You can’t miss your enemy, the devil laughed in my ears.
Another reminder of what I had to do. What I was actually born to do. My legacy. Those years spent with the Ivanshovs, I was on borrowed time, living a life that wasn’t mine.
A character who was made up. A killer who was dancing to someone else’s tunes.
Little did I know, I was born to lead a family. I was born to have everyone else bowing to me.
I was born to succeed Valentin Solonik.
“Konstantin, are you listening to me?”
His voice broke into my thoughts, and my head snapped up, regarding him with a glare. He swallowed and smiled, almost nervously.
“What?” I asked, my legs moving again. He matched my steps, following next to me.
“The estate is ready for your arrival. One of my men will lead you through and show you around, just to get yourself familiar. I have to stay behind and take care of some club business,” he answered, almost robotic, like he practiced it.
“I don’t need anyone to lead me around.” With a raised eyebrow, I waited for his answer.
His silence was his answer as he opened the car door for me. Ha. In your face, Valentin Solonik. The Boss opening the door for his heir. That’s new.
He would be bowing to me soon too. I had been waiting for this day for a very long time. Only a few months now and everything would be just the way it was supposed to be.
I used to hate games; now I was just loving it. You can only love a game when you are the Master. The leader. When the reins are in your hands, you can move the chest piece anywhere you want, the others will just have to follow, silently and obediently.
After I was seated in the car, Valentin closed the door and gave me another tight smile.
Rolling the windows down, I motioned him over. He came closer and I whispered so only he could hear. “Do you need the bathroom?”
“What?” he stuttered.
“The bathroom. You look like you are constipating. I don’t think your men would enjoy the foul smell, no matter how much they love you,” I continued.
He could only stare, his mouth opened, speechless. Tipping my black hat toward him, I winked. “Boss,” I mumbled, just to rustle his feathers a little.
One point for me.
Before he could move, I rolled up the windows. My body settled back against the seat, relaxing as the car started moving.
With my eyes on the front, I took a deep breath. Another step on the chess board. Another piece played.
In the rearview mirror, Valentin’s figure grew smaller and smaller, until it completely disappeared.
It was his turn now. How fucking exciting.
Closing my eyes, I let myself think of every moment leading to this one. Every step I took was for one purpose. In the end, was I going to get what I wanted most?
A game was being played…it might have appeared that I was the winner for now, but for how long?
How long before I fall, because we always fall? From the top, everything crumbles under your feet and you hit rock bottom again.
It must have been a long thinking process, because the next time I was brought back to the present, the car had stopped and my driver was speaking to me.
“Sir, we are here.”
I opened my eyes to see it was dark outside, the sun already down, casting the perfect darkness for people like me.
Perfect start for a new beginning.
The driver opened the door for me, and I stepped out, staring at the estate in front of me. It was dark, except for the lamps around it.
In the night, it looked like those ghost houses in Halloween movies. A castle that was hiding the Devil.
I fucking loved it.
But I knew in the morning, it would be the perfect beautiful estate for the filthiest and richest man in Russia. Also known as Valentin Solonik.
But soon, it would be me. Konstantin Solonik.
Have I mentioned how much I hated that name? I wondered how much my mother hated me to name me after a fucking theatre actor. More like an opera actor. I shuddered at the thought.
“This way,” Yegor said, nodding his way toward the entrance.
“Do I have to do this?” I questioned, taking a step forward.
“You have no choice, Konstantin,” he replied quietly, only for my ears.
He was right. Only because a year ago, I made a choice to lie and play a part in the game of power. And now, here I was.
Yegor slapped my back in encouragement. “Think of relief after all this shit is done.”
I laughed before slapping his back too, maybe a little too hard. He stumbled forward before quickly catching himself. He grumbled something under his breath, his glare not one to miss.
He was lucky I considered him a friend or he would have been dead, his eyes gouged out for even thinking of glaring my way. Nodding toward my men, I made my way inside. The cold was left outside, thank fucking God for that.