Page 46 of Bound Vows
I lean back against the cushions and close my eyes. “We’ll see. This place is really in the middle of nowhere?”
“Completely isolated. We’re entirely alone except for security personnel.”
“Perfect.” I open my eyes and look at him. “So, if I die from whatever’s causing these headaches, you’ll be the only witness.”
“You’re not dying from headaches, Maya. You’re experiencing stress reactions that will improve with time and relaxation, both of which you will have plenty of while we’re here.” He stands and extends his hand. “Let me show you to our room. Rest will help more than medication.”
“Our room?”
“Did you think I’d let you sleep alone on our honeymoon?” His smile carries heat that makes my stomach flutter. “We’re married now, Piccola. Time to start acting like it.”
Chapter 20
Andrei
Watching Maya sleep fitfully beside me after only three days of honeymoon isolation while my empire crumbles three hours away proves that love and leadership make terrible bedfellows.
“Boss, we have a problem.” Alexei’s voice crackles through the encrypted phone at four in the morning, which means whatever crisis has developed couldn’t wait for civilized hours. “Multiple problems.”
I carefully slide out of bed to avoid waking Maya, who’s experienced increasingly severe headaches that leave her exhausted and irritable. Our brief time at the mountain house has been challenging in ways I didn’t anticipate.
“Define multiple,” I whisper as I move to the adjoining office and close the door.
“Three families have moved against our Queens operations while you’ve been playing house in the mountains. The Torrinoorganization seized two of our gambling houses, the Chicago outfit is muscling in on our shipping contracts, and someone torched our drug distribution center in Brooklyn. We’re losing territory daily.”
“Casualties?”
“Fourteen dead, twenty-three injured. Our street-level guys are asking questions about leadership and whether you’re planning to defend what we built.” He pauses, and I hear papers shuffling in the background. “Morale is dropping faster than our revenue.”
I pour myself vodka from the bottle I keep in the office safe and process how quickly things have deteriorated. Three days away from the city, and my carefully constructed empire is already showing cracks that enemies are eager to exploit.
“What’s Denis doing about territorial incursions?”
“Denis is dead. Car bomb yesterday outside his apartment building. Professional job. No witnesses, and no evidence.” Alexei’s voice drops to something more serious. “Someone’s systematically targeting our leadership structure.”
The vodka turns to acid in my mouth. Denis was one of my most trusted lieutenants, a man who’d proven his loyalty through years of violent service. His death represents more than just personnel loss; it’s a direct challenge to my authority.
“Who ordered the hit?”
“Unknown. Could be any of the families we’ve pressured over the past year, or it could be someone closer to home. Boss, I need you back in the city. The organization is fracturing without visible leadership.”
“I’m not leaving Maya alone in the mountains while enemies are targeting our people.”
“Then bring her with you. Or leave her under guard while you handle business.” Alexei’s frustration bleeds through the phone. “Your absence is being interpreted as abandonment by our people and weakness by our enemies.”
I finish my vodka and reach for the bottle. “My absence is temporary. The organization has survived longer separations during previous crises. Implement emergency protocols and consolidate our most valuable operations. Abandon anything that requires constant oversight.”
“Andrei, listen to me carefully. This isn’t just about territory or revenue streams. You’re not going to like this, but Katarina has been holding meetings with key lieutenants, presenting herself as interim leadership while you’re… indisposed.” The way he says “indisposed” makes it clear what kind of meetings these have been. “She’s arguing that your marriage has compromised your judgment.”
“Katarina doesn’t have the support necessary for a coup. She’s Elena’s sister, not a proven leader.” Even as I say it, doubt creeps into my voice. Katarina has been with the organization for years, has proven her strategic thinking, and understands our operations better than most of my lieutenants.
But I can’t believe she would try to overthrow me like this.
“She has more support than you realize. The marriage to Maya convinced people that you’re thinking emotionally rather than strategically. Your absence is being used as evidence that you’ve lost focus on what matters. Boss, you need to return soon and reassert control, or you’re going to lose everything we’ve built.”
“Give me a week to secure things here, then I’ll return to handle the situation.” I move to the window and look out at the mountains that have become our temporary prison. “In the meantime, begin moving our most liquid assets to secure locations. If the organization is fragmenting, I want to ensure we retain enough resources to rebuild.”
“What about Maya?”
