Chapter 54 Yurkov's Phone Call
Gregory's P.O.V.
I don't like the look of this negotiation. There's a metal chair with chains on the arms and legs. Plastic covers the floor, and many items hang on the walls. The man who brought me to the shed shoves me into the chair and chains me to it.
"I don't understand. I thought you said you wanted Jordan away from your daughter?" I know each member of the Kondrati family only because I looked them up before I came here. I wanted to know who I was dealing with.
"That's exactly what we wanted you to think. Jordan is my future son-in-law, and he informed us that you killed his mother. Is this true?" Christov picks up a golf club.
"She deserved to die. She took my dad away from my mom. We never had any money, and he never gave us a dime because he had his own family." Christov looks at Yegor, and he pulls out a phone.
"Hello?"
"Jordan, we're here with Gregory. He said that your mom stole his dad from him and never gave them a dime," Yegor says.
"From what I found out, my dad didn't even know he existed. His mom never told my dad he had another son. If he had known, he would have wanted a relationship with him." Why does Jordan sound angry? I’m the one who deserves to be upset.
"That doesn't matter. If your mom hadn't come along, then he would have stayed. I don't care that he didn't know about me. He never once checked to see how my mom was doing." I want to rip Jordan's head off. He doesn't deserve to be happy, have a family, or succeed. He stole everything from me. My failures are his and his mother's fault.
"You're delusional. You poisoned my mom and let me believe that she committed suicide. I thought you were my friend. You knew all along that we were brothers, and you used me. You also threatened Anushka, Dakota, and me. You deserve whatever they do to you." Yegor disconnects the call.
"You can't believe him. His mom would have killed herself anyway. I put her out of her misery. You guys understand. You kill people all the time. Everyone I killed deserved it." Oh shit, that was the wrong thing to say based on the way they're looking at me.
"Who else have you killed?" I swallow past the vomit in my throat as Zakhar walks toward me, pushing up his sleeves.
"Anyone who pissed me off. I don't remember all their names. After I killed Jordan's mom, I felt alive and powerful for the first time in my life. Seeing someone's life slip away is incredible." I smile as I picture the lives I took and scream when something smashes my left hand.
"We kill people who deserve it. Ones who threaten our family, not people who just make us mad. We don't like taking lives, but sometimes it's necessary. You take lives because you like killing. So now we're going to take yours." Victor says, raising the baseball bat and bringing it down onto my hand again.
Christov swings the golf club and hits my face, breaking several of my teeth. Blood pours from my mouth when he hits me again. My ears are ringing, and when something hard hits my head, blood covers my eyes. I'm beginning to lose consciousness when I feel hits coming at me from all sides. Once again, Jordan wins, and I lose.
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Yurkov's P.O.V.
When we leave the enforcer to finish off Gregory, I go to my bedroom to clean up. I'm glad we found out about Anushka when we did because they had a lot of people coming after them. I sit in a chair and pull out my phone when I'm done. I want to call Corrine and see if she'll bring Luka to Dakota's birthday party.
I talked to Dakota for a little while today and was stunned by how intuitive she is. She asked me if I liked kids, and when I said yes, she asked why Luka wasn't here. How do you explain to a four-year-old that you messed up? My dad and brothers told me I was an idiot for pushing Corrine and Luka away, but I didn't want to hear it. I pick up the phone, and my heart races when it starts ringing.
"Hello?" Corrine answers.
"Hey, it's Yurkov." I can barely get my words out. Why am I so nervous?
"What do you want? I thought that now we're out of your life, we would never hear from you again." Her voice is cold and resentful, making me feel even worse.
"I called because I wanted to say I'm sorry. I made a terrible mistake with you and Luka. I was an asshole even when you tried to stick by me, and was too selfish to realize what I had." My voice cracks, and I stop talking before I begin to cry. Corrine doesn't say anything for a few minutes.
"What happened? You sound different," she whispers. Please let her give me a second chance.
"I found out I have a sister and a niece. I met them today, and Dakota didn't take any of my shit. She opened my eyes and made me see what I had lost." I smile when I think about her.
"Your sister must be pretty amazing to make you feel like this after meeting her." I chuckle lightly.
"It wasn't my sister. It was her four-year-old daughter. She refused to let any of us into their penthouse with guns, even checking us to make sure we weren't carrying. She told me she trusted everyone except me because I had mean eyes. It felt like that little girl could see right through me from the very beginning. She reminded me of you. You were always so strong and didn't put up with my shit, but I didn't appreciate it at the time. Dakota's birthday is in two weeks, and we're going to have a party for her at the compound. She said she only wants family and no guns. Would you and Luka come, and maybe we can talk?" I hold my breath, waiting for her response.
"Wow. She must be an incredible little girl to make you do a complete 180. When I saw it was you calling, I was planning to tell you off and hang up. I'm glad I didn't. I would love to meet her and your sister. We'll come. If I see any hint of the old you, we're gone, and you will never see us again. Do I make myself clear?" I smile as I lean back in the chair.
"Yes. I love you, Corrine, and if you give me a second chance, you won't regret it." I hear her gasp.
"That's the first time you've ever said you love me. We'll see you in two weeks. Oh, and Yurkov, I still love you too." She disconnects, and I can't stop smiling. I'm going to get my family back. I need to get Dakota something amazing for her birthday.