Outside your window (18+)

Chapter thirty two

Damien Romano:

One thing my grandfather always told me growing up was that to the blind, fear and respect was the same. Mixing the two up with each other could end badly. And it is something I like to think about when I'm about to do something like this. Strike back. Men like Aleksei never change, stay blinded by the power and forget about the difference between an honest man and a weak one, and I should've seen it coming. Now I just have to see where Moretti stands in all this.

My knee bounces up and down under the table as I stare out over the club from the top floor, thinking, frowning. It's a private room. No one is allow to come here unless they're told to by me. Even Iván knows that, and follows that rule. And it's pretty rare for that man to follow any fucking rule that doesn't involve life or death decisions. He has informed the others to meet here, and it's quiet without him. The peaceful kind. Yet something is missing. Someone is. And that someone is the reason I've been out of it all day. The reason why I forgot to pay attention to my surroundings and why today went as it did.

I run a hand down the stubble on my jaw and think, tensing. Aleksei's men hitting us with their car means war, and he has made the first move. He will come after everyone and everything I have in order to get to me. Every man has a weakness, he will do everything to find mine. On paper, my whole family is dead. Not Trinity. He doesn't know about her, yet. My thoughts take a dark turn and I'm relieved when footsteps outside the door snaps me out of them.

A knock is heard on the door before Mirko's face is revealed in the doorway, a fresh scar on his cheek from his last business I sent him on yesterday. He lowers his head in greeting and behind him follows at least seven more men before Iván comes in last, mumbling something about someone being on their way.

"Pochemu my zdes', boss?" Javier says in Russian, moving closer to the front as the men take their seat around the table, some standing. There is no time for modesty. I assume Iván has filled them in with what happened today, but that's about it.
{Why're we here, boss?}

"Mozhet, potomu, chto Iván krasit pomadu, kak-" TJ is cut off when Mirko elbows him in the side and Jeremy tries not to snort, turning his face away to stop from laughing while TJ grunts in protest.
{Maybe because Iván is wearing lipstick like a-}

"Pora gotovit'sya k voyne, gospoda." A corner of my lips curve up as I watch the others stiffen at my words, some of them muttering a whisper or two, and a shadow of some emotion I can't place takes over my eyes. "Bratva sdelal svoy khod, u nego segodnya vecherom pribudet gruz, I need three of you to get there before his men and make sure it doesn't happen." I explain, the murmurs falling silent as I continue with the plan.
{Time to prepare for war, gentlemen.} {The bratva made their move, he has shipments coming in tonight,}

"I'll take Jeremy and Mirko." Iván says and looks and me with determination but I shake my head.

"I need you to for something else. Mirko will come with me and talk to Moretti to see where he stands. Jeremy and TJ can go with Stephan." I say, my voice low and leaving no room for discussion as I look at Stephan to see him nod, muttering a 'yes sir'. "TJ, I need you to schedule a meeting with Moretti at the usual spot. Javier, take two others with you to stand guard outside Aleksei's club, see if you can get any information..." I continue speaking, a vein bulging from my jaw with how much I'm clenching it. Iván leaves the room to take a call and a discussion starts about where to strike to let him know we're onto him without causing more damage to us. And as the discussion goes on, I feel my mind go back into that dark place again.

-

"What do you want me for?" Iván comes up in next to me while the others fill out and I turn to him, noticing his lipstick is still smudged on. No one told him?