The Russian Fighter (Mafia Men #1)

The Price Of Disobedience

Chapter 17

Edited

Konstantin and Vitaly met with me once I came back in to the club, wet tears, and irises rimmed red. Both, upon seeing my face, offered a concern look. It felt more like pity to me.

"How did it go?" Vitaly spoke first.

"Like you care," I spat. "Let's hurry this up. I want to get out of here."

Konstantin nodded. "As you wish."

Silently the two escorted me back to Boris's office. It was a long journey of nerves and nothing but the beat of music to follow us. Inside the room I noticed my parents were removed, leaving the four of us as both men took a seat on the futon no longer employed with my parents and grandparents.

"Tell me," started Boris, standing in the same pose as when I left. "Did your pleas take?"

"No," I replied locking my hands behind my back. "He refused to listen. He wants to protect me the same way I have been doing since you sprung this on me."

"This means Angelo did as I told him."

I raised my head. "Angelo?"

"Yes," Boris lifted a rocks glass my way. "The Consigliere of the Sicilian Mafia soldiers. He trains them well. Made Men of steel hearts. One of those, is your precious Maksimillian. As well as his brothers, and the one they call Jeff."

I gaped. Jeff was a Made Man.

"That's who he serves," I managed to put together. "And that's why Maksim tried to push me away tonight. You wanted me to fail."

"You are perceptive." Boris walked round his desk and sat against it, tapping his fingers under the rim. "I wanted to see the lengths you would go to appease me. You are good actress."

"I tried to convince him like you asked. Why go through the trouble of putting a tree in my path? Why tell Angelo to have Maksim reject me?"

"I needed," he said, "to know where your loyalties lie."

Boris struck me across the face with the heel of his palm. I fell in a whirlwind of dizziness and pain. I moaned, tears burning my eyes from the immense drumbeat touching the cells in my brain, plunging to the soft tissues of my gums. Then a rivulet of scarlet fell onto the ground where I laid, and wiped it clean.

From the corner of my vision Vitaly started to rise. Konstantin launched a arm in front of him, holding him in his spot. Vitaly shot him a look, jaw clenched, and a bit flushed.

"If you," Boris said, "really wanted to succeed. You would have done anything. Fucked him, even. He may have believed what bullshit you cried to him."

I spat my essence at his boots. "If you knew I was going to fail, why recruit me?"

He sighed and signaled to his son. "Bring her in. I want her to be first."

Vitaly hesitated, sharing a look with Konstantin, however Boris made up his mind with a curt demand. "Now!"

Grabbed by the neck, reluctantly, Vitaly was dragged by Konstantin out the door. When they left Boris shoved it completely, sealing me in. When he walked back to me, I shook as he joined me, squatting with his hands rested between his bent knees so casually.