Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
My mother would have loved you, mysh.
When I became the leader of the Brotherhood, my mother argued that it was crucial that I found a wife who could not only support me but also hold her own in our world.
Thinking I would be a bachelor all of my life, I did my best to ignore her.
Yet, my mother never let up.
She went on and on about the kind of woman I should marry—someone smart, cunning, and tough enough to protect herself if necessary.
Next, my mother kept pushing and pushing about how this wife needed to be able to host gatherings for the Brotherhood and make sure that everything ran smoothly. This wife had to be able to hold her own in a room full of powerful men without embarrassing me or herself.
You were right, mother. As usual.
Thinking of my mouse, I looked at David. “Have you approved all security for New Orleans?”
“I did, but. . .”
“What?”
“I am not fully satisfied with Emily’s main people.”
“Why not?”
“Blue reported that they picked Lemon for her number two.”
“Did Maxwell approve?”
“He did, but Maxwell believes he can watch Emily on his own.”
“Well, he has done so for many years.” I sighed. “But you do not approve of Lemon?”
“Lemon is loyal, but is too inexperienced for such a high position. She has not watched over Emily outside of Russia. She also has not met Lunita.”
I gritted my teeth. “Who do you want?”
David frowned. “You will not like my answer.”
“Who?”
“Boris.”
I groaned in annoyance. “Boris is a dead man walking. Why would I put him next to my mouse?”
“Boris is one of the few of us that can tell the difference between Emily and Lunita—”
“And I am pretty sure, Lunita would fuck him.”
“But, Boris would not sleep with her.”
“Would you bet your life on that, King David?”
He let out a long breath. “I would.”
“Putting your life on Boris is a very risky move. He is an idiot.”
David shrugged. “But I will not be in the States with you. That means I want the best people there. Max has never truly worked with Lemon. That means that she will be battling a steep learning curve. New Orleans is not the time for that.”
I remained silent, not wanting to admit that he could be correct.
“And. . .”
The line of my jaw twitched.
“If Boris is standing guard at night, Emily may not need to be in a cell. We will have someone who can alert everyone if Lunita is out and about.”
That was another good point. However, I knew Lunita too. Last time I saw her look at Boris, she had turned shy and batted those long lashes, transforming from serial killer to a crushing school girl.
“Kazimir, I just ask that you think about this. Lemon can still go. With Boris there, Max could properly train Lemon.”
I frowned. “I will consider it, but I doubt my thoughts on Boris will change. By this time of the year, I had expected Boris to be lying in a casket and buried.”
“I understand, but thank you for thinking about it.” David glanced at Paolo. “On another note. . .you are doing a good job with him.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
I hoped David was right on that too. I yearned to one day gain Paolo’s forgiveness by being an anchor for the storm that he was going through.
David put his view forward. “As a kid who lost his parents. . .at a young age. . .all I can say is that hugs are powerful and important.”
I eyed him. “Baba hugged you a lot?”
“All the time. I. . .barely ever left her arms. I slept in her bed. I followed around. I held her hand if she could not hug me. I was always next to her as if. . .”
I raised my eyebrows.
“As if I was scared that she would leave too, and I would be all alone.”
Paolo stirred in my arms.
My heart ached for David, for Paolo, and for even me—now all motherless sons in this world.
David directed his view to Paolo. “While. . .you will probably never be able to take away his pain, you can be a steady presence in his life, Kazimir. Just like Baba was for me. In some ways. . .that can be enough.”
I nodded.
Silent, we headed down the stairs.
I gazed down at this little boy who had seeped into my heart.
Paolo had his eyes closed, but I knew he was not asleep. His breathing remained steady. His heartbeats thumped against my chest.
Since Paolo had started being with us, this had been the longest we had ever spent together without my mouse being present.
Will he be okay?
At the loss of my mother, my heart, my soul had shattered into pieces. I had buried her in a gold-plated casket and then killed many for months—specifically many among the Solntsevskaya Bratva.
The Brotherhood was divided into various brigades. While they operated independently, often, most collaborated with each other.