Page 89 of The Umarova Crime Family

We’re going to steamroll this motherfucker for as long as we can, and in the end, he’ll know to never go against his uncle or insult my family in the process.

If I’m going to do this, I’m doing it my way.

Chapter One

Santos

I’m sitting out on my veranda, staring out at the people below me on the beach. I own a condo in Cancun, right on the water. From my balcony, you can see the beach below on the right, and there’s an inlet to my left. There are large vessels and smaller boats docked. Nothing too large like a cruise ship. However, there are many yachts that fill the docks in the inlet.

There’s a slight breeze on this hot day, and it takes the edge off from the sun’s rays blazing down on me. Wearing only a pair of bright yellow swim trunks, I lean back on the wicker beach chair with its plush white cushion, relaxing on this beautiful day. It’s not very often that I find myself able to relax. Typically, my father brings me into some drama, and it tends to plague my mind. But today, I’ve been lucky. I haven’t heard from him, so there’s nothing for me to worry about.

The warm rays of the sun are harsh today, with not one cloud in the sky. I’m sure after a couple of hours, my tan is going to really pop, though I can never be too sure. As a Mexican man, my skin tone is not nearly as dark as my father’s, but I have a lot of features that I took after my mother. I got her warm tawny complexion and light blue eyes, while I inherited my father’s high cheekbones and black hair mixed with medium brown.

I know I’m going to be interrupted at some point today, but I’ll lay here and hope I can get some relaxing in for a bit longer. My father’s always calling me or sending me text messages with some sort of orders that I need to do for him. I’m his number one bitch, though he likes to call me his right-hand man. It’s bullshit if you ask me. He only entrusts me to handle these things for him because he thinks I’m going to be taking over the Ramirez cartel from him one day. That’s his goal. He wants to overthrow his uncle and take the power that should’ve always been his, in those exact words.

My father is Julio Ramirez, the youngest son of the late Rafael Ramirez, who ran the Ramirez cartel for over thirty years until he finally met his demise. My grandfather didn’t have the best reputation. The only way he ever held any power was by instilling fear in his people. He was a vile man, if I can even call him that. He’d take daughters from men who didn’t pay him and keep them locked away in rooms across his compound, raping them whenever he felt the need. He’d give them false hope by saying they’d be let go when their fathers would pay up, but my grandfather’s definition of “letting go” was shooting them in the back of the head.

My grandfather was heavily involved in human trafficking, and my father is choosing to follow in those footsteps, particularly in child trafficking. It was something he kept from me until a few months ago, and since he told me, I’ve been trying to come up with a way to get out of everything I do for him. He’s been looking for a prospective marriage for me, and his eyes have been set on Eset Umarova, who, surprisingly enough, isn’t an Umarova at all.

She’s Chechen, from Grozny, and her half-brother Ruslan runs the Umarova crime family. He’s one of the largest arms dealers in the entire world these days and has many connections. We know first-hand that he does a lot of business with the Steele family, who are cousins with the O’Deas, Gallaghers, and Mackenzies—all Irish mafia royalty.

My father’s desperately trying to make a claim against his uncle, to take what should “rightfully” be his, as he puts it. In going up against someone like his uncle, who the people love and who has been leading successfully for many years now… it means my father will need allies every time he turns a corner. He won’t simply be able to make a claim without people supporting him, so it’s what my father is doing. He’s hoping I can marry Eset, whose brother has direct ties with major mafia families. We have our own ties to the Irish as well, considering my father’s aunt is married to Desmond Mackenzie. But we’re certain she’s going to end up supporting her brother Alejandro’s rule.

Personally, I don’t think my father is fit to rule, and I don’t believe he should be taking the throne from someone who’s been doing it peacefully for so many years. Alejandro leads with purpose and respect, while my father is only going to bring chaos and mayhem as his father did before him. Maybe even more.

I haven’t told my father any of my thoughts because I’m not in the position to do so. I know how much power I hold on my own, and it isn’t much. The only way I’m going to be able to move forward is if I play my hand very carefully, so I intend on doing that.

My phone begins ringing on the table next to my chair. I crack open an eye and reach for it. I spot my father’s name and answer, “Hello.”

“Santos, I need you to do something for me.” He sounds overly excited, or maybe excited isn’t the right word. Motivated would be. He sounds extremely motivated, which only means one thing—he wants me to do something.

“What would that be?” I can only imagine what he’s going to have me do today. The possibilities are limitless with him.

“I know we’ve discussed it on and off while I’ve been searching for potential marriage prospects, but I want you to marry Eset, Ruslan’s half-sister. From what I’ve heard, she is indeed changing her last name to Umarova. Ruslan requested her and Nazyr to do it, actually.” Eset and Nazyr’s father was Anzor, the man who went against Ruslan’s claim to take the Umarova family’s power back. I don’t know everything, but I know when Ruslan was a mere child, his father was killed. His mother married Anzor, and somehow, Anzor managed to gain the power of the Umarova family and their dealings. He had control until the last year when everything came crashing down in front of him.

Ruslan and Lom, the only two full-blooded Umarova children who are still alive, have regained control over their father’s legacy. While doing so, their family had a massive shift. I’ve heard rumors that their mother supported Anzor and wanted the fighting to stop, but nothing has been publicly spoken about it. I’m sure at some time I’m going to find out every piece of information I’m looking for.

“You believe the name change only shows how dedicated Ruslan is to his family.”

“Yes, I do. We need you to marry into a family who takes care of their own. In my eyes, if you were to marry into the Umarova family, it would only mean that they would support whatever your aspirations are and whatever you’re passionate about. I’ve also been thinking about something else.”

“Something else?” At this point, I sit up on my chair and take my sunglasses off, placing them on the white cushion in front of me. I despise it when my father can’t just tell me what he’s thinking straight off the bat. I’d prefer it if he just came out with it all.

“If you and Eset are married, it might keep there from being some major fallout in our family. Think about it, Alejandro’s sister is Sofia, who’s married to Desmond Mackenzie. Eset’s brother has business with the Steeles, who are related to the Mackenzies. I think the blowout could be minimized if we’re successful in getting the Umarovas to believe that you’re a good fit for Eset. I think it could be a transition of power from my Uncle Alejandro to me versus taking what was his. Understand?”

Of course, I understand. I’m not a fucking idiot. “Yes, in theory, it would minimize a lot of problems, but getting it to come to fruition could still be a difficult task.”

“Exactly, which is why I need you to be on your A-game as much as possible,” my father informs me. “We need this transition of power to happen. Now, I’m fully prepared to take everything from my uncle if it comes to that, but I’m certain the Umarova family would prefer things to be as peaceful as possible. If it ends up getting bloody after you’re married to Eset, then I don’t care. I’ll do whatever I have to be in power.”

Unbelievable. He doesn’t realize how much he just contradicted himself. On the one hand, he’s saying he’ll do whatever it takes, and on the other, he’s saying it could be a peaceful transition. This right here is exactly why I don’t believe my father would make a good leader. I think he would backtrack all the progress Alejandro has made over the years, and Mexico would be in ruin because of his choices.

What blows my mind is that my father even wants me to marry Eset in the first place. Most of the time, his opinions are made very clear on who is actually mafia royalty and who isn’t. I’m surprised he hasn’t called Eset a bastard yet, or a claimless whore. It won’t surprise me if he ever does cross a line and says something close to either of those, but I do think that he’s going to. If I end up marrying the woman, I pray he won’t say it after she’s my wife because that would be a game-changer for him.

Eset is my way out of this mess my father has gotten me into. At the end of the day, I don’t want to be any more involved in this than I am right now. In my opinion, my father is causing rifts in the water that don’t need to be there in the first place. He could’ve even waited until Alejandro passed because I doubt Leticia wants to rule over Mexico. She’s been in Ireland, married to her husband for many years now.

“I’m always going to be on my A-game,” I tell my father. He knows better than to act like I don’t follow every order, wish, or demand he throws my way. I follow them because I have to and because I have no one else who would trust me. If I went to Alejandro now and pledged allegiance to him, I know he’d think I’m nothing more than a double agent, ready to rip him apart from the inside out. I don’t have enough proof that I’m my own man and not my father’s bitch doing his bidding. In time, I know others will begin to trust me, but until that day, I need to continue to play the game the only way I know how.

I’ll do what I have to in order to ensure my own survival. Hell, I’ve done it my entire life, though I don’t know if it’s something I can continue doing. My father’s aspirations are getting crazier with each passing day, and all he cares about is taking what his father once had. He only cares about the power in his grasp, and all I care about is keeping my head attached to my body.

---