Ivan’s POV: Love is a luxury
MONDAY
My phone rang, shattering the stillness in my office. With a sigh, I picked it up from the desk, noting the caller ID- I recognized Igor’s number. A call from him must mean something serious.
I swiped to answer. “Speak,” I demanded, my voice sharp and commanding.
There was a brief pause on the other end before Igor’s voice came through, tense and urgent. “Boss, we’ve got a situation.”
My grip tightened around the phone. “What is the problem?” I asked, bracing myself for whatever bad news he was about to tell me.
“I think the Triads have joined forces with the Yakuzas. Their men have started a war with us, it’s nothing we can’t handle but I had to inform you and they are crossing the line here.”
My jaws clenched. These Triads were cunning and relentless. They didn’t play by any time and certainly didn’t respect boundaries. I guess they are still upset about the fact that we didn’t take their side during the war last time. Now they’ve taken sides with the Yakuzas they posed an even greater threat as the Yakuzas are not to be toyed with. I wonder what deal the Triads must have offered to get an alliance with the Yakuzas.
“Do what you must, Igor,” I instructed. “Reinforce more men for defence if you must, I’ll have to call The Randazzos and The Gambinos to send help until I’m back in Russia, don’t do anything without letting me know,” I ordered.
“Okay, boss.”
“Is there anything else?”
“Yes, boss.” He hesitated. “Someone has been hitting our warehouses, clearing them out,” he admitted reluctantly
I cursed under my breath as I drove a fist into my desk. “Yebat’! Vy vse takiye pizdy, chto mozhete okhranyat’ sklady?[Fuck! Are you all fucking pussies, that you can’t guard the warehouses?]” I barked. “Where are they hitting us?”
“I’m sorry boss, for now, it’s just the smaller districts,” he replied. “They’ve taken out two warehouses already. We’ve lost weapons, and drugs. It’s a mess and it’s only a matter of time before they attack the bigger warehouses.”
My mind wandered back to the last time weapons were missing and I’d handled that situation. I made sure the culprits were killed. Did they lie and they were working with someone else? Who could it be that they were willing to die to protect them? And more importantly, how were they managing to evade our security measures? This just confirms that it has to be someone amongst my men.
I needed answers to handle this swiftly, I can’t let this go on. If there are more traitors in our midst, they need to be dealt with ruthlessly. I’ll make a lesson out of them.
“Increase the security of the remaining warehouses. I’ll be in Russia by Wednesday. Understood?”
“Yes, boss,” Igor replied, his tone low but tinged with unease. He knew as well as I did that this was a serious threat to our organisation, and it also meant we were vulnerable at this time. Losing weapons and drugs was a big blow to any organization but losing them consistently was an insult.
The stakes were high, and time was running out. We needed to catch them before it was too late.
There’s a knock on my door before Sasha barges in with Sidorov right behind her.
“Igor, I trust you to handle things until I’m back.”
“Sure, boss.”
And I hung up.
“What is it?” I asked the annoying nuisance that had just walked into my office like they owned it.
Sidorov ignored me as he plopped down on the couch, munching an apple.
Sasha rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. She reminds me of our mother a lot and that was a blessing and a curse. She’s her exact look-alike “Do you have to show how irritated you are with us?”
“Right,” Sid muttered. Now he was sprawled on the couch as if this were his bedroom. The moron.
I let out a tired sigh. “Sestra, seychas ne vremya, pozhaluysta. Mne pozvonil Igor’, dela idut ne ochen’ khorosho.”
Sid sat up quickly as the playfulness on Sasha’s face turned to that of concern.
“I’m sorry,” She said quietly.
I nodded.
Sid approaches my desk. “Do we need to go back to handle things?” he asked.
“Yes, by Wednesday, we leave for Russia,” I explained.
“Okay.”
“So why are you here?” I asked.
She places a folder on my desk. “It’s time for the meeting with the investors.”
Right, that had been scheduled last week.
I picked up the folder and it was a document containing the names of investors and other important details.
“Okay, let’s go then.
Sasha pushed open the door to the boardroom and we walked in. My eyes zeroed in on Sophia. She seemed to always draw my attention regardless of where we were or how crowded the room was.
She had been really upset with me the last time we were together at her office. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I may have hurt her that day. I wanted to ask if she was doing okay, I wanted to be close to her and not hurt her.
Maybe I should try to get her alone with me and talk to her. What if she pushes me away again? My chest squeezed at that thought.
Shaking the thoughts away. I moved to my seat at the head behind the large mahogany table, next to her.
I glanced around the room and observed the stern faces of the investors present today. Among them was the representative the duke, Prince Philip had sent on his behalf. A middle-aged man with black and grey hair and cold brown eyes.
I cleared my throat. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for honouring our invite and gathering here today. I am Ivan Kozlov, the new Chairman of TSM Oil and Gas,” I said into the mic, my voice echoing off the oak walls.
There were murmurs and hushed whispers. The room grew noisy. But I continued regardless, only increasing my voice. “I understand your concerns regarding the sudden change in leadership. Most of you had expected the late chairman to transfer the position and his shares to his only surviving family, Miss Sophia Smith. But he entrusted this to me.”
I could feel Sophia’s glare, but I ignored her.
“But how is that possible?” The duke’s representative, Mr Christian asked. “I have a signed document to show an agreement between the late chairman and the duke, stating that 10% of his shares from both of his companies go to Lord Harry.”
He presented the document at the same time Sasha provided the documents I’d forced Tom Smith to sign, including the Instrument of Transfer of Shares.
There were more hushed whispers as my proof was presented. It clearly stated the fact that I had the right to everything I’ve claimed and they were legal documents.
Mr Christain hummed and adjusted his reading glasses. “Very well then, since it has been confirmed, there’s no need for an argument. Although, the duke was willing to forfeit the promise the late Tom Smith had made.”
“Good to know,” I said casually.
I glanced at Sophia from the corner of my eye, she’d been silent and calm the whole time, but the way her fingers gripped the pen in her hand, let me know she was anything but calm. She looked irritated and ready to leave the meeting.
And for the first time in my life, I questioned myself, “Am I really doing the right thing?” I thought to myself. Smith is dead, I’d gotten my revenge… should I still be in charge of his companies?
This shitty feeling was confusing and completely foreign to me and it was inconveniencing. I wasn’t a good man, never have been. For some companies I own across the world, I’d either get the owner to sell to me at little prices after they’ve messed with me or I got them to sign over their shares just as I’d done with Smith. So why am I so bothered about it now?
“But we don’t know you, we need to know the future of the company is in safe hands. How can we trust that our investments are safe?” The older woman at the end, with short, grey hair, protested.
I leaned forward, placing my hand on the table. “You should trust me because I bring stability to this company. I own several successful companies. I know how to give us a competitive advantage over our competitors and increase our revenues.”
The investors exchanged glances as they talked in hushed voices. One spoke up, his voice gruff. “Are you sure your methods will be successful? What worked for your other companies may not work for this one,” he said grudgingly, staring me down.
If we weren’t in the midst of others, I’d have shown him how easy it was to take a man’s life with my bare hands.
I met his gaze unwavering, my tone sharp as I replied to his question. “My methods have never failed and I think results should speak louder. Our profits will soar higher under my guidance and that of the CEO, Miss Sophia. I believe she is more than capable of ensuring that the company only becomes better than where it is today, she’d be the one overseeing the activities after all.”
Sophia shifted in her seat and for the first time since the meeting started, she spoke up. “The chairman is right since my father had entrusted him with this company. We should trust him too, rather than fighting. I will also play my part as the CEO.”
Mr. Christian raised an eyebrow. “Are you okay with this new development? Is that your decision, Miss Smith?”
All eyes in the room turned to her.
She squared her shoulders. “Like I said earlier, my father himself had thought Mr. Ivan Kozlov was the right person for this job and I respect that. I trust him to lead us well.”
I leaned back in my chair to observe the investors as the room sizzled with tension. I could almost see the war going on inside their heads.
“In other words,” Sophia continued, her gaze flickering from one person to the other. “Gentlemen, ladies, your investments are safe. Your concern for this company is much appreciated but there will be no unfortunate events, our goals remain the same.
Mr Christain nodded. “Very well then, I think you’ve made a point. The duke will keep his investment with the company. I do not know about the rest of the investors.” He turned to them. “What do you all think?”
The investors seemed to be convinced and reassured by Sophia’s words as they all nodded in agreement.
The remaining part of the meeting passed quickly and soon we were done for the day. We’ve achieved the goal of appeasing the investors, making sure they didn’t pull their investment off the company.
The meeting ended and everyone began to file out of the boardroom, exchanging handshakes and nods.
My gaze locked with Sophia’s for a split second and I felt that familiar pull I always felt around her.
She’d done a great job today convincing the investors. “Hey, Sophia,” Sasha’s voice snapped me back.
I looked around and realized it was just me, Sasha and Sophia-who was already at the exit-left in the boardroom.
“You did great today, totally killed it. Looks like you don’t need my guidance after all,” Sasha said with a playful grin.
Sophia managed a tight smile. “Thank you,” She replied. Then she met my gaze head-on. “I did what I had to for the company and myself. Not for anyone else.”
And with that, she turned and left, the door slamming shut behind her.
Sasha chuckled beside me. “She’s not exactly your biggest fan, huh? Yet you already have feelings for her.” She casts me an apologetic look. “How are you going to win her over?”
I shot her a glare. “I don’t care about any of that.”
Now she is full-on laughing. “Sorry, I forgot you were still in denial.”
Ignoring her teasing, I strode past her and headed back to my office.
I wasn’t in denial, I’d known I was attracted to Sophia. But that didn’t mean I was interested in pursuing a relationship or entertaining thoughts of love.
What did love mean anyway? How would I know when I’ve never been in love?
From my experience, love makes you weak. The enemies got to my father through someone he loved-my mother.
I started taking care of my family at seventeen after that incident, I saw how that one incident destroyed my family. I’d vowed to make my family and business my sole interest.
Falling in love, getting married and having kids like the normal man next door was not for men like me. I already struggle to keep my sisters safe. A partner means she gets to stay with me, enemies will keep trying to use her to get me or harm her to get revenge against me.
In my world, love was a luxury, one I couldn’t afford. I wasn’t going to take the risk of losing another loved one.