Veil of Sin (Dark Mafia Romance)

Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 

ZOR

"Dom vyglyadit ochenʹ khorosho," My father says as he walks into the study room. "Very clean." He nods and smiles at me, his eyes shining with approval.

"Spasibo," I reply, taking a step closer to him. "It took long enough but it's done."

He nods before sitting down. His eyes scan the room for a moment before settling on me again. Nicholas takes a seat as well and I do the same.

We had lived in this very house a long time ago, before we left this city for good. At that time, the house wasn't in a very good state, and it had been abandoned by us, until a couple of months ago when my father told me of his intentions to return here.

I had the place cleaned up and renovated to fit our needs. The house was built on a hillside, with a view of the ocean and the skyline to the left of it. It was our family home in America for the longest I have ever known.

"How's Sergei?" My father asks Stephan, who enters the room with a bottle of whiskey in his hands.

"He's good. He's getting better," He replies while filling up the glasses that are there. "He's been asking for you, Pakhan."

My father laughs, "I'll see that old fool tonight. We had a bet when we were younger that I'll get sick first once we're older. And look at him now, getting sick before me. He's going to owe me a good sum."

"Yes, he has mentioned that quite many times, especially during the stays in the hospital," Stephan glances at my father and raises his glass before sitting down across me. "I think he's only alive because he doesn't want to lose the bet."

We all laugh at that.

"I'll drink to that." My father says before taking a sip of the whiskey.

We sit for a while here, mostly reminiscing old times. The house brings up a lot of memories for most of us, except for my little brother as during that time he was at boarding school and was not here to witness anything.

Nicholas, my father's advisor, had been here as well. All those years ago and now.

It almost feels like nothing's changed.

Almost. But everything has. And I can see it in the way everyone is acting. They are trying to hold onto something that isn't there anymore. Something that has long since passed.

We're not the same people we were back then, and neither are our enemies. The world has changed, and so have the players. The game has gotten tougher and the consequences have gotten heavier.

I'm no longer a boy, and my father is no longer the man he used to be. I have grown. Changed.

"Zorak," My father's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. He's staring at me, his expression serious now. "Tell me of what you've learned so far in the past week. Of everything. I want to hear it all."

I nod and take a sip from the glass, letting the whiskey warm me up before speaking.

"There's not much. Sergei has been doing well in his part, keeping things together," I glance at Stephan for a moment. "There are new people, different—"

"The Mexicans."

I nod at him, "Yes, the Mexicans. The Chernovs have made allies with the Verges cartel. Emilio has been a good friend to them. He has been supplying the city for a while now, and the streets are full of their drugs and guns."

My father doesn't appear to be too pleased about this. His eyes narrow, and he sets the glass down. "And the officials?"

"There are a few Sergei has been handling. But most are under Chernov's control. The Chief of Police is in their pocket."