Chapter 466: The Intimacy of Seasonal Torture

[BRATVA]

Aleksandr had called Latif weeks ago and told him he would agree to the insane proposal of getting into Sergei’s head. At the time, Alek was pissed at Boris for what he had done and for the accusations.

Sure, the government didn’t ask him to return the funds, but Alek’s relationship with the government had been a fairly bitter one.

Until last evening, when Chief Zhenya had walked in through his doors, as if he was determined to make sure their relationship worked.

"What do you want, Zhenya?" Alek had asked, not bothering with formalities.

He was too angry to think of anything else because working with the government had been reassuring. It was a dirty business with people he knew.

Latif, on the other hand, was a wild card that Alek wasn’t even sure where he stood with. Shit had gotten complicated, and it was the government’s fault.

Still, Alek didn’t send Zhenya away.

He waited to hear what the government was offering this time.

"We still need you to deal with Sergei. We can’t do this on our own, and I’m not going to apologize for the accusation I made;

"...because we both know you sabotaged us for some reason," Zhenya said, like that was the most apology Aleksandr was going to get out of him.

Frankly, seeing the man here was way better than what Alek could have imagined. Hell, Alek himself hadn’t even thought the government would try to reach out again. But here Zhenya was.

"Sergei held someone I cared about, and I had to do something to save their life," Alek said, and Zhenya stared at him calmly.

"I didn’t ask. No matter what motivation you had, it doesn’t change the fact that you betrayed us. Anyway, are you willing to come back or what?" Zhenya said, and Alek stared, confused as hell.

How the fuck could this man still be cold despite Alek being honest with him?

Then again, Zhenya didn’t give a shit.

He never did.

He wasn’t about to.

"If I’ll be doing this, then you must know that there might come a time when Sergei could try to hurt the person I care about," Alek said as if that was supposed to inspire confidence.

"That’s cute. But you won’t," Zhenya said, taking a seat.

Alek looked at him boredly.

"You have too much confidence for someone who is only the president’s favorite. Just because you’re sleeping with him doesn’t mean you’re important," Alek said, not willing to be intimidated by Zhenya.

He had already suffered so much at the hands of Rastenkin that he wasn’t about to be used. But what the hell right?

"And you talk too much for someone with so much to lose," Zhenya said, looking into Aleksandr’s eyes like he knew something Alek did not know.

Alek still didn’t buy it.

He’d heard the same speech from most of his enemies, all of whom he had managed to pin down.

The only person and camp that scared the shits out of him was the Sergei Moskowsky camp and their damn leader from hell.

Other than that, Alek wouldn’t be bullied by the president’s chief of security.

"You don’t have people who could be used against you," Alek pointed out, and Zhenya snickered.

"I do. The president," Zhenya said as if that was just a simple truth.

"Right... that’s almost believable, but we both know you positioned yourself beside him for the power. I have done background checks on you since you were just a mere security guard for the man’s campaign trail.

"There is nothing mysterious about you, Zhenya Levin. In fact, I am tempted to think that you are here to ask for my help with Sergei, not the other way around," Alek said confidently.

Maybe he was right, because for him Zhenya was just a chief of security.

No amount of connections he had made over the years would ever be enough for him to go up against Sergei Moskowsky. Even if it was just in the name of the love he had for President Boris.

That was why Alek was confident.

The presidency needed him.

He didn’t need them as much, especially since he’d already made the call to Latif and agreed to the arrangement Latif had offered.

"You have terrible research, Aleksandr. I do have something to lose. People to lose. A whole community, if you will," Zhenya said in earnest, not even bothering to lie to Aleksandr.

He was not going to hide the fact that he had a family, but Aleksandr already had preconceptions about Zhenya, and that was why Zhenya wasn’t even as bothered.

Because this man clearly was in over his head with the endless blanks he’d met when investigating Zhenya.

Would Alek smile and be confident still if he learned that Zhenya was Katya’s uncle and that Zhenya was Yevgeniy Levinovich Romanov?

The same man he was hoping to work with to bring down Sergei if the deal with Latif didn’t produce any workable results?

Gods, he was crazy.

"I found a new partner to work with. The government will just discard me again when you guys feel like it. I am not risking the lives of the people I care about just because you are offering heaven," Alek argued, while Zhenya just stared amusedly.

He was studying Alek, watching the man as if he was trying to understand what it was about him that the dead governor Morozov, President Boris, and the people of Frolo saw in the man to trust him with dealing with Sergei.

He couldn’t see shit here.

Just a man who was trying so hard to fit in.

"Fine then. I’ll leave. It’s not like I am that desperate to have you work with me anyway," Zhenya said, getting up like a man who’d found the answer he was looking for.

"Good for you," Alek huffed, unimpressed by Zhenya Levin’s appearance here.

He just needed to think everything over, and clearly his peace was not something that the city was rallying to now, huh?

"Oh and Aleksandr..." Zhenya paused at the door.

"What is it now," Alek sighed tiredly.

"Leaving her like that without adequate protection is not going to save her life," Zhenya said, and Alek stiffened but composed himself fast.

"You’re trying too hard, Zhenya. Go back to the president," Alek shooed.

"She’s already missing a thumb... Unless you want her to lose her head before Sergei tries to use her against you, I suggest you get in line.

"I’ll contact you soon. Be a darling and cooperate, okay?" Zhenya said, and then left, leaving Aleksandr staring into the emptiness as the realization settled on him.

Zhenya knew.

He knew about Mrs. Smirnova.

It was the only way he could have known about the thumb.

What the hell kind of life was Aleksandr living in Frolo???

As if that wasn’t enough, that was yesterday.

Zhenya had come to him when Kenzo wasn’t even there.

Yet now he was with Kenzo, and the biggest problem of his life was sitting casually at his secretary’s desk like it was another good day.

"You won’t believe me if I say I came in peace... So... errr... wanna fight?" Sergei greeted, a smirk on his face as he wiped off the blood that had spattered his shirt when he murdered half the Bratva moments earlier.

...Without even bringing Alek’s attention to the attack he’d launched.

"I still have thirty minutes to spare before I go pick my beautiful boyfriend from work. Choose fast," Sergei added, a smile on his face.

And Alek couldn’t help but think...

’Who the fuck was this goofy fucker, and what happened to the devil of Frolo?’