The faintest hint of a smile curls the corners of his mouth.
“A living Fetisov heir. That’s the right moment.” His eyes lock onto mine. “But I need to see her for myself.”
“I figured you might. It’s too dangerous to bring her out in the open now, under the circumstances.”
“Understood.” The wistful expression returns. “I held that little girl when she was three days old. I stood next to Lev at herchristening and swore to protect his family. And I’ve spent twenty years knowing I failed that oath. But I won’t go to war until I see her with my own two eyes.”
“And see her, you shall. Until then, I can provide DNA tests that?—”
He waves his hand. “Not necessary. I will look into her eyes and know who she is.”
“Then let’s not waste any more time. Today, after this lunch.”
“Very well.”
“My estate is private, secure. No one outside of my inner circle will know you’re there.”
“That will do.” He snorts and shakes his head. “She likely won’t remember me. Funny to think that so much happened in her life that she has no memory of and had no say in. And now history is returning in a way that will sweep her up into it.”
“It was only a matter of time.”
“You are correct. A man like Kolya will take and take until there is nothing left. All men like us can do is stop him. I’ve been preparing for this war for a long time, Gabriel. All I can do now is hope that I’m ready—thatwe’reready. And we’re not alone.”
“Alexei mentioned something.”
He nods. “Fetisov loyalists who fled to Moscow are waiting for the word to return. These are men who have been waiting twenty years for the time to strike. Kolya thought the Fetisovs were broken. He’s about to be disappointed.”
He leans forward.“And that reminds me of another matter.”
“Which is?”
“If, rather,when, we are successful in taking out Kolya, that will leave his remnants, much of which are old Fetisov holdings, which means?—”
“She’ll be in line to inherit them.”
“That’s right. You think this young woman has what it takes to be apakhan? She has the blood, but what about the stomach?”
It’s a question that needs to be answered, one I’d been putting off asking.
“We can discuss this with her when you meet. She’ll need to know what’s at stake.”
He claps his hands together.
“Very good. All is settled then. I’ll meet this girl and we’ll decide from there. Now let me order properly. If we’re planning the end of that bastard Kolya Sokolov, I’d like to do it over a decent meal.”
We eat. We talk. But not about Kolya. We mostly discuss Lev. Max tells me stories about him that I’d never heard. One of them being that Lev arm wrestled a Sicilian underboss at a summit in Brighton Beach and lost on purpose, so the man would sign a trade agreement.
We talk about Masha’s legendarypirozhki,which she refused to tell anyone else how to make. He tells me about how Lev would end every meeting by standing, straightening his cuffs, andsaying, “Gentlemen, try not to fuck anything up until we meet again.”
I find myself laughing at every one of them.
It’s been a while.
“Alright,” he says, pushing his plate away, “let us return to business.”
“Much to do,” I reply. “We could go straight to my estate from here. I’m just ten minutes away.”
Max shakes his head. “Not yet. I need to go to the hotel, make some phone calls, and update people back in Moscow. Many are waiting to hear how this little meeting of ours went.”