Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88879 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88879 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“What a shame for you then, that your real problem is your roots. Which means you will always be fighting the monster."
I know exactly what he is referring to. "You're referring to the assumed ties I have with my family?"
"Exactly. You're from a royal lineage, from a dynasty spanning all the way back to the last emperor of Russia. While you claim that your illustrious family has nothing to do with your businesses or your source of wealth, I find this hard to believe."
"Is that why you're investigating me?" I ask. "Because my family is rich and you don't believe that I’m a self-made man?"
He laughs. "This is the land of opportunities and capitalism, so I will not say you had absolutely nothing to do with your immense success. In fact, I don't care whether your family contributed or not. Hell, I wish I was from a bloodline like yours; being poor is not all that it's cracked up to be."
I take a sip of my drink. "Poor? You’re the DA of New York."
He watches me keenly. "True. Some days I feel like a king, and other days, well... more like a bug that can be crushed by people with raw power in higher places than me."
I lift my gaze once again to hold his. "What of now? How do you feel?"
He smiles slowly. "I feel like a king, Ivan, and I will feel even more like one once I get upstairs."
I smile back. "In that case, I’ll not make you wait much longer. Let's get straight to my case. What excuse are they using to look into my affairs?"
"The same reason the French and British are coming after you.”
“Because I am Russian and I am rich?”
He has the grace to look uncomfortable at the truth. He clears his throat. “Unfortunately, you invested in Chinese steel. Your steel, Mr. Ivanovich, builds our bridges and buildings. We can't have them being subpar. That's an unthinkable loss coming our way even if it's two hundred years from now."
As if anybody in the political sphere gives a damn what happens in two hundred years. All of them only care about what happens during their tenure, but I don’t voice my thoughts. "Yes, I’m one of the investors in those steel companies, but you know as well as I do, that the US can’t embargo me because of a problem of quality control.”
“As you yourself said, it is their excuse. But a head’s up. This is just the beginning. The real problem is the persistent rumors. Rumors of political intrigue in high places…”
“Who is purporting these rumors?"
"You surely don’t expect me to reveal my sources."
I study the man. "I have done nothing wrong and you know it. Not only that you have absolutely nothing on me, but I have something on you.”
"What do you mean?" he asks warily.
"You dream of being the higher power, or running for higher office, don’t you? What is it? Governor? Mayor? You’ll need backing and funds. Lots and lots. But no one will back you because you are principled and refuse to be corrupted. I am very open to being your ally. All you have to do is ask.”
He stares at me, and then he smiles. “You wouldn’t be trying to bribe me, would you?”
I chuckle. “You are smarter than that, David. We can be friends or enemies. I do not have reason at this very moment to consider you an enemy, but the ball is in your court."
"This meeting started out friendly and I’d like to conclude it in the same manner. As long as I find nothing untoward in my due process, I will owe you one courtesy call to warn you ahead of time if the bureaucrats decide to move against you."
"For that, you will never again have to feel like a bug," I promise.
“And they will never beat you. You are where you rightly belong. I see that now,” he says softly.
Chapter Thirteen
IVAN
Closing the PDF Greta sends me, I delete it from my phone. I lean back against my car seat and stare out of the window. What I am going to do is cruel. Very cruel. I have never done anything like this before. And if I do it there is no going back. She will hate me violently, but… I will get what I want. Is it worth it? The answer flashes into my head, clear and definite.
Yes.
Yes, it is worth it.
I think of Lara’s fingers unwittingly caressing my chest while her mouth says no. Yes, I can live with her hate. I want only her passion and that instinctive, animalistic need I saw briefly in her eyes. I know she wants me. The only thing standing between us is her pride and a stupid sense of propriety.
In the background, Violetta, the tragic fallen woman in La Triavata is singing, ‘Nothing in the world matters except pleasure. Let’s enjoy ourselves. Love is a flower that blooms, dies, and is gone forever’.