Page 1 of Brutal Monster
CHAPTER ONE
VANYA
"Say that again." My voice is a mere whisper, yet Mikhail's eyes narrow. He might be my cousin, but he's also the son of the Pahkan, the supreme leader of our brotherhood. I know I should offer him the respect he demands, but I’ve never been the kind of man who unquestioningly follows orders.
Mikhail stands confidently in my study, but I can tell by his expression that he knows he's asking for too much. "It's not my idea, Vanya." He runs a hand through his dark hair. “My father believes an alliance with the Bravo cartel would secure our position on the West Coast. Juan Bravo is dying. He has cancer and his days are numbered. He wants to ensure a smooth transition of power to his daughter."
I cross the room and pour another drink. "And I'm what? The sacrificial lamb?"
"You're thirty-five, unmarried, and?—"
"And I run Los Angeles." The whiskey burns pleasantly going down. "I don't need a wife to do that."
Mikhail sighs. "This isn't just about Los Angeles anymore. The Mexican cartels are expanding north. The Colombians are trying to cut out the middlemen. Bravo has maintained balance,but when he dies..." He spreads his hands. "His daughter is strong, smart, ruthless—but her stepbrothers won't accept her leadership easily. They’ll put up a fight.”
"So I'm meant to be her bodyguard?"
"Her partner." Mikhail's voice hardens, showing a flash of his father. "This is business, Vanya. The best kind of business–clean, profitable, and mutually beneficial."
I turn to the window and look out over the city lights of Los Angeles.My city.Won through blood and cunning and refusing to bow to anyone—including my uncle, the Pahkan.
"We’ve only spoken on the phone a handful of times, and the last photograph I've seen, she couldn't have been more than sixteen.”
"Well, she’s twenty-seven, now. Educated at Georgetown. Speaks five languages. Inez has been running the financial side of their operation for three years. Word is she's modernized their money laundering through a series of tech investments. Cold as ice in negotiations."
I raise an eyebrow. "You sound impressed."
"I've done my research." He pulls out his phone, scrolls through it, then hands it to me. "This is her now. She’s certainly grown up since then."
The woman in the photo isn't what I expected. I've imagined some cartel princess dripping in gaudy jewelry, trying too hard to look tough. Instead, I see sharp cheekbones, calculating green eyes, and a mouth set in a determined line. Her dark hair is pulled back severely, emphasizing the clean lines of her face. She's wearing a tailored black suit that means business, not seduction.
"She doesn't look like a woman who needs protection," I observe.
"That's precisely why my father thinks this will work. She's not looking for a savior—she needs an equal. Someone who understands power. Someone like you."
I hand the phone back. "And Inez's father? He's agreed to this arrangement?"
"It was his idea. He respects what you've built here. Says you're a man of honor in a world with precious little of it left."
Honor.The word hooks into me. In our world, there's no higher praise.
"When do we meet?"
"There's a benefit at the Getty next week. Neutral ground. You'll both attend, meet, and talk. After that, it's up to you to convince her this arrangement has merit."
I laugh, a sharp sound in the quiet room. "So the Pahkan hasn't actually secured her agreement?"
Mikhail shifts again. "She knows her father's wishes. But no, she hasn't explicitly agreed."
"Smart woman." I drain my glass. "I'll meet her. That's all I'm promising."
Mikhail nods, relief visible in the loosening of his shoulders. "Father will be pleased."
"I don't live to please your father."
"No." His smile is tight. "That's why he thinks you're perfect for this. You and Inez Bravo—two people who bow to no one."
After he leaves, I pull up everything we have on the Bravo cartel. Their operations. Their rivals. Their bloodline. I study Inez's face in every photo I can find. In each one, I see the same thing: a woman carrying the weight of an empire on her shoulders, daring the world to try and take it from her.
