Chapter 238
Orion
The reaction was immediate and telling. Victor's face went pale as he recognized the symbol, while Alexei's eyes widened with what looked like genuine alarm.
"You're certain this came from the Crimson Brotherhood?" Alexei asked, his voice suddenly tense. "From Nikolai's organization?"
He gestured for Victor to bring him the card. As he examined it under the lamplight, his expression grew increasingly grave. Then he muttered something in Russian under his breath: "Боже мой... Pakhan идет за кровью." The words sounded like both a prayer and a curse.
"What did he say?" I asked.
"He said 'My God... the Pakhan comes for blood,'" Victor translated quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Pakhan means godfather—the highest rank in our world."
The water I'd been drinking nearly went down the wrong way. Even with my limited knowledge of organized crime, I understood the implications of that title.
Alexei slowly descended from his elevated position and approached us, the card still in his weathered hands.
"Mr. Blackwell, you are our friend, our most valued business partner, and someone my son greatly admires. But if you have made an enemy of Nikolai Volkov..." He shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid we cannot help you."
Before I could respond, he raised a hand for silence.
"If this were any other family in New York—hell, any other organization on the East Coast—I would stand with you without hesitation. But the man whose symbol this bears is not just another criminal. He is the Pakhan. In our world, his word is law."
Alexei began pacing slowly, his hands clasped behind his back as he spoke.
"Twenty years ago, when the Kozlov family was nothing more than a struggling crew working the docks of Sicily, we made an enemy of the wrong people. The Italian families decided we were becoming too successful, too independent. They came for us with everything they had—dozens of soldiers, superior firepower, political connections we couldn't match."
He paused, staring out the window at his manicured gardens.
"We were finished. My wife, my children, all of our loyal men—we were going to die that night. But then Nikolai intervened. Not out of mercy or alliance, but because he decided the Italians had 'overstepped their boundaries' in his territory."
Victor was listening with rapt attention, apparently hearing details of this story for the first time.
"Three men," Alexei continued. "That's all he sent. Three members of the Crimson Brotherhood. By sunrise, the Italian don and both his sons had vanished from the face of the earth. Not killed—vanished. No bodies, no evidence, no trace that they had ever existed."
He turned back to face me, his expression deadly serious.
"From that day forward, the Kozlov family has owed Nikolai a debt we could never repay. We became part of his network, his vision of organized crime as a disciplined hierarchy rather than chaos. And we prospered beyond our wildest dreams because of his protection."
The implications were starting to sink in, but I had to ask the obvious question.
Victor could see my growing distress, and he leaned closer to his father, speaking in a low voice. "Papa, I understand that Nikolai has done us great favors, and that his influence reaches far throughout our world. But we're in New York now. No matter how powerful he is, he can't possibly have the same reach here that he had in Europe twenty years ago..."
Alexei's face flushed with anger, cutting his son off mid-sentence. "Are you an idiot? When he sent three men to eliminate an entire family, do you think he succeeded through numbers? He won through strategy! Through skill! Through the reputation that makes grown men wet themselves at the mention of his name! And yes, he has done us great favors that we can never repay!"
I could see the family argument escalating and quickly intervened. "It's fine," I said calmly. "I'll find my own way to deal with my enemies."
Alexei let out a bitter laugh, then fixed me with a penetrating stare. "May I ask what exactly started this feud between you and him?"
I looked genuinely puzzled. "I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps it has something to do with my uncle and his connections..."
Alexei fell silent for several moments, his weathered face creasing in thought. Then understanding dawned in his eyes.
"According to my information," he said slowly, "Nikolai and your uncle Devan are brothers-in-law. Devan's son was recently killed in a particularly brutal fashion. A grieving father would naturally seek support from his most powerful ally." He paused meaningfully. "And that bill will undoubtedly be presented to you."
The revelation hit me like a physical blow. I'd always known my uncle's late wife had European connections to organized crime, but I'd never imagined they ran this deep.
Alexei continued with the air of a man delivering a death sentence. "I'm sorry to tell you this, young man, but Nikolai has one absolute rule—one line that can never be crossed: harm to his family."
For the first time in my adult life, I felt genuine fear creeping up my spine.
Victor immediately moved to my side, placing a firm, reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Orion," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Don't worry. Listen, even though... even though we can't help you move against him, what I can do is continue providing our protection. We will maintain all current protective measures. You won't be alone."
"Victor!" Alexei snapped, his voice cracking like a whip. "Have you lost your mind? Continuing to provide security means continuing to oppose our Pakhan! Do you realize what that would do to our standing in this world? Besides, it was his people who killed Devan's son first. Honor doesn't permit us to help him now!"
Victor's face reddened with frustration. "But... but he's my friend!"
"Don't think that just because you're the public face of this family, I can't remove you from power!" Alexei roared.
I realized I'd pushed this situation as far as it could go. I stood up, forcing a smile I didn't feel. "Victor, this is my fight. Don't put yourself in the fire for me."
I turned my gaze to the older man. "Alexei, thank you for the clarity. It's appreciated." With a final nod, I added, "I won't take any more of your time."
Victor moved to block my path, clearly wanting to continue the conversation, but I was already heading for the door with determined steps.
I knew that with every passing moment, Aveline was becoming more exposed to an enemy I was only beginning to understand.