could take control, the Russian mafia would be weakened, fractured by years of internal strife and Elijah's machinations. And that would be the perfect opportunity for the Materazzi family to rise even higher, filling the vacuum left by the Romanov chaos.

Lucas's focus sharpened. He now had the key to control both Dimitri and, by extension, the Romanov empire. Elijah Romanov's days as a ghost in the mafia were numbered. And Liam Davis, the unsuspecting lover in this tangled web of power and deception, was another piece in the puzzle.

Lucas didn't relish the thought of betraying Aisha's trust or using her assistant against her, but he was playing a long game. In the world of mafia politics, personal feelings were a liability. Lucas knew the time would come when all the pieces would fall into place. For now, he had the leverage, and he intended to use it.

The only question was how long Elijah Romanov could keep running from the truth-and what would happen when the truth finally caught up to him.