Page 29 of Dark Desires
I look at the photo, and he’s not wrong. I let out a whoosh of air.
“Colombian necktie,” I say, handing the picture back to Elena. “When a bullet to the head just won’t do.”
Elena nods. “That’s right. Colombian necktie trademarks all over the city. Their style, their calling card. And it’s clear they’re out for blood.”
“And they want us to know they’re here,” Yuri says. “Something like this…” he nods at the photos, “…it’s about more than just taking out a poor shithead in a horrific way. It’s about letting everyone else in the city know what’s in store for them if they stand in the cartel’s way.”
“I don’t know about you, but I prefer my ties from Hermès—not Bogota,” I quip.
Yuri goes on. “Cartels have no code. They go after women, children, anyone who they think could send the right message of fear. They’re a goddamn blight.”
His words hang in the air.
“So who do we have in the city to count on?” Luk asks.
Lev sighs, leaning back. “We’ve been on good terms with the Irish through Maura, but we’re gonna need more than that to hold them off.”
I glance over at the folder again, strategizing.
“This marriage alliance with the Italians is becoming more essential by the day. With Stephania, we tie ourselves to the Mancinis, legally and financially. We’re able to shift assets across borders without setting off alarms, and if the Feds are sniffing around, that’s invaluable.”
Yuri leans forward. “This has to be what the attack was about: Preventing this alliance before it happened. And if De la Rosa could take out as many of us and the Mancinis as possible, so much the better.”
Lev straightens up. “Three of ours were killed, and two of the Mancinis. They’ll answer for this attack.”
I go on. “The Mancinis are still connected to Italy in a way that allows them to bring in guns, personnel, money—whatever we might need. Russia and the US aren’t exactly friendly right now, so moving what we need between here and Moscow would get a whole team of Agent Pattersons on our back.”
Elena drums her fingers on the table, a thoughtful expression on her face. “And what do we know about this Christian de la Rosa? Anything more than a name and his preference for unnecessary brutality?”
“Nothing useful,” I reply. “Just rumors and whispers. No one knows what he looks like or where he operates from. He’s like a damn ghost that can make moves underneath everyone’s nose. And, evidently, organize a goddamn alliance.”
Lev scoffs. “Typical. These types always hide until they think they have enough power to strike. But we’ll find him.”
“If he’s smart, he’ll stay hidden,” Elena says, leaning back in her chair. “The moment he steps into our territory, he’s as good as dead. But this guy has made a career out of staying in the shadows.”
Luk raises his glass. “Then we drag him out. We’ve got allies. And with Stephania, we’ll have the Mancinis on our side, too. We take these new alliances seriously, make our mark. Show him he’s messing with the wrong families.”
I lift my glass, nodding. “To making our mark.”
The others raise their glasses, but Elena’s gaze remains sharp, focused. “Remember—this isn’t just about muscle. It’s aboutbrains, about strategy. And De la Rosa’s men are skilled. Colombians, Mexicans, and whoever else he’s got in his pocket are here with a plan.”
A smirk crosses Lev’s face. “And we’ll have a plan, too. A much better one.”
I take a long drink, my mind racing. “We start with the Mancinis. I marry Stephania and get that process in motion.”
“And if things heat up,” Elena adds, “we can use the Mancinis’ legitimate businesses as cover. We’ve got our affairs wrapped up in Ivanov Holdings, which is where we want it. But Holdings is like a giant ship—slow to turn. The Mancinis are more spread out across smaller businesses. None of them makes quite the footprint as Holdings, but they’re nimbler.”
Lev nods toward me and speaks. “Alexei, I know you’re committed to helping the family, but this is your life. It’s a huge sacrifice, and if you wanted to get out of it, now’s the time. After what happened at the party, it’d be easy to come up with some kind of excuse to pull out, say that things are too chaotic for a wedding right now.”
I shake my head. “We’re about to go to war, and the Mancinis need us just as much as we need them. More, if anything. We Ivanovs are the biggest game in town. That means if we fall, the cartels can pick off the rest of the families in this city at their pleasure.”
Elena smiles. “Family first. Always. It’s commendable.”
The conversation lulls for a moment, her words hanging in the air.
This union isn’t a game. It’s about survival, about protecting everything we’ve built. And if that means marrying into a family I never planned to, so be it. Sure, the rest of my family might’ve married for love, but that appears not to be in the cards for me.
All the same, the image of Isabella flashes in my mind. She almost died last night—only luck, and my skills, kept her alive. I’m going to protect her, her and her cousin.
