Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Their music was a fusion of punk rock and heavy metal, and their lyrics were provocative, often challenging societal norms and political issues.
Ivan Volkov, the charismatic lead singer, was a rebel from a young age. Born into a family of Russian diplomats, he defied his parents’ wishes by pursuing a career in music rather than following in their footsteps.
Thankfully, Ivan’s powerful voice, striking stage presence, and magnetic personality quickly made him the focal point of the band.
However, his scandalous love life and rumored connections to the Brotherhood often landed him in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Granted, those criminal connections were mainly because my Lion was such a hardcore fan and was always requesting Crucifix to perform at his events.
We have to get them to come tonight.
First, Misha and I contacted their lawyers, then manager, and next their agent. All of them placed the official decision on the other, probably terrified to be the person to tell us no.
Somehow we landed a phone call with Alexei Petrov, the band’s talented guitarist. He had been a former child prodigy, winning numerous awards in classical guitar competitions.
Despite his classical background, Alexei fell in love with rock music and joined Crucifix to unleash his inner rebel. His virtuosic skills and passion for experimentation created the unique sound that became the band’s signature.
Unfortunately, Alexei’s addiction to gambling led to several brushes with the law, as he accumulated massive debts and became involved with the wrong crowd.
Therefore. . .Misha preyed on that fact, and got Alexei to agree to try and convince Ivan to jump on a plane and arrive in Moscow tonight.
If Alexei did it, then Misha would handle his gambling debts.
The only problem was that the lead singer, Ivan had been on a nonstop two-week celebration of pussy, parties, and pills.
Alexei assured us that he would do his best to get the whole band to appear.
I crossed my fingers and dedicated the rest of my time to giving instructions to the house staff.
I wanted to honor all the people we had lost, and what better place to hold it than in our extravagant ballroom?
It seemed that the weight of grief and loss was beginning to permeate every room of this massive house. It was time to celebrate them and heal.
The preparations began in full swing, and I was determined to make the event an unforgettable one. I made sure that every detail was impeccable, befitting the memory of those we had gathered to honor.
The staff spent the rest of the day transforming the ballroom into an elegant and glamorous space, adorned with beautifully arranged flowers, candles, and exquisite table settings.
The lighting would be soft and warm. It had to create an intimate atmosphere that allowed for both reflection and celebration.
I tasked Maxwell and Harlem Crew with gathering photographs of the lost, making sure that each person was represented and remembered. They spent hours searching through old albums, talking to family members on the phone, and collecting images that best captured the essence of those who had passed.
Once they had the photographs, they carefully placed each one in a large, ornate gold frame.
Presently, they were hanging the framed photos around the walls of the ballroom.
This would serve as a visual tribute to the lives that had touched ours so deeply.
Meanwhile, the staff worked hard to prepare an array of delicious Russian dishes for the guests to savor. From delicate blini topped with caviar to hearty borscht and flavorful pelmeni.
After taste-testing everything and giving approval to the chef, I rushed to pick my outfit out. I settled on a simple designer black dress and tear drop diamonds.
Then, I went to Emilio, washed my little buddy up, and began to get him ready.
He fussed as I dried him off.
“It’s okay, baby.”
Emilio whimpered some more.
I guess I have to shift into story time.
Emilio began to cry.
“Okay.” I smiled and did a light voice. “Once upon a time, there was a very brave baby prince who had to fight a super big spider that was scaring everyone.”
Emilio went silent and watched me.
“The prince used his special golden rattle and shook it really hard, making a magical storm come.” I wiped the side of his face.
“And then. . .the big spider, who everyone thought was unbeatable,” I wrapped the small towel around him, “was finally beaten by the brave baby prince.”
Blue entered the nursery, carrying a large box that had been stuffed to the brim with items.
Holy shit. She got it.
Knowing exactly what it was, my heart ached.
This is. . .really going to happen.
I tried not to think about the moment before Kaz shot Pavel, but still that horrible memory played out in my mind.
Naked, Pavel stood five feet away. Besides a few patches of hair in the front, he had a bald head. His chained hands were raised above him. More chains captured his ankles.