Chapter 3
CZAR
You do not give the task of killing to other people. That’s something a capo should do. Making others get the job done is not a show of authority but of cowardice. You’re not leading; you’re just making them do what you can’t. In my case, I can get my hands dirty.
“If it makes you feel better, he’s still alive. I brought a medic with me to make sure he doesn’t give out. All for you, Czar,” Alaric said, as if making an offering.
“You want something else interesting, brother?” Eiran grinned at my side.
I didn’t react. Not when I’m thinking of a million ways to torture that soldier and end the Monteval Empire.
“Your little poet…” he paused for suspense.
My jaw tightened and my gaze shot at him. He crossed his arms, lips twisted in a grin when he caught me.
“Is marrying the capo of our most bitter rival,” he declared as if he just discovered the most monumental revelation in science.
“Where the heck did that come from?” Adonis murmured.
“I just found out today. But I heard the alliance was decided earlier today as well. I work fast,” Eiran boasted.
“With how quickly you pick up news, you didn’t even catch the information about an assassination happening in our territory? Set your priorities straight, Eiran. You’re my second in command.”
“And as your second in command, I know your interests. This happens to be one of them. Actually, it’s at the top of them. You’re welcome.”
“Piss off,” I walked past them to finally deal with that Monteval soldier. The longer he stays alive in this territory, the more he stains it. I don’t want any Monteval walking the same grounds as us.
“Just ask, Czar. You know you want to,” Eiran teased.
“Or better yet, he’ll get the details from the Monteval soldier himself,” Alaric added.
Cool water dripped from my hair down my face like a soft finger’s caress. I do not know why the hell I just compared it to a caress. I never experienced a woman’s touch. No mother to even do that to me as a child.
Maybe there was one experience.
I shut my eyes tightly. That little poet. Flowery with her words, always romanticizing life. And she’s about to get married. I just know that she will be so pathetic in that marriage. She always looked for the good. I won’t be surprised if she starts having delusions about Monteval falling in love with her despite the nature of their marriage. She’s too weak for this world.
I could pay a visit on the engagement and express my pity for her in the years going forward. For heaven’s sake, yes, she’s good at writing poems and prose back at school. But does that stand any chance against cruel men like us? No. Poor little poet.
That’s a good plan. It’s the least consolation for me after her father dishonored me.
I ball my hands into a fist. And I’m reminded of how pissed I am. Not even a day after I rejected his offer of alliance and he immediately ran to fucking Pascal Monteval. As if I was just easy to throw away.
The waitress blushed as she placed food on the table. She kept biting her lip and glancing my way behind her lashes. I’m no Christian Grey. Lip biting only messes her lips with saliva. Doesn’t attract me even a bit.
I’m way worse than the fictional billionaire. Be careful what you wish for, honey.
How do I know? Eiran kept telling me to watch it whenever I’m angry, which is all the time, according to him. Not even five minutes into the movie, I stopped watching. The interview was dumb.
And that’s when I decided to never listen to Eiran’s advice outside La Archantes business.
“Why am I here, De Greco?” I asked directly. “Why did you fly me all the way to Manila?”
“You wouldn’t have if you did not want to. Don’t pretend you’re not interested,” replied the old Magnus De Greco. He can’t step down because he doesn’t have an heir. The little poet is his only child.
“You know I’d always be a willing participant in the unknown,” I swirled the liquor in the glass. “And my guess is, you’d like to formally declare war. I’m flattered you bought me dinner for this.”
He arched a brow. I mirrored the action.
“What? I went all the way here at your request. Am I supposed to pay? Don’t hurt your bank’s ego. Whatever you spend tonight, you could earn it back in minutes.”
“I’m just surprised that you didn’t let your pride take over. I thought you’d present yourself as someone who would pay, you know… to show off your wealth.”
I chuckled slightly.
“I know how to accept grace,” I smiled.
He smiled back. Blessing is a foreign word to morally questionable men like us. We’re not religious. Why bother giving praises when you know you’ll never be in his good graces?
“Anyway, I chose Manila as a sign of temporary ceasefire. If I had invited you to Yekaterinburg, you would’ve thought it was a trap to kill you. So I chose a city that belongs to neither of us. The police here are not on our payroll.”
“Let’s not kid ourselves. I’d pull out my gun and shoot without blinking. I won’t even think.”
“I know. I suspect at this moment, your assassins are somewhere near this building, pointing their guns at me in case I try something,” he said.
I leaned back in my chair and placed my hand on my chest.
“You wound me, De Greco. You think I need protection?” I shook my head dismissively. Then I sat forward again and turned serious once done with the act. “That’s your modus operandi, not mine.”
“Fighting is not my intention tonight,” he cleared his throat. “Pascal Monteval is your rival.”
I did not answer. It is a fact known by everyone.
“He wants an alliance. He… wants something of mine… that I refuse to give,” he continued.
Territory? Assets? Men? Monteval is slowly building his empire. Because he never had one from the beginning. He claimed something that wasn’t his.
“Instead of an alliance with the Montevals, the De Grecos would like to form an alliance with La Archantes. We have been neutral for years. Maybe we could finally turn our neutrality into something better—”
“No,” I cut him off. “The La Archantes could operate effectively on their own. We are at war with the Montevals. We’re protecting our territory just fine. We don’t need the additional responsibility of committing to rescue the De Grecos in case of threats.”
I stood from my seat, no longer interested. What gave him the impression that we are in need of help? Do we look crippled? We don’t need the De Grecos. La Archante is powerful on its own.
“This is our best and only choice, Czar. You might reconsider if you just listen to how this would benefit you.” He was not begging; probably saving face.
I shook my head while still turned away from him.
“I don’t want your baggage, De Greco.”
You really cannot trust that man’s honesty. Why bother approaching me if he’ll just give in? Did he give whatever Monteval asked for? Or did he love that thing so much and couldn’t give it away that he offered his daughter as a replacement instead?
The best and only choice? I inwardly laughed. I knew he was all just talk. And no one gets to dishonor the Levesque name like that.
He’ll pay.
AVALINE
“I’m going on a run, Papa!” I knelt on one knee outside the door and undid the shoelaces that were still tied from the last time I used them but now looked disheveled. I tied them again into a neater bow.
From behind me, foot stomps echoed from inside the house, and I blew out a breath. Footsteps have never bothered me before. From the day I was born, a second set of footsteps has always followed me. There was never a day that I looked back and didn’t see a bodyguard or two.
But now? It suffocated me.
Ever since I learned about the engagement, I felt deprived of the chance to be myself. To claim my own life. My decisions are always calculated. Even when I'm alone, I think carefully about whether I should enter a store, if I should approach people at school, or if I can change direction in my steps. If I can turn and go somewhere else. My whole life, my feet have only taken one route: the path between school and home.
Sometimes, I'm glad to be my father's daughter because of the comfortable life it brings. But most of the time, I question why of all people, I had to be my father's daughter.
Can’t my papa get it? I'm not the weak Ava from when I was young. I'm not gullible. I can defend myself. I'm not into physical fights, but I'm not stupid either. I can handle myself.
“Really?” I stood up after finishing with my laces.
Ziven, my bodyguard’s steps halted, probably surprised that I questioned the presence of guards for the first time. It had never been an issue for me before; he has always been my shadow.
“I’m not leaving. Just around the estate,” I said in my trained nonchalance.
“Your father’s orders—”