Page 43 of Sold By The Siren

“I will once you call your boyfriend and tell him Arty kidnapped us.”

Damn!I wish I could do what Uncle says and call Josef, but Ghost made me leave my phone at the house.

“I’ll hold this, Artyom, to help keep my family safe,” Dad says and points the gun downward. “Wait a second. Boyfriend? What boyfriend?”

Sigh.This is just what I need right now. Dad is looking at me, waiting for a response.

“I don’t think this is the time or place for that conversation, Dad.”

“Very well. But I’m sorry, Mari, I agree with Artyom,” Dad says. “It seems the safest thing for all of us is to keep this boat moving and not sit at the dock, waiting for something to happen.”

“Thank you, Mr. Yumiko,” Artyom says. For a moment I’m mad that Dad is siding with Artyom, but they are making sense, I have to admit to myself. I really am happy my family and I are together and relatively safe right now. I just wish I knew what was happening with Josef.

18

JOSEF

“So, Kat. You're going to be Sonomi’s boy toy again. What happened to Kiyoshi?” I ask, doing my best to keep the rage out of my voice. Right now, I would love nothing more than to strangle Katana. Or use The Sweet Science, just he and I in the ring, to knock him on his ass. But I have to play it cool for now and keep my distance.

“Don’t worry about him,” Sonomi interjects. “The two of you should be able to handle me without Kiyoshi. He’s in a little time out for now.”

Katana gives the Siren a faint grimace before looking back at me. It seems there might be some tension there. I’m not sure what it means, but it’s something to keep an eye on.

“Katana has reminded me that Ivan isn’t long for this world and if you get taken out, the Bratva captains left would battle for his spot.”

“A Russki civil war would not be good for your business,” I say.

“No, it wouldn’t. All that bother could be avoided if you could keep the Bratva together and work for me.”

“So, you are legitimately offering me a job. Just what makes you think I’ll flip so easily?” I ask the Siren, then glance hatefully at Katana out of the corner of my eye.

“You are going to have to respect Kat. He’s going to be my new Underboss once Bushida is gone,” she says, referring to Kat’s Yakuza faction boss. “And you’ll captain the entertainment crew with the new games. It will be extremely rewarding in so many ways for all of us.”

“I’m not interested in being a Carney Crew boss.”

“What then?” she asks.

“I’d like the Underboss spot,” I say and look over at Katana. I want her to think I’m actually considering working for her. I’m also buying time and want to gauge Katana’s reaction. He has no expression. “And one more thing.”

“I do like the idea of you being under me, Blondie. The two of you might be able to share the Underboss position. They call that ‘Two Spies’ in the Bratva, don’t they?” She asks, correctly pointing out the title Alec and Mikhail hold right now. I nod, and she continues. “What is that one more thing?”

“The Yumikos,” I say reluctantly, but this is my only play to keep Mari safe. “I want to find them and put them under my protection.”

“I’m afraid that’s not going to work,” she says. “I want Yuuto’s company once and for all. He and his brother understand Entertainment Law too well. Yuuto wouldn't give me a controlling interest in exchange for his daughter’s contract because then he wouldn’t be able to list his brother or daughters as first beneficiaries to the company.”

“And you’re next in line after them. Why did you sell Marika’s contract to someone else in the meantime? I’m curious.”

“Pump and Dump contract. I got a lot of money for it. It would be just like her mother. A few Micky’s here, a few jabs there while she’s out. Get her hooked and buy the contract back cheap. But in Marika’s case, just like her mother June, instead of the Depths, they O.D., and they’ll be out of the line of succession for my Yummy Record Company.

“Who bought Marika's contract?” I ask. I have to brush aside that Sonomi just confessed to killing Mari’s mother. I make a promise to myself not to forget it.

“Ambitious Artyom came to me. I usually sell new contracts to rookie talent agents with a buy-back clause in those pump-and-dumps. You would think Artyom the Agent wouldn’t fall for it, but I figured he just wanted something he could use in his dealings with you.”

“And now he has the Yumikos to protect his investment.”

“It would appear so.” the Siren agrees.

“How’s this? I find them, take out Yuuto and Artyom, and I get the contract, and the girls and their uncle live?” I start to deal.

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