Anton
“You look happy,” Andrei says.
“What makes you say that?” I innocently ask.
He gives me a smooth grin as he sits across from my desk and takes a long sip of his coffee. “You sly bastard. You wanted the other Donovan girl all along, didn’t you? That pregnancy was a windfall for you. The perfect excuse.”
“None of this was planned. That, I can promise.”
“You’re still a slick bastard. You might not have planned it, but you still got exactly what you wanted.”
“You give me too much credit. Eileen unwittingly played her own part.”
“She certainly seems a lot nicer than her stepsister, but she’s also less useful. Pretty sure old man Ronan is grooming Ciara to take over his businesses,” Andrei’s humor slowly fades. “And I’m equally sure that he offered Ciara’s hand to Sergei fucking Kuznetsov to make up for your blunder.”
“I thought we were in this together, brother.”
“We are. I just didn’t think Ronan would pull Kuznetsov back in.”
“Ciara hasn’t said yes.”
“Like she has a choice?”
A heavy sigh rolls from my chest. “It would serve Kuznetsov right to get saddled with her. She’s a spoiled brat.”
“A smart spoiled brat. You’re forgetting that part. You’re also forgetting that she’s not on our side anymore.”
“I still think Eileen has a shot at taking over for Ronan when the time comes. I just need to convince her that she’s capable.”
“Is she?”
I nod with unshakeable certainty. “Absolutely. In fact, I think she could turn the whole Donovan conglomerate into a veritable empire with the right support. I just need to win her over.”
“She is carrying your baby.”
“If only it were that simple,” I chuckle bitterly. “I put her at odds with her own family, Andrei. It’s gonna cost me.”
He thinks about it for a moment. “I see the way you two look at each other, though. Beyond that animosity, which, by the way, is merely a façade, there’s something real, brother. She’s anything but indifferent to you.”
“Don’t I know it. I’ll break through to that warm, soft center of hers. I don’t think Eileen has ever had anyone to inspire her, to support her. I’ve noticed Ciara’s many jabs. Ronan’s old-school garble. Eileen is… dammit, she could rule the fucking world if she wanted.”
“You both could. And you both should.”
“It’s gonna get messy before we get there,” I tell Andrei. “What’s the word in our organization, in the meantime?”
He exhales sharply and sets his coffee on the desktop, then runs a hand through his thick, brown hair. Sometimes, all I have to do is look at him, watch him closely, to understand what he’s thinking, what he’s about to say. Out in public, however, Andrei is impossible to read. Dangerously unpredictable. It’s one of many things I love about my brother. Behind closed doors, when it’s just the two of us, he’s an open book, and right now, I’m not sure I like what I’m reading.
“Kuznetsov is actively lobbying against us, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. He’s taking advantage of this Donovan switch to paint you as a backstabber. Untrustworthy. A snake in the grass,” he says. “Paul Mattis is doing his share, too, organizing separate meetings with the other families. He’s due to sit down with the Sokolovs next week. Fedorov hasn’t agreed to a meeting yet, though.”
“Ivan won’t entertain Sergei, but Petra might.”
“There will be stock options for two of our companies available at the end of the month,” Andrei reminds me. “We’re going public with Zanta and CypressCo. Might as well make Petra an offer. An enticing one.”
I cock my head to the side. “What are we offering, exactly?”
“I suggest half price on each share and cap her at fifteen percent. We don’t want Petra Fedorov to hold a majority in any of our companies, obviously.”
“We might have to,” I sigh deeply. “If it gets to that, let her have up to twenty percent of Cypress. Zanta is too volatile at this point.”
He nods slowly. “Let’s hope it doesn’t get to that.”
“Set up a meeting. Tell her that we’re going public with CypressCo. Mention the offer and see how she reacts.”
“What if she says no?”
“Just ask her,” I shoot back with a smirk. “One way or another, we need the Fedorovs on our side. Whether it’s the young one or the elder, we have to secure their support, because if they fall, the others won’t be far behind.”
“What will you do in the meantime?”
“Brace for the incoming shitstorm,” I reply, only half joking. “I’ve got a jilted fiancée, a pissed-off baby mama, and a future father-in-law who’s looking more frail with each passing day. Something tells me there will be major changes happening in the Donovan family sooner rather than later, and I need to make sure we’re on top of that.”
Andrei laughs, throwing his head back for good measure. “Sounds like you’ve got some ass-kissing to do.”
“More or less.”
“Which brings me back to my original point. You look happy.”
“In a twisted way, I guess I am,” I confess with a slight shake of the head. “She’s different, Andrei. She really is. I could tell from that very first night, despite the circumstances—”
“For which I am responsible. My bad.”
“Actually, I’m grateful that you were hotheaded enough to pull that stunt with Tommy Benedetto. None of this would’ve happened otherwise.”
“Then, you’re welcome,” Andrei replies with a grin.
“I mean it. She’s something else. Wily as hell and stubborn as a mule, but sharp as a razor. And she’s kind, Andrei. Aside from Laura, do you know any other woman who you could genuinely describe as kind?”
His silence gives me his answer as he leans back into his chair and smiles softly. “I was right, Anton.”
“About what?”
“You’re absolutely whipped.”
“Perhaps. But we’re sailing some treacherous waters here, brother. I hope you can forgive me for these shifts.”
Andrei gives me a long look. His eyes say more than his words ever will. “Big brother, we’ve stuck together through thick and thin. Lord knows, you saved my ass more times than I can count. The least I can do is ride this out with you and make sure we both come out on top. There’s no way in hell I’m letting Sergei Kuznetsov bump us off the food chain.”
“Then let’s make sure he doesn’t.”
Easier said than done, of course. Sergei is an intelligent man. A savvy entrepreneur. And a fucking extraordinary psychopath. The man has outsmarted and outgunned anyone who’s gotten in his way, his own family included.
I’m not scared of him, but I do worry. If the other families turn against us, holding on to the seat of power might kill us.
I’m about to marry an incredible woman and our first child is on the way.
I’ve got work to do.
