Page 26 of Ruthless Serenade

Despite my achievements, my loneliness is tangible. The money, the power, the success - it all feels hollow without someone to share it with. I've sacrificed a lot to get where I am and built this empire with blood and sweat. But what good is it if I have no one to enjoy it with?

I take another sip of whiskey, listening to the ice cubes clink against the glass. The sound echoes in the silence of the room. I always took pride in my independence, in my ability to stand alone at the top. But now, a part of me is starting to wonder if was all worth it. What good is a billion-dollar empire if you’re alone in it? What’s the point of all this power if you’re too scared to let anyone in?

Scared?

Don’t be a pussy, Korolev.

Eva’s pregnancy story comes to mind, but I’m confident it is just a ploy on her part. Sure, we may have been careless a few times, but I never spilled cum inside her. And for the most part, we used protection.

But then again, a part of me wonders if I’ll ever be called "Dad" again. Probably not. That ship has sailed when my daughter, Cordelia, died. She would be a teenager if she was alive today.

I close my eyes, letting the whiskey burn away the edges of my newfound solitude. My mind wanders to Mindy, and the dayI saw her in New York High, sitting there with that guy. God, I wanted to punch that prick in the face, just for being alive. A surge of jealousy hits me. Mindy is mine.

Mine?

What the fuck, Korolev?

She betrayed you, remember?

And that thing with her has been over for seven fucking years!

I don’t know what’s gotten into me. It is maddening to think that there is a woman walking this Earth who could linger in my mind for so long. One who can manage to creep into my every thought, and who stirs long-forgotten feelings within me. One who has my cock throb with desire every fucking morning and has me jerking off just thinking about her.

Maybe it’s time to reach out to her.

What?

No fucking way, mudak!

Every time you’ve done that, it ended up in some fucking disaster.

Instinctively, I reach for my phone and call Pavel. "Come to my office,bratok."

Less than two minutes later, the door opens and my second-in-command’s head appears. "What’s going on, boss?" he mutters, closing the door behind him. His haggard appearance immediately catches my attention.

"You look like shit, Pavel," I tell him bluntly. I’m not in the mood for diplomacy. "Something bothering you?"

Pavel lets out a heavy sigh. "Natalia’s in hospital, boss."

Pavel got married to a woman named Natalia about five years ago. They had an old-school Bratva wedding and a party to follow, with lots of traditional Russian music and barrels of alcohol. We were at it the whole weekend, drinking vodka and smoking cigars like brothers, playing cards, and swapping war stories from the old days.

"Your wife’s in hospital?" I ask. "You never mentioned she was sick."

"Her health hasn’t been great lately, but it didn’t look like anything serious. Then, she fainted a few days ago. Some sort of autoimmune disease. They say she’ll have to be on steroids for fuck knows how long."

"Pizdets. Zhal’ slyshat’, bratok." I gape at him in shock, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What do you need, Pavel? Anything."

He shakes his head. "Leave it, boss. She’s getting good care. Hopefully, she’ll pull through." His voice cracks a little.

I look him over, and in a moment of realization, I see Pavel as a broken man. His face is lined with concern, his hair looks thinner, and I could swear he lost weight. He seems to have shrunk, somehow. I can tell he’s very far from his best shape. He has been my loyal friend and right-hand man for nearly two decades and I know him too well.

I rise from my chair and head to the safe, pulling out a hefty wad of cash. "Take this,bratan. Private healthcare ain’t cheap."

Pavel looks at me dumbfounded. "You already pay me a shitload, boss. It’s not like I’m living on breadcrumbs."

"Zamolchi, Pavel," I insist, thrusting the money into his hand. "Shut the fuck up and take it. And tell me if you need help with anything."

Pavel throws his hands up in defeat. "Fine.Spasibo, pakhan." He pockets the cash. "Letmetell you something personal, then," he adds.

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