Relentless Sinner

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Jaxon

I speed down the road on my motorcycle thinking about my sexy little houseguest who’s breaths away from becoming my wife.

Gabriella de Costa is proving to be more than just a handful . But damn me, I like it. I like her .

It's been a long, long time since I've had a woman stuck in my head.

I knew she was going to be trouble from the moment I was told she'd run away and gotten herself kidnapped, but I didn’t know she was going to be this kind of trouble. The kind that constantly hardens my dick.

She's thrown me for a loop.

I like her fiery attitude and her quick comebacks. I also like her persistence and determination to get what she wants. She has the same thirst and craving for life that I have.

It makes me wonder about her past and more about her father. Few things shock me but hearing that he held her at gunpoint and forced her to sign the contract did it for me. There’s no way in fuck I’ll ever allow him near her without being nearby.

People tend to fight for life the way she is when they have a rough upbringing, like the sort I suspect she’s had, and when they’ve come close to death.

I know how her mother was taken from her. She was killed at the reception of a family wedding, protecting Gabriella. People thought the men who massacred half their family had something to do with Salvatore but it was never proven. I doubt it ever will be. He’s a little like me. The kind of man who will make things and people disappear if he needs them gone.

In the Bratva I stare death in the face all day long but there are only a handful of instances in my life where encounters with death have jarred me.

With her, though, she seems to want to hang on to every piece of thread binding her to her dreams.

I understand it. That’s why I feel like I'm shoving a wild bird into a gilded cage.

It’s especially wrong for those who know better. But men like me do such things because the end justifies the means.

The wild bird will only be caged if you think you can tame it and bend it to your will. That is what I have to do with her. I guess it helps that I think she’s hot as fuck and I'm insanely attracted to her. It also helps that she’s the same with me.

I haven’t been able to get her out of my head. Her with her sexy, pouty mouth, big perky breasts, and clean-shaven pussy chained to my bed.

The image has stayed with me. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw her earlier, and what I’m taking with me as I head to the company meeting at my father’s house.

I shouldn’t be thinking about her at this time. Everything with my father requires keen focus. Being around him is like heading into battle. Even the fucking weekly board meeting.

It used to be held at the office before Father got sick. He has an inoperable brain tumor. Treatment has prolonged his life but the doctors think he has as little as a year left to live. If that.

Now that he’s wheelchair bound and frail, everyone agreed that it would be better to hold it at his home so he could continue his duties.

It will be that way until he can't. The same can’t be said for the Bratva meetings. They would never allow it to get that far, even though my father has been Pakhan for over thirty years.

The company and our Brotherhood are almost one and the same because the company provides the money to fund the Brotherhood's activities. When the leader of the company can no longer fulfill his duties he must step down and his successor take over. That would be me.

As I approach my father’s three-story mansion I think how strange it is that this house doesn't feel like my home anymore. It stopped feeling like home when I left for college but it especially felt that way after Jacob died.

It's been eight years now since he was killed in a car accident. Sometimes it doesn’t seem that long. At other times it feels like a lifetime has passed since I last saw him.

We lived our lives as though we were invincible. So I never thought something as normal and average as a car accident could take down a powerful Bratva leader like my brother.

Jacob was my rock. And to me he was the only blood family I had in this world. That is my truth despite having a father, two uncles and two cousins who grew up with Jacob and me.

Hatred and competition reign in the Bortsov family. That aside, my father has hated me since I was born.

My mere existence is an abomination to him because my mother died giving birth to me.

She desperately wanted another child after having Jacob despite being advised against it because she had a bad heart. Still, she longed to become a mother again. She got pregnant with me knowing the risk and taking it anyway.

I was told my father wouldn't even hold me when I was born. It was Eric, my father’s best friend, and his wife who took care of me. They raised me like a son. Jacob did the rest, and they were my family.

When Jacob died I was so lost I got hooked on drugs.

My father saw that as an opportunity to be rid of me. He didn’t even care that I was his only heir to the empire. He wanted me dead, so he paid off my dealer to give me a bad batch of drugs that should have killed me instantly.

It was Cillian's father who stopped me from taking it. He never explained how he knew the drugs had been messed with, only that it was on my father’s orders.

That gave me the wake-up call I needed and reminded me who I was and what I could become.

More importantly, I was reminded of my mother’s love in bringing me into this world.

I rose like a phoenix from the ashes, deciding to claim what was rightfully mine. I’ve worked hard since then to build my own empire.

I ride through the iron gates of the grounds and park on the drive.

The unwelcoming atmosphere is the first thing that greets me when I step inside the house.

This home has held a multitude of functions and parties that should have given it life but it has always felt like a graveyard to me.

I make my way down the hallway, lined with my mother’s paintings on either side. She was an artist. The only good thing about this house is that my father filled it with her art.

Her vibrant, creative work is possibly the only thing that keeps this house from feeling like a tomb.

When I walk into the meeting room—into the den of vipers—I notice that everyone is here. I’m early but I guess everyone was eager to attend this meeting because they want to know what’s happening next.

It was announced at the last one that I would be taking over from my father.

Although I won hands down, fair and square, my win infuriated my uncle Magnus and Levka, my cousin. Up until my plan to marry Gabriella, Levka was set to win because he landed a deal with the Japanese government that would have brought in a few more million per year.

My plan wiped his off the table, but if I hadn’t gotten Gabriella back there would have been no plan.

Father is sitting in his wheelchair at the head of the table, his white hair like a halo over his head. He just turned sixty-five but his illness has aged him significantly, making him look weaker and much older than his years.

Although he’s most likely been in bed all day, he’s wearing a suit, just like he would at the office.

Surrounding him are Eric, my uncles Magnus and Damian, and my cousins Levka and Yuri, who are all part of the senior management team and the elite on the Bratva. Next to them is Micah, my best friend.

Micah is part of the Italian Mafia and the only Italian allowed to sit in this meeting because of the business venture he has with me.

The only people who look pleased to see me are him and Eric. To everyone else I may as well be a ghost.

I dip my head, acknowledging everyone when I walk into the room. At least my father acknowledges me. I take my place on his right hand, as Sovietnik—his second-in-command.

“Wonderful. We're all here,” Father says in his deep Russian accent. “Let us begin.”

I catch Magnus' stern face and Levka, who looks no different from his father. Magnus is the second oldest Bortsov brother and Levka the oldest cousin, older than me by two years.

They’re both still pissed that I got the Pakhan position but I don’t give a fuck. Damian and Yuri wear the same put-out expression because they were hoping that one of them would become second-in-command if Levka became Pakhan.

How fucking dare they think they should be entitled to take my birthright? It’s ridiculous that they had all these plans. None of which included me.

If this were any other organization it would be unheard of. It would even be unthinkable for my father to insult me the way he has by making me compete for the position.

“With the handover of leadership there are a lot of changes we need to consider,” Father declares. “I’d like to go over that today.”

I glance at him and take in the tremor in his hands. There was a time when all he lived for was being the Pakhan. It made him a god and the men treated him as such.

I’ve often thought that his demand to hold the meetings here helps him maintain some power and control. If he had to head into the city to go to the office everyone would see how weak he is. Friend and foe alike.

I doubt he would even be able to make it in.

“The first order of business is the passing of my title to Jaxon. I’ve decided to move up the date.” He cuts me a glance, but I’m already staring back at him in shock.

He was supposed to hand it over a few months after the wedding.

“When will that take place?” Magnus asks. His accent is richer than my father’s.

“Two weeks after the wedding,” Father replies in a stiff tone.

“When did you decide this?” I ask before anyone else can cut in.

“This morning,” he replies.

Must be the doctor’s orders. This is the worst I’ve ever seen him look. I glance at Micah. We share a silent conversation and I know exactly what he’s thinking. That my father’s decision to move things up so soon will cause more backlash from Levka and all the people who wanted him to be Pakhan.

No problem. I’m not against killing any man who thinks he should defy me. Let them come.

“I’ve decided it is in the best interest of the company and the Brotherhood if I complete the handover as soon as possible. That will give me time to do all the necessary things I need to before I head back to Russia.”

He’s going back to Russia?

Everyone looks at each other while I look from him to Eric, who gives me a curt nod. From the look in his eyes I can tell he already knew about my father’s plans.

“Russia?” I ask, looking back at my father.

He glances at me. “We will speak after the meeting.”

“Okay.” Something must definitely be going on. Something regarding his health. And I can see from the peeved look on Magnus’ face that he wasn’t even aware of my father’s decision to go back to Russia.

“Are you going to speak with me, too, Kuya ?” Magnus says, referring to my father as the older brother.

“I will.” Father dips his head. “In light of my impending departure I have also decided to allocate the remaining elite positions. So, without further ado, Levka will take Jaxon’s current position and with your agreement, I recommend that Magnus remain the Obshchak and Eric our advisor. Once Jaxon is named Pakhan these titles will come into effect, unless there are any extenuating circumstances that challenge my decision.”

Father looks from me to Levka and we both nod our agreement. I would rather Eric be the Obshchak than Magnus. Eric is better skilled than Magnus to deal with the finances for the company and the Bratva. But I suppose if he were chosen it would cause a greater rift between all of us.

“Perfect. I’m glad you see things my way. Magnus is an asset like none other. He will be able to do everything that I can’t. Eric has been a good friend to me and is the best advisor anyone could ever have. He is qualified to handle everything in the company and the Brotherhood.”

“I do it with honor, Pakhan,” Eric pledges with a deep bow of his head.

“I know.” Father gives him a warm, genuine smile. Only a handful of people get one of those from him. “With that out of the way, I’d like to discuss changes within the company.”

While he launches into that discussion my mind drifts. I’m eager for the meeting to end so we can talk. Usually when my father wants to speak to me in private it’s never for anything good but this time may be different because we’re at the end of the line. Things are changing and so is he. Because he has to.

He's not the emperor anymore. I am.

The meeting ends two hours later. I’m surprised my father lasted that long. Usually we finish after a little over an hour.

When everyone rises to leave, Micah leans across the table to get my attention.

“I’ll catch up with you once you’re done speaking with your father,” he says. We needed to talk anyway but this news means there’s even more to discuss.

“Sure.”

Micah leaves with everyone else and Father and I are left alone.

“I trust everything is in order with the wedding?” Father gives me a firm stare with those sharp, hawk eyes of his. They're pale gray, reminding me of tainted water.

“Everything is set and my bride-to-be has moved into my home.”

That seems to please him. “Wonderful. I think we should hold an engagement party next weekend at the Astoria.”

“Sure. I'll get Eve to arrange everything.”

That engagement party is not for my benefit. It's more like his last chance to show off our wealth to family, friends, and associates. The fact that he wants it held at the Astoria adds to that theory. The Astoria is an invite-only association for those known only by their net worth.

Gabriella will be little more than a trophy. People know who she is and they know who I am. Our combined wealth will be overkill.

“What’s going on with you?” I ask before he can continue talking about the wedding or parties.

I know him so well. Since he’s been sick he’s tried to sidestep serious matters to do with his health even when he’s trying to speak to me about it.

“They found another tumor.” His voice is hollow and his tone low.

I stare at him, wishing I truly didn’t care. If I could show the same hatred he has for me and not care then I’d live up to my ruthlessness. But I think I care because I know my mother loved him.

Jacob used to tell me all these stories about our mother and the things our father used to do for her. Mother was the one thing my father loved in his life and in his eyes Jacob was a symbol of that love.

“What are the doctors going to do?” I keep my gaze on his.

“Nothing. Nothing more can be done. I no longer have a year. It’s more like six months, or less, but they’ve said I could slip away at any time in my sleep. I’d like to do that in Russia.”

I nod, understanding. “When do you plan to go?”

“Hopefully in three months’ time, but I may move up the date. My goal is to see the handover through.”

“As you wish, Pakhan.”

“Is everything else okay? I was informed there was an incident last night.”

One of his spies must have told him that because I didn’t take any of his men. Anyone who went was loyal to me.

“Everything is fine.”

“I sure hope so. I'm at a stage where I don't need any trouble in the remaining days of my life.”

“There will be no trouble,” I assure him.

“Good. I have taken a big step by giving you the leadership. Don’t prove me wrong. So far you’ve proven more useful than I ever imagined.”

Motherfucking asshole. I could move the moon with my bare hands and he’d say the same thing. “I’m glad I finally did something right by you.”

I wouldn’t normally answer but I’m at a stage where I no longer care.

“You certainly are getting there.” He gives me a sour smile. “Anyway, in other news, I've spoken to Dante and he has agreed to move up our rank in the Creed to the fifth seat as soon as you are married to Gabriella de Costa.”

I thought we’d need to wait until Gabriella turned twenty-five and received her fortune but Dante knows what this means to me so he probably acted fast. He knew I would want my father alive to witness my achievement.

“That's good news.”

“It’s the best. That seat should have always been ours. Not the Irish. They already have too much.” He’s talking about Cillian again. “We will also get an extra cut of the annual shared profits this year and extra resources at our beck and call from the Creed.”

“This is turning out better than planned.”

“I thought so, too. So, my question to you is, why do we need to involve the Irish and the Italians in our business? We don’t need them. Marrying the De Costa girl will bring us unimaginable wealth and opportunities. I have nothing against Micah. I've known him since you were children. But it irritates me to have him here, sitting at our board meeting.” He steeples his fingers and glares at me. “You never know what he could be telling his people about our plans.”

We’ve had this conversation before. Or rather, this argument.

As much as he likes to be part of an alliance, my father can’t stand anyone he considers competition. Micah has only been tolerated for as long as he has because he’s useful, and he and his father hold the ninth seat at the high table. That’s currently one seat behind us. If he’d belonged to the other Italian family he wouldn’t even be allowed through the door. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be in the Creed.

“I want an empire of wealth,” I remind him for the gazillionth time.

Father leans forward and glares at me. “We already have an empire of wealth.”

“I know, but we could be better by joining forces with others and sharing the wealth to build a stronger empire. Forming allies in other industries also means we’re diverse. Anything could happen to the company. Having an extensive array of investments means we keep a stable foundation.”

Father seethes but holds back, knowing I’m right. He’s just a hateful man who can’t see beyond his desires. He also fucking refuses to see that because these business ventures are my ideas. Ideas that have taken us to new heights.

Micah’s family mines diamonds throughout Europe and owns a successful jewelry chain. Teaming up with them has already added several million to our profits. By next year that will more than triple. It’s the same with Cillian. His family owns the bank the Creed does business with. Cillian also owns a shipping company. Doing business with him has saved us hundreds of thousands.

“Your great-grandfather, grandfather and I built the empire we have now without help.”

“No one is discrediting your work. Without it we’d have nothing. But this way sees us climbing the ladder. Climbing so high we’re beyond the Creed.”

That shuts him down further. Father has always been obsessed with having a high-ranking seat at the high table but he’s failed to realize there’s life beyond that. Many who form syndicates have that fault.

They fail to see that you could be part of something but also have the freedom to create your own wealth that’s comparable or better.

“That sounds impossible and practically unobtainable,” he scoffs.

“It’s not, and I will do it. A month ago our net worth was close to two hundred billion. I alone am worth two billion from my stock trading and investment business. In just a handful of weeks I’ve nearly tripled our worth through my upcoming marriage to Gabriella and my business deals with Micah and Cillian.” I speak with pride because I can and should . And because I know he resents me for being more like the conqueror he wanted to be. “Who knows what could happen next year?”

“Indeed. I guess this is out of my hands.”

“You need to trust me.”

He doesn’t answer. Instead he looks away and stares out the window. Reactions like that used to hurt deeply because I knew he wished it were Jacob making these decisions. Not me. Now his reactions only leave a sting.

It’s not okay. But it has to be.

I have to be okay with it.

“Is there anything else you wish to discuss?” I don’t have time for the shitty silence that always comes between us.

“Nothing more.”

“Alright. Then I’ll see you next week.”

I get up and walk away, leaving my father in his bitterness. Some people will never change so there’s no point trying. Especially when I know that my father is only seeing things my way now because he no longer has the power to control or stop me.

We live by the old laws for the company and the Bratva. The moment he got sick, which was two years ago now, I became the one in charge.

When I walk out of the office and into the grand hallway I find Eric and Micah standing by the window bay, talking.

The two have the muscle and height of powerful military men. It’s expected for Micah to look like that because he holds the same position as me in his family’s leadership hierarchy, but Eric is the same age as my father. As a man coming from a military background he’s always been an advocate for maintaining his health and build.

Micah and Eric look toward me as I approach. Eric offers me a kind smile and tucks a lock of his gray hair behind his ear. People always used to assume we were related because I wore my hair long like his. While his remained a standard length reaching his shoulders, mine is much longer now.

“Sorry I couldn’t call you to give you a heads-up,” Eric says. “Your father wanted me to keep his plans secret.”

“That’s okay,” I tell him with a curt nod.

“How are you feeling about his decisions?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Let’s catch up in San Francisco.” He looks from me to Micah and smiles. “I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.”

“Thanks. See you then,” I reply.

Eric rests a hand on my shoulder. “You’re doing good, son. I’m damn proud of you. No one deserves the leadership more than you. I know our dearly departed would have shared my excitement for you.”

The same sadness he speaks with fills my heart.

He lost loved ones, too. His wife and son were murdered in their home in Moscow a year before Jacob died.

“They are still with us, dyadya .” I’ve always called him uncle. He’s more deserving of the title than Magnus or Damian.

“I believe that, too. See you both later.”

With one last smile he leaves us and Micah stares at me with cautious eyes.

“Man, do I have a lot to tell you.” He sighs, tilting his head.

“That sounds serious.”

“It is. Walk with me.” He glances over his shoulder.

I look, too, catching a glimpse of Magnus and Levka at the end of the hall. They were watching us.

Micah and I head outside to the edge of the lake where we used to play together as boys.

He turns to face me with a frown on his face. “I think your wife-to-be’s kidnapping was a setup.”

My scalp tightens and I stare at him with wide eyes. “What the hell are you saying to me?”

He’s the only other person who knows about Gabriella’s kidnapping. Once I’d spoken to Cillian I needed Micah’s help to track her down. That’s what he does best— find people and things others can’t.

“When I ran a search on Estes, the Odessa leader, I found an email arranging Gabriella’s kidnapping for half a million. It was encrypted and sent from an unknown recipient but when I checked it out, I saw that it came from here .”

The walls of my chest shrink and I look back at the house. A house filled with enemies who don’t want me to have what I have.

Without Gabriella, there is no position, I remind myself.

“Fuck. This isn’t happening.” But it is and now certain things that didn’t make sense do.

I found it strange how she was taken. It was like they were waiting for her. Targeting her specifically. And Estes never wanted a ransom. I’d assumed wrongly that he’d already been paid.

“Estes took Gabriella out of revenge for what her father did with their business deal but he was just a tool. Someone here wanted her out of the picture for good,” Micah explains. “The same person hooked him up with a buyer who would have given him two million for her.”

“Do you know who sent the email?”

He shakes his head. “And it’s difficult to guess which one of your so-called family members wants to stop you from becoming Pakhan.”

“What if it is all of them?”

“That’s why you have to be careful. They could still take her and pin it on one of her father’s enemies. There are no end of them and if the Castellanos find out what he did…”

“They won’t,” I say quickly before he can continue.

Micah only knows about Salvatore’s crimes because it was he who drew my attention to the discrepancy in the audit I got from Salvatore. I would have preferred if no one knew but I trust him as a friend to keep my secrets.

“They will not hear it from me,” he promises with a nod, as if sensing my concerns. “But just think, if we found out what Salvatore did, it may only be a matter of time before someone else does, too. He’s in a desperate situation. Desperate people do fucked-up things. Don’t think for one minute that he’s not trying to get himself out of this situation with you.”

“I’m counting on it. I’m sure he’s already planning some dumb shit to try and get his daughter back from me. She’s his collateral now that the older daughter is off the grid.”

“Exactly. The Castellanos are his biggest source of income so he can’t lose them. They’re also the kind of people who won’t hesitate to kill him and his daughters if they find out what he did.”

That’s another reason to have the wedding so soon. When Gabriella marries me she’ll be under my protection. The Castellanos won’t want to start a war with the Bratva by trying to kill my wife.

“You need to watch your back, Jaxon,” he adds.

“I know. Can we keep this between ourselves and do a little more digging?”

“Of course. You know I’m always around if you need me. But are you sure you don’t want to ask Virgo Antonov to look into it? He is way better than me.”

Virgo is unrivaled in his investigative abilities but I don’t want to involve another person. “This is about my family’s endless vendetta against me. I don’t want to air out shit like that. Not yet. The asshole who’s responsible for setting up the kidnapping is more than likely Levka. He was my direct competition.”

My father would have been a prime suspect years ago but I think he’s too sick to pull something like this off. He’s also too greedy. He wants the wealth I stand to get from my marriage to Gabriella.

That said, he could be part of some plan to get her for Levka. He’s promised to marry someone else but promises can be rearranged.

“I think it’s him, too, but don’t rule out Yuri.” Micah raises his shoulders into a shrug.

“Yeah, he lost out, too, because there’s no way I’d pick him to be on the elite.”

“Exactly.” Micah sighs. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you get to the bottom of this and make sure they’re not planning anything else.”

“Thanks. When I find out who it is, I’m removing them from the leadership. There’s no fucking way I’m going to have people on the elite who want to overthrow me.”

“No. You can’t have that. I’ll do some work tonight and we can regroup when we’re in Italy.”

I nod, wishing I weren’t heading out to Italy. I have a few trips before the wedding that I can’t reschedule. That’s one of them. I’ll be meeting with his family who run the business there to sign a multimillion-dollar contract. “Call me if you find anything.”

“Of course. See you later.”

He gives me a brief smile and leaves. Once he’s gone I look back at the house, sensing someone watching me.

I’m too far away to see but I have no doubt my instincts are right.

There’s always some fucking thing to worry about when it comes to my family. But this situation is different. Not just because I have what they want and I’m not willing to let it go.

It’s different because of her —Gabriella.

If my family doesn’t try to take her, her father will.

And I’m not willing to let go of her, either.