Mafia Bloodlines

Chapter 38

"I looked into what you said and I've confirmed it's true. Though I am concerned that your connections with the military force put us in a bit of a predicament," Vladimir said, eyeing me over his cup of tea like a general studying the enemy.
"It says here that after your training, you worked for the CIA?"

Of course he wasn’t going to let it go.
Is he onto me?

"Yes. I did," I said simply.

"Why would you do that? You know your background." Nikolai’s tone was more confused than accusatory. Still, this....this constant questioning was the one thing I hadn’t missed about being around these men. Everyone always in everyone else’s business.

"Why do you think, brother?" I said, tilting my head with a dry smile.
"Who knows? Maybe I had a change of heart. Decided to fight for justice." I paused deliberately, then scoffed.
"Maybe I was sent here by the CIA to put you in jail, Vladimir."I could see the flicker in his eyes. He didn’t like that.

"Don’t even joke like that, Faina. Prison’s not for someone like me," Luca jumped in. "Those inmates would have me for breakfast, lunch, and supper." Luca laughed, but the nervousness in his voice betrayed him. Which was Good.

"You would never do that. Come on, Fae. I know you. You wouldn’t betray your family like that," Ulyana said. She tried to sound dismissive, but I could tell she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else.

I placed my hand on my chest dramatically to mock.
"Oh, I wouldn't dare. The price for betraying Vladimir Novikov is a high one, right Vladimir?"
I stared him down, daring him to blink.

" If you want to say something go ahead and say it. Stop beating around the bush " Vladimir said with a stern tone.

" All I'm saying is I think your methods are intriguing. But do they apply to everyone?
Anyone who obetrays you suffers at your hand right , like Mikhail for example..." I knew I had hit a nerve.

" What are you two on about?
Can you stop talking in riddles or codes that only both of you understand or else have this conversation elsewhere, where it is just the two if you." Mama stated in a bored tone. She was probably frustrated because she didn't know what was going on.

" On the contrary my love, let's have this conversation here, it was brought up on this table so it will be addressed on this table. It seems Faina here doesn't necessarily agree with my way of doing things, she thinks I might have double standards for killing Mikhail and not killing her when both of them betrayed me" Vladimir said it all so easily, it was as if he had just told a story about his dog who he just taught a new trick and he know feels like a proud dog owner.

" What! Papa , you killed  uncle Mikhail? I thought Mikhail resigned or at least that was what you led us to believe."  Ivan who had been quiet the whole time finally spoke up.

" Rewind, I'm still stuck on the -both Faina and uncle Mikhail betrayed him part. What is that about?" Zakhar enquired. The moment if truth is here I guess.

" It seems that Mikhail was banging your sister here." Vladimir gestured towards me as he spoke.

" Wait a minute, no, you have to be mistaken. Faina was 16 and uncle Roman  was like 35, they couldn't have...." Ivan shakes his head in denial.
Mama was quiet, she was in deep thought, and probably putting the pieces together. From the time I would be mean to Mikhail to the time I asked her for love advice about a particular man who had a similar essense as Vladimir.

" If you are going to be talking about my business then get your facts straight.
Mikhail wasn't screwing me, though we were in love at the time." I clarified things, it didn't make anything better though, I could feel the judgement from my brothers.

" Don't forget to mention how you would throw yourself at him like a cheap slut, who knows what else you both would have done in the name of " love" " Vladimir spat, you could clearly see that the thought of it made him sick to his stomach.

"Since I clearly get my character from you I would like to think that I got  even the slut part from you , Papa." I said in a tone laced with venom.

"I won't be shamed by you for the decision I made regarding Roman. If I had another chance I would still kill that little bastard." Vladimir said, his face darkening.

" And me, what is my price?" I asked boldly, I wasn't scared of Valdimir.

"I do not forgive betrayal," he replied, cold and flat. "You should know that… as my daughter."

His words hung between us like a guillotine. For a split second, I wondered what he had planned for me. How far would Vladimir Novikov go? We locked eyes. His were disturbed, calculating. He was trying to read me.

“Your phone is ringing.” Zakhar nudged me, pulling me out of the stare-down.
I looked at the screen.

Same number.

Again.

It had been calling for two weeks. I’d answered twice, silence each time. Either a coward trying to scare me, or a bored idiot thinking this was funny.

"Answer it. Put it on loudspeaker. You know the rules, no cellphones at breakfast," Vladimir snapped.

I took a breath.
"No. I won’t put it on loudspeaker. This is my personal call, and I don’t care about your stupid rules."
I pushed my chair back and walked upstairs, not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction.

I answered once I was alone.
“Hello?”
Silence. Except... breathing.

"If you don’t want to talk, then don’t call me," I snapped, pacing.
"I don’t have time to entertain pranksters or people who can’t make up their minds. Don’t call me again. This is getting........
"

“Καταιγίδα.”

It was a whisper. Barely audible.

Only one person ever called me that.

I hung up, heart slamming against my ribs.

Fuck Ambrose Kravaritis.
Fuck his games, his ultimatum, and his obsession.
I don’t care what he thinks he’s doing.