Page 70 of Tainted Empire
They exchange looks, a silent communication before my father speaks. “The hit on you came from St Petersburg, and Anatoly says it didn’t come from him but he’s suddenly closed his borders to trading. Looks a bit suspicious to me.”
That fucking cunt, I knew it.
My father adds, “But Gabriette’s been stepping up. She’s holding down the fort, Mikhail. She’s stronger than we thought.”
Lee’s voice is tinged with respect when she speaks of Gabriette. “She’s been taking charge; making decisions, keeping things in line.”
I can’t help but feel a surge of pride. “That’s my girl,” I say with a smile. “What about the rest of the men? How are they taking it?”
There’s unrest, Mikhail,“ Ivan says, shaking his head. “They’re waiting for your lead. Gabriette’s doing well, but they need to see you back in action.”
My mind races with each piece of information, the cogs turning as I try to make sense of it all. I had a feeling the rest of my men might not be too keen on having a woman lead them. They’re still fucking stuck in the old ways.
“It’s a fucking mess,” I finally say, my mind working overtime. “We need to make a move, show them that I’m still in charge, even from this damn bed.” My mind races, piecing together fragments of information into a plan.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” I start, my voice gaining strength. “We set up a meeting. Get the key players in one room. I’ll lead it, remotely if I have to. Show them that I’m still Pakhan, that I’m not fucking dead.”
My father looks concerned. “Mikhail, you’re still recovering. This could be risky and open you up to another attack.”
I shake my head, determination setting in. “It’s a risk we have to take. If we show weakness now, we’ll lose control. We need to act, and fast.”
Ivan nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. “We’ll make the arrangements. Get everyone on board.”
“We need to be cautious, Mikhail. If we’re right, this goes deeper than we thought,” Lee says with a sigh and crosses her arms.
My father, always the voice of reason, adds, “We need a solid plan, son. We can’t just rush into this blind.”
I think for a moment, considering our options. “We need more information on Devon’s family. And we need to tighten our grip on our operations here. If someone’s making a move against us, we need to be ready.”
“What do you want us to do, Mikhail?” Ivan asks.
I nod, already formulating a plan in my mind. “First, we need to tighten security around Gabriette and the penthouse. I don’t want any more fucking surprises. Ivan, get Viktor and Alexei in on this, make sure our men are on high alert.”
Ivan nods, his expression grim. “Consider it done.”
Turning to Lee, I say, “Start digging into Devon’s family in Berlin. We need to know if there’s a connection. Anything, no matter how small, could be the key. That fuck, Alberto, was seen there last; it can’t be a dead end.”
Lee acknowledges with a determined look. “I’m on it.”
“And Ivan,” I continue, “coordinate with our contacts in St Petersburg. We need eyes and ears on the ground.”
Ivan grins at this. “Your wife has already set that up, bossman,” he says with a chuckle and I can’t help but grin. That’s my fucking queen.
I then look at my father, seeing the worry in his eyes. “We’re going to handle this carefully, but we need to be aggressive. We can’t let them think we’re weakened. Not now.”
As they leave to carry out their tasks, I’m left alone with my thoughts. Despite the pain and the weakness, a plan begins to form in my mind. We’re up against something big, but I’m not about to let anyone take down what I’ve spent my life building.
Startled from a light doze, I’m jolted awake as Gabriette storms into the room, a whirlwind of frustration and determination. Her eyes are ablaze, a clear indication that she’s upset about something.
“Mikhail, what the hell? Why wasn’t I included in the meeting?” she demands, her hands on her hips, her posture radiating indignation.
I try to sit up, wincing slightly at the discomfort. “Easy, baby, it’s not what you think. They were just filling me in on what’s been going on.”
She’s not having it, though. Pacing and glaring at me, she’s letting me know exactly what she’s feeling and I try my best not to smile.
“Filling you in? And what am I? Chopped liver? I’ve been here, holding everything together while you were out, and now I’m suddenly pushed to the sidelines?”
I shake my head, trying to get a word in. “Gabriette, listen. It’s not about pushing you out. Fuck, you’ve been the backbone holding everything together. This was just a quick update. You’ve been doing a damn good job, better than I could’ve asked for.”