Leonid's POV
Being the first mob boss in my family, it's a big deal to have a successor. All the other families have their traditions when it comes to succession. I have had time to plan my own tradition. I have had years and as much as it was Katya who was supposed to take over, it does not change things. In her place is a boy clueless about what he is getting into. I don't have much time. We took him from the Italians and I'm expecting Nickolas to show up at any moment.
I closed the door after observing the young man looking at his appearance in the mirror. "Have you ever worn a tux before?"
"Yes... Once... A school thing. Nick made me wear one. Mom was totally cool about me going in a t-shirt and jeans."
"You often mention Nick in many of our conversations. You must look up to him."
"I do."
I took a sit on the edge of the bed. "May I know why?"
"He's cool."
Terrence keeps things simple. He's not a wordy person.
"Tell me more than 'cool'. Sit with me."
"Well, he's successful. People do everything he wants. They literally jump out of his way. He's feared. I want to be something, not another face in the crowd."
"When your mother was a child she used to say ordinary is boring. Is that how you feel?"
"Yes." His green eyes focused on mine. "I'm concerned about my mother. I threatened her and now I haven't seen her in a while.
"What did you te her?"
"I told her I know her name and I'll tell my dad. She was upset. She told me she's travelling for work. I find it strange that they both travelled for work all at the same time. It feels wrong."
He has good instincts.
"Hasn't it given us time to be together? I would call it opportunity. My dear boy, opportunity doesn't come around often. When it dies come around, what should you do?"
"Take it."
"Clever boy. What if I told you there's an opportunity for you to be more than another face in the crowd?" He paid attention. "What if I tell you that you can be more powerful than Nick?"
"How?" He smiled.
"To start us off, let me tell you who Nick is. Have you ever heard of the mob?"
"Yes."
"There is the Italian Mafia. Nick works for the godfather. He's nothing more than a capo. He's like Alexei if I'm to draw comparisons."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. Yet you find him powerful. Imagine if he was to be the godfather. What I'm trying to say is that you don't have to serve at the capacity of a soldier before you become the boss. Some people, heirs like you can inherit the very envied position of boss."
"Do you mean you are... a boss?" He frowned at me.
"Yes Terrence I am." I touched the side of his face. "And I wa t you to be my heir. Upon my demise, I am selecting you to take my place as the new boss."
Surprise registered in his eyes. He turned away with a serious expression on his face. "I'm only eleven."
"That's true. You're very young. I will teach you what I know for the time I'm still alive. But I will leave you in Alexei's care. He will make you a formidable boss. Do you accept?"
He stood up. He looks uncertain. "Can I think about it?"
"This is an opportunity that pill pass. There's no time to think about it. Life is full of uncertainties. I'm here right now but I may not be in the next few seconds or even tomorrow. I want to go to my grave certain that my seat is not cold and vacant. Can you do this for me? Do you accept?"
He's a clever boy. He knows better than to get into something he doesn't understand. But I have won his heart. He adores me. I'm certain he will cave not because he understands what I'd happening but because he wants my approval. He's young but he's already craving power and control. I will not threaten or scare him. My approach with him is different from the one I have taken with his parents.
"Why do you do think you will die?"
"Because I'm old." I laughed. "And this life is dangerous. You will have many enemies. But when you are the apex predator, nothing can touch you."
"It sounds... Appealing. Is it wrong that I feel that way?"
"No it's not. Some men were born to be the ordinary type and then there are men like us, an exclusive club of string men who can control power and own it. There is nothing wrong with you. Nit everyone is privileged to be a prince."
He nodded his head.
"Can I just get a moment to think? I want to be by myself."
"Yes of course. Excuse me." I squeezed his shoulder.
I met Alexei. He accompanied me down the hallway.
"Katya?"
"I can't find her."
I stopped walking waving everyone to leave. "What you mean is that you won't. I know about you and Katerina. I'm old Alexei, not blind or stupid. The boy was yours. What troubles me is why are you still faithfully by my side? What are you scheming?"
"Nothing. I'm not scheming."
"All things come out into the light eventually. The doctor?"
"Badly injured after a brawl with other inmates."
"Sad. Balotelli?"
"He's already on Russian soil. It's just a matter of time before he finds us. Do you have any instructions?"
"Let him find us. I need a word with him. Gather the men. Before sunset today, we will have a new boss. Alexei..."
"Sir."
"It's important that this ceremony remains private. It will remain a secret until my death. No one other than the invited captains should know I have passed on my power."
"Yeah sir."
"And one more thing. You may be fed up with me but I'll expect you to serve your new boss faithfully. Is that clear Alexei?"
"Yes sir."
One if these days, I'll end up dead. I have four suspects... One if them will end my life. It's my hope that before that happy, Terrence will be in place.
*
Balotelli arrived later in the afternoon towards the early evening hours. He must have brass balls to walk into a territory where he has no protection. Is it that he loves Terrence that much?
"Dare I ask how many strings you pulled to step onto Russian soil?"
"Enough." He answered.
This man has much potential. Why does he settle for an accountant and a capo when he can be the godfather?
"I hope the weather is not too harsh for you. There's no sun here "
"I'm not here to indulge you in small talk. Give me the boy and I'll be on my way. This doesn't to have to be a thing."
"He's my grandson. You're just... his mother's friend."
"I'm his guardian. I don't recognize you as his grandfather. Give him back."
"Terrence talks about Marcella... your daughter." His jaw stiffened. "He is fond of her. Most fathers would be uncomfortable about their daughters getting close to boys. I know I was. But you are more than comfortable with it which only tells me that you want it to be so. You want the two of them to be one. Don't you?"
"Give me Terrence and I'll be on my way."
"You seem like the kind to play the long game. If you play your card rights, all your daughters can marry powerful men. Imagine the power you'll have in your family especially if you become the godfather. Let's talk about Terrence for a moment." I sipped my cup if tea. "Terrence will be my successor."
"What are you getting at?"
"If you turn a blind eye... If you let this day pass and take him home tomorrow morning, you'll be giving yourself an opportunity to have a mob boss for a son in law. With proper molding, he will be powerful even rising above the other families. Through your daughter Marcella you will unite the Russians and the Italians. That is the long game. Do you see it Balotelli? Do you see yourself as the godfather who has formidabile powerful son in laws at his beck and call? Do you see it?"
Katya's POV
Hopelessness is starting to eat at me.
Ferrer is nowhere to be found. We are chasing an endless trail of nothing. He's a ghost. No one admits to seeing or knowing where he went. We know he came to Russia but we don't know what happened to him.
I tucked away his photograph after kissing it. Katerina gazed at me sympathetically. She has been of great help. I would be hitting mite brick walls without her.
"Maybe we should check the morgue." I broke the silence. "Maybe papa got rid of him already. Maybe after the surgery, he had no use for him and he just shot him." It's hard fit me to accept that but it's better to be ready for the worst.
"What will you do if that is the case?"
"I don't know."
"Don't lose hope just yet. Ferrer is too useful to be disposed. The worst he can do is hurt him. If he's no longer useful, he has to use him to get to you. Rest tonight. We will pick up where we left off tomorrow."
"You mentioned a contact. Who is he?"
"Tatiana has been romancing a Serb."
"Your alias has a Serb boyfriend?"
"Aha! He's big and strong! And of course he comes with an army of Serbs if he loves me enough."
"You're playing with fire."
"I love the way it burns sestra. Go to sleep. I'm going out to meet him."
"I should come and watch your back."
"No. There's no need." She declined. "It's just dinner."
She put on a blonde wig with bangs. She wore a sexy revealing red sequin dress. "Isn't that too much for just dinner?"
"Don't you know that if the eyes are pleased, the kind doesn't think?"
"Something else thinks at that thing makes a man desperate. I don't think you should be meeting this Serb alone. Dies Alexei know?" She ignored me. She picked q pair of heels and a fur coat. "Katerina!"
"Katya, I'm making up for a lot of shit I have messed up. Don't talk me out of it. It's necessary. Ferrer's life hangs in the balance. Our lives as well. Someone has to take the risk. Imagine the advantage we hold if we get to the Serbs first!"
"They are mercenaries!"
"And I'm going to control their boss!"
"It's dangerous!"
"It's for you! It's for your little boy. It's for the man you love! You have a chance at living a fulfilling life!" She gripped my arms. "I left left you behind. Let me make it up to you. Let me bring in the Serbs."
I don't agree with her methods.
She pressed her forehead against mine. "What if you don't come back...?"
"Then you know I tried. But let's be positive. I'll be back. I'll do anything for you Katya. I love you so much and I'll be back. I will do everything possible to come back."