Chapter 13: Blackmail

Theo

Sergi was in my office as soon as I stepped in, bent over my desk. He was brooding and he wasn't the kind to brood, often he was too happy for my liking.

“You missed me that much?” I asked, hoping to lighten up the mood.

“I don't miss people. We have a problem.”

I nodded. “Tell me about it.”

He turned on the tv and pointed at it. The screen showed a journalist in front of Ivan’s home, the yellow caution tape behind the blonde woman caught my eye first. It meant that his death was not cleaned up. Whoever did this wanted to set us up.

Ivan was a statesman but also Nikolai’s consigliere.

“Mr. Ivan was found dead in his residence, his tongue and nails pulled out, his safe was unlocked. The Bratva think we did it.” He raked his fingers through his hair.

The air was knocked out of me, I wasn't allowed to show it or react in a way that escalated it. I propped my elbows on my desk. “Did you get to his residence?”

Sergi nodded. “I delivered confidential documents by hand and I was out of there. It seems timed because I'm now named as the last person to see him. It's not his family house so his wife and children are ruled out. He was with a woman on the day of the delivery.”

I clenched my jaw. The man was a scumbag and I only tolerated him to keep the peace between the two sects. The Chicago sect and the Bratva had established a very thin lined peaceful relationship.

“Call Alba for a meeting. The Bratva hate court matters so we need to be ready to threaten them with court if they come heavy. Nikolai never trusted us in the first place, he probably already reads this as a threat.”

“Boss…” Sergi started.

“You won't be questioned, Sergi. I won't let that happen” I assured him before he left. Once he was out I called Pierre.

“Get me all the information about who was with Ivan two days ago. Sergi says he was with a woman. I want information by lunch time.” He took down my instruction and I ended the call.

Who could have done this?

I was a scumbag for not caring about Ivan's death, he was reckless and had it coming. Nik was always protecting him but he had gotten himself killed. What bothered me most was that the information in that safe could expose things that are better kept hidden.

We needed to find the killer and do so fast.

My office door burst open, my father stormed in.

“What do you think you're doing?” He yelled then dropped his voice. It wasn't a topic to yell about, it had to be handled discreetly.

“I'm handling it, trust me.”

His bald head had sweat beads glistening on it. “Did you have your men murder Ivan?”

“I don't kill people. At least not unless they pose a threat or deserve it.”

Dad spun around, his anger coursed through his body. “damn it!”

“I swear I didn't send my men to him.” I said and drew close to him. “The document in Ivan's safe is gone.”

Dad jerked away and threw his hand up. “You better fix this. Since you're so good at this, fix it.”

He didn't make it too obvious but he mocked my leadership every chance he got. This could've happened to anyone, it was an unfortunate crisis but my father has been so pained that I planned his own impeachment with zero regrets.

He turned to storm out and at the same time Mira entered. Her eyes bounced from me to my father.

“I'll come back at a better time.” She said and was about to slip away.

“no … no, stay. Dad was just leaving.” I passed a glare from my dad to the door.

Seeing her in my office at this moment made me feel better in an instant.

Dad stared back at me, offered her a brief gaze and left.

She carefully walked in after Dad left. “Is everything okay?” The first time I heard concern towards me since we wedded.

I stared at her, my mouth unable to form words.

“Theo?”

I snapped out. “Yeah… yeah, everything's fine.” I smiled up at her. “Did you need something? Quite surprised you came to see me.”

She scoffed. “You feel really important. I didn't come to see you. I came for your signature.”

I paused. “Was that what Alba told you?”

“Yes— wait, you know Alba?” She folded her arms in front of her.

I smiled. “Of course I know Alba. Don't think for a second I don't know what you're up to Cherie.”

She winced. “So wait. You're monitoring me.”

“Well you're my wife, aren't you?”

She flung the blue file she was holding on my desk. “Sign this.”

I sat down and took a look at the papers. They were for annulment. I held them in such a flimsy way. “And here I thought you missed me so much, you wanted to see me and maybe sneak in a quickie.”

“Sign it, Theo, I don't have time for this.” Her jaw was set in that stubbornness that got a rise out of me.

I rubbed my jaw, widened my mouth to get a feel of it. “You know, my jaw still hurts Cherie.”

Mira rolled her eyes. “I had to remind you that I'm not that damsel in distress I used to be when I was ten years old.”

I rose from my chair and walked around my desk, I stopped right in front of her leaving very little space between us and leaned against my desk. She had this maddening paint mixed with jasmine scent, an original scent, something that was unmistakable. As stern as she looked, she frayed a bit when I came in close proximity.

“Damsel, you are. But distress, you're not.” I rolled my jaw again. “Speaking of ten years old, you had such a huge crush on me up until college. What changed?”

“That's a lie. Now please sign that so I can get back to work.”

“Hmmmm.” I chuckled, “a lie. I believe I was the subject of your journal prompts up until college but you clearly hate my guts right now.”

She clapped. “Well nice explanation for how you've always been a stalker, void of the knowledge of consent and privacy.”

I leaned forward and Mira tucked her head backward. “The thing is, Mira, the roles switched. It appears that I'm madly in love with you and will not sign an annulment. I've only been married for two weeks at most and though you're feisty and violent. I love being married.”

Mira scoffed, she sucked in air as she nodded her head. She took several steps away.

I began ripping the annulment apart. She flipped her head to my direction so fast her hair whipped the air. Her mouth hung open.

“Here's what I'll do for you.” I strolled back to my chair and pulled out a file from my drawer then strolled back to her. Her eyes stalked me all the way.

“Read the contract, you could contact Alba of course, and sign it. I'm not as nice as you think but you have so much more to lose if you don't sign it.” I said and handed it over to her. She didn't take it.

I dropped my voice lower, I was standing much closer to her now and my lips grazed her ear. “Take it.” Her scent filled me and made a sharp travel down my body, it took everything not to touch her. Bella sucked me in and I let myself be sucked in with no restraint, every moment spent with her put my control to the test.

She snatched it from my hand and forced it into her bag which was clearly too small for it. “Stop by my workshop once you're off work and I'll let you know what I think.”

I smiled. “Yes, my love, good call.”

“This is blackmail!” She yelled as she left my office.

“I love you.”

The door slammed leaving my affectionate message with me in the room.

Moments later, my phone pinged with an image sent from Pierre. It was a picture of the lady who had been with Ivan. She looked way too familiar, a face I had seen before. The blonde hair, the similar and striking resemblance with Nickolai, same height, fair, pale skin. The surveillance camera had caught a good side profile, good enough to know the woman.

Zoya?