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69. - A week before

"Antonio Russo," an unfamiliar voice speaks. My head snaps up and my eyes narrow. Who the fuck had the balls big enough to just walk into my office with no explanation?

This guy?

"Do I know you?" I scan his figure up and down. He was lean, good hair, stiff jawline, slightly crooked nose, slightly familiar but different.

He had a deep Russian accent, his deep grey eyes assessing me, watching my every move. And that's when it clicked, it was my biggest enemy, nemesis if you will.

We were former friends...alliances, very close to be specific but behind all the lovey and friendly facade, he was a snake, a very traitorous and venomous snake.

Killian Sukorodov the leader, boss, alpha whatever the fuck people call it nowadays of the Russian Mafia.

Age really was treating him well.

"What are you doing here?" my eyes follow as he just freely sits on the chair in front of my desk.

Alright then, be my guest I guess.

"бизнес," he answers, knowing that I knew his mother tongue well, just as he knew mine. "Бизнес?," I scoff.

(Business)

"Kakoy vid biznesa?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at the bitch. "Alliance. Marriage possibly," he gives me one of his smirks, one of which mimics a snake, a snake that I'd enjoy strangling with my bare hands.

(What type of business?)

He was fucking crazy if he thought I'd agree with this stupid alliance and marriage. Especially with my children now involved it was extremely dangerous to have him betray me again. So the answer was simple. "No".

Now he settles into the chair and begins to open his fat mouth. I knew some unreasonable bullshit would spill out of his mouth, that's why I speak before he does.

"The answer will always remain, no Sudorokov. You had your chance with the Italian mafia but being the hot headed idiotic pussy that you are..." I stare him down. "You decided to pick a war that I'm guessing you now know that you can't win," I smile, a fake plastic smile that Zamira gives when she's trying to be nice but still shows a bit of hatred.

"This isn't about our stupid war Russo. This alliance has meaning. You were recently kidnapped by the Germans. No?"

It's more like a year or two ago but whatever.

"What does my kidnapping have to do with this?"

"My youngest son Lloyd, he too was kidnapped by them. They underestimate us Russo. I believe if we 'team up' and eliminate everyone and everything within that bullshit of a so called mafia we could show every other mafia to stop messing with us." His reasoning still wasn't clear.

"That still doesn't answer my question," I reply. He sighs and licks his bottom lip. "I wasn't meant to answer your question. I was simply making a statement with your... Activity."

"Why me? I could deal with them myself." I purse my lips. "I thought that too. Not only do they underestimate us but we do them." He answers.

"They're coming for your kids."

My eyes darken in protectiveness at the thought of my children in their grasp. They're very lives dependent on what the Germans do to them.

No. He's lying.

"I don't believe you Sukorodov. You're bullshitting me, just like you did our friendship and alliance." my voice holds a dark twist.

"Leave. Thank you for your heartfelt speech but It very well wasn't needed nor asked for," I stand, my chair flying to the wall and hitting it with a thump. His face twists in anger.

"Yes I may have lied earlier in the years but if your and my children are involved I wouldn't dare do this for entertainment. If you want to leave it at that, fine. Don't come running to me in tears. Any less I'll be expecting a funeral maybe the news of their deaths?" he chuckles with no humour.

"And for gods sake let the fucking past go. We were both young and stupid to believe whatever we had would last."

"I'm not doing this for the sake of having power or whatever the fuck you believe. The Germans have some sick obsession with us and I don't know if it's because of the power and money we hold or something that has happened in the past."

"Make your mind up now. I'm not going to waste anymore time. I want them dead. Gone. I'm not risking my wife and my childrens lives," he too stands and glares at me.

My thoughts scramble into a million pieces. I really hated this. Not only because I hated the Russians but because I knew how this system worked. We were going to marry one of our kids together.

And as Serenity was the eldest it was going to have to be her and possibly his son Lloyd as he was more closer in age with her. 3-4 years maybe.

His eyes lessen within it's darkness as he sees a glimpse of worry coating my face. He hesitates and chooses his next words carefully. "If you're up to it...Call me," his business card hits the surface of my desk.

I watch as he leaves my thoughts still placing the pieces to the puzzle that I really didn't want to solve. Guilt flooded me. Guilt for my choice, guilt for my daughter's future, guilt for what I was about to do.

"Wait." I grit through my teeth.

His steps halt.

"Let's talk."

We made it to 500K! Ty ty ty! I love you all and owe you 500K kisses. Next chapter is the last one then we have an epilogue, the a/n and a bonus chapter 😟.