Family Tree
ALEXEI KOSLOV
↓
HEAD OF BRATVA.
32 years old.
Father: Marko Koslov (Deceased)
Brother: Carson Koslov
Best Friend & Partner: Demitri Vetrov
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ISABELLA TERRERO
↓
PRINCESS OF TERROR
25 years old.
Mother: Sonia Terrero – Queen of Terror (Head of Terrero Cartel)
Friend & Partner: Ana Sofia Rojas
Chapter 1
ALEXEI
(Alexei; 32. Isabella; 25)
“Let’s drink,” I say to Demitri as I turn away from the drug dealer we’re interrogating.
Since I’ve taken over as head of the bratva, it’s been one shit show after the other. The past year, I’ve been focused on instilling fear in my enemies and solidifying alliances while building the bratva back up from the ashes.
Demitri, my right-hand man, has been by my side every single day during the past ten years. He’s my custodian, but if we’re honest with each other, I don’t need him to protect me.
No, he’s not just my custodian. He’s so much more.
Demitri’s my partner. My best friend. He’s the only person on the face of this planet I trust.
Leaning back against the armored SUV, I pull a flask from the inside pocket of my coat and take a sip of vodka. Handing the flask to Demitri, I let out a sigh as my eyes settle on the Columbian. Diago. I only know his name. The fucker is more resilient than a cockroach.
“You think he’s going to talk?” Demitri asks.
“I’ll make him talk,” I murmur while I take in the broken state of the man.
Like I don’t have enough shit to deal with since becoming the head of the bratva, now there’s a new cartel trying to worm their way into the underbelly of crime. They made the mistake of moving into the area I’ve made my home.
Everyone knows to stay out of California.
“You sure he’s not one of Terrero’s?” Demitri asks as he hands the flask of vodka back to me.
Fucking Terrero.
Sonia, the Queen of Terror, is the bane of my existence. She deals in human trafficking and drug smuggling. Flesh peddling is something I hate with a vengeance, thanks to my father.
Tilting my head, I stare harder at the man.
Also, there’s an unspoken line drawn between Terrero and me. She rules over South America, Africa, and Asia, where North America, Europe, and Russia belong to me. It’s a line she’d be stupid to cross.
The only reason I haven’t killed her yet is that she’s fucking powerful. She’s the only one who’d be able to cripple the empire I’ve built. And vice versa. Hence the unspoken truce.
If Terrero’s stepping over the line, I’d have to call in every favor owed to me. It will be a fucking war between the north and the south.
It will be a massacre.
Letting out a sigh, I tuck the flask back in my pocket and push away from where I’m leaning against the SUV. Diago tenses when I stalk toward him.
Coming to a stop in front of him, I tilt my head and lock eyes with him. I’ve been beating the shit out of him in this warehouse where I have him hanging like a carcass.
The black eyes staring back at me are empty.
He’s willing to die.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Lifting my left hand, I wrap my fingers around the side of his neck, and then the corner of my mouth lifts.
“Diago, let me make myself clear.” I lean in, my features settling into a coldblooded expression. “I will hunt your family. I’ll hang them from bridges for all of Columbia to see.”
It’s not how I do things, but the cartels love displaying the mangled bodies of those who crossed them. It’s a language Diago will understand.
There’s a flash of anger and fear in his eyes.
Finally.
“But I won’t kill you. I’ll let you go, so there’s someone to bury your family as I kill them one by one.”
“Everyone knows you don’t kill the innocent,” Diago sneers at me, the fear starting to take root inside him.
People love getting that fact wrong about me. I let out an amused chuckle. “We must have different definitions of innocence.” Shaking my head, I say, “Your family is part of the cartel, Diago. They’re not innocent.” My smile widens as doubt joins the fear on his face.
Good.
Taking a step back, I let my eyes drift over the blood and gashes covering his body. “As entertaining as this has been, I’m growing bored. Which cartel? Tell me, and I won’t touch your family and put you out of your misery.”
His lips part, and I slowly shake my head in a silent warning for him to think twice before he answers me. “Refuse, and you’re free to go. I’ll give you a head start of seventy-two hours before I begin hunting your family. Those are your only choices.”
I didn’t become as powerful as I am by showing mercy. Yes, I have moments where I’ll help someone, but only if I’ll gain from it. Everyone knows this about me.
Mercy is for the weak.
Diago realizes this fact, and I watch as the last of his fight drains from him. “Terrero.”
The single word explodes in the air.
Fuck, I was hoping to hear Gaviria. It would be easy to take out Pablo Gaviria’s cartel. Child’s play compared to Terrero.
“Why is she moving into my territory?” I ask as I pull my gun from behind my back. My fingers flex around the engraved steel of my Heckler & Koch’s handle while I wait for Diago’s reply.
The last of the strength flows from his body until he hangs limply from the hook I have him tied to.
“I don’t know. We were just told to expand into the US.”
Nodding, I lift the gun and train the barrel between his eyes. “Your family is safe from me.”
Diago lets out a burst of humorless laughter, and then I pull the trigger.
Demitri immediately makes a call to Mr. Wan, my cleaner, who’ll dispose of the body and take care of removing any trace we were here.
I stare at Diago’s body, feeling nothing for killing the man. Instead, anger begins to simmer in my chest.
Sonia Terrero, you made a big mistake. I’m going to tear your world apart.
Demitri ends the call, then looks at me. “How do you want to handle Terrero?”
“Same as any other hit,” I murmur, my anger shimmering through in my tone. “We’ll watch her for a while before we plan the attack.”
Demitri places his hand on my shoulder, and letting out a sigh, he says, “We knew this day would come.”
Slowly, I nod, and then I tuck the gun behind my back.
It was inevitable.
Just like with my father, it’s time to end Terrero’s reign of horror.