Page 61 of Ruthless Lullaby

I give him a cold stare, meeting his gaze. Not sure what else I expected of a motherfucker like Shirkov but what he’s saying still gets to me. I can see the malice in his eyes and I know well that he’s not someone who makes empty threats. But then again, I am no stranger to being threatened. However, the mere mention of my family ignites a fiery rage within me, boiling and bubbling like molten lava in my veins. My hands tremble with the urge to launch myself at him and rip his head off, but I force myself to stay composed. Giving in to my anger would only lead to the destruction I’m trying to avoid.

"You do what you have to do, Shirkov," I say, my voice like steel. "But know this - you can come for me. But if you have the balls to come for my family, I will come for yours. I will burn them alive and make you watch. Think about that before you threaten my family again." I don’t take my eyes off his. "Your daughter will get the kidney. We both know, that she is very far from dying. She has time. So have some patience. If I say I deliver, Iwilldeliver."

Shirkov's eyes bulge with rage and his body tenses. "Two weeks, Korolev. That’s how long you have," he snarls, voice low and deadly. "Disappoint me again, and I'll carve outyourfucking kidney with my bare hands." With a final glare, he turns, and storms out of the room, the heavy thud of his boots echoing in my ears.

Leaning back in my chair I exhale, rubbing a hand over my face.Blyad.What a fucking shitshow. It will be a hell of a mission to get that kidney in two weeks, but failure is not anoption. The last thing I want right now is to go to war with the old motherfucker.

I turn to Pavel, who's been sitting silently in the corner all this time, his face a mask of stoic calm. But I can see the tension in his shoulders.

"Can we arrange a matching kidney in two weeks, Pavel?" I growl.

Pavel leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "If we know what’s good for us, we will, boss."

***

In less than thirty minutes, Pavel and I are back at the hotel, lounging in one of the conference rooms. My second-in-command is sipping vodka, watching me impassively as I mull things over. Fucking Shirkov. He is the last fucking problem I want to be dealing with right now. I’d rather be upstairs in my suite, balls deep in Mindy. Instead, I’m down here, thinking about how to get a kidney for Jennifer Shirkova, and then ship it halfway across the world.

A snap decision has me reaching into my pocket and pulling out my phone. I speed dial Maurice’s number. The line rings once, twice.

Come on, Maurice, pick up the fucking phone.

A groggy voice answers, thick with sleep and irritation. "Jesus, Maron, do you know what time it is here? It's the middle of the night!"

My grip tightens on the phone, my jaw clenching. "Listen up, Maurice. We've got a situation."

I hear a rustle of sheets and a muffled curse. "What's going on?"

"We need the Shirkov kidney. ASAP."

"What? Shirkov?"

"Yes. The buyer’s got me by the balls."

"Maron, that shipment isn't due for another week at least. These things take time and-"

I slam my hand against the oak table, my patience snapping. "Damn it, Maurice! We do not have another week. We need that fucking kidney, yesterday."

There’s a tense pause on his end of the line. I can practically hear his mind racing.

"Maron,you know I've never done this before. I'm still learning, and if something goes to shit-"

"Nothing will go to shit, Maurice. Because you're going to make sure of it." My words are clipped, leaving no room for argument. "This is your chance to prove yourself, brother. Show me you have what it takes. Find me a kidney and get it shipped. We have two weeks to get it to the buyer."

Maurice exhales heavily. When he speaks again, his voice is tight but resolute. "Fine. I'll get to the compound in the morning and see what I can do."

"You have forty-eight hours to get this underway. Not a minute more."

"Jesus, Maron, forty-eight hours? That's not even possible!"

"The clock is ticking, brother. And the price of failure..." I let the unspoken threat hang in the air. "It’s not a price either of us want to pay."

There is a long, heavy silence on my brother's end. "Fine. I won't let you down this time."

"You better not, Maurice. Sleep tight."

I hang up the phone abruptly and turn to look out the window. The lights of Moscow shine brightly through the tinted glass.

After a brief pause, Pavel speaks up. "Everything alright with Maurice, boss?"

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