Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I pause, letting my words sink in. “So, I suggest you either get on board with the new direction or find yourself a new line of work. Because trust me, I won’t lose a wink of sleep over cutting dead weight.”
He opens his mouth and closes it again, finally sitting down with a huff of anger.
Lev stands beside me. I nod.
“Talk to my wife like that again, and I’ll make you regret it... you’ll beg for death before the end.” Lev’s voice is a low, dangerous growl, radiating anger in palpable waves. The men shift uneasily, murmurs rippling through the crowd. His eyes, cold and lethal, lock onto the dissenter, promising pain and retribution.
I nod my thanks to him and continue, my tone icy. I will not put up with this bullshit.
“Let me be clear. I will not tolerate dissent, not from any of you. Those of you before me now are here as an act of mercy from me.”
The man’s lip curls in a sneer, but before he can respond, Lev speaks up again. “This is the new order. Adapt or I’m happy to escort you out.”
The look on his face says what he doesn’t say out loud—he would be more than happy to escort him.
“Some resist change,” I say, my voice loud and clear. “But change is necessary for us to grow. And grow we will.”
No one speaks for long moments. “What will it be?” Lev asks, his tone grim and his gaze steely. Realizing the futility of resistance, the man nods his head, grumbling.
“You’ll watch for any dissent among them,” I say quietly to Juan-Carlo. “And report directly back to me.”
But with each day that passes, as we prove with the data we’ve collected that the power of the Romanov Bratva alliance will make us thrive, dissent dwindles. The men here have longed to be part of something greater. My brother did me a favor, sowing dissension and rivalry among his men. Now that I’ve given them this opportunity, they’re grateful.
Being a member of the strongest cartel in Colombia with the ability to influence North America is an opportunity none here would ever take lightly.
In all of this, my respect for Lev and his for me grows. We have weathered the storm of resistance and come out stronger on the other side.
One evening, after a particularly grueling day of dealing with cartel business, he pulls me close, his eyes softening as he looks at me.
“You’ve done it,” he murmurs, his voice filled with admiration and a hint of pride. “The transformation is happening. I got off the phone with Mikhail earlier, and he’s fucking thrilled with what’s unfolding down here.”
I smile. Good. And we’ve only just started. “We’ve done it,” I tell him. “And we have a lot of work yet to do, but we can do it.”
Life isn’t a fairy tale. We both know that, but neither of us were fairy-tale people to begin with.
The road ahead is littered with challenges, and we are already facing many of them. But there is a strength in our union that makes the fight worthwhile.
I sigh, feeling the weight of the day's battles lift slightly as I place my hand on my belly, a symbol of the new life we are nurturing together. I lay my head on his shoulder, finding solace in his unwavering support.
“Transformations are happening,” I say with a smile. “And out of all that’s happened and will… ours is my favorite.”
EPILOGUE
Lev
“I really think I want to do…neutrals. Something calming. You know? White, ivory, beige…” Isabella waves her hand around the room and places her hand on her belly. She tips her head to the side and turns to look at me. “What do you think, Daddy?”
Isabella struts around the room, a spring in her step that speaks volumes about her new role as the reigning queen of the LSD. Her heels click on the hardwood floors.
“Wow, that didn’t take you long.”
“Long?” she asks, her gaze curious. I love when she looks at me like that.
“I expected you to be a lot more focused on the Columbian contingent of our kingdom,” I say teasingly. I lean down and kiss her cheek. Even with those death-defying heels on, she’s still so much smaller than I am. Not that it holds her back in the least.
“Did you think running a cartel would take all day? Please, Lev. I have standards. Efficiency is everything.”
I smile at her. “How did the meeting with the council go?”
“Let’s just say they won’t be questioning my authority anytime soon,” she replies with a wink. “They learned the hard way that underestimating a woman is a very bad idea. Now, back to more important business. Neutrals, or color? What do you think?” She leans back and puts her hand on her abdomen with a flourish. “For the baby.”