Yulian nods, seemingly reassured. “I suppose you’ve thought it all through.”
“The fact that you’re surprised is insulting.”
He offers only an apologetic smile. I don’t mind. At last, the silence stretches on long enough for me to collect my thoughts.
The dinner was a success. It strengthened ties and reinforced old alliances. It also served as a reminder to any who’d been stupid enough to forget: the might of the Stepanov Bratva cannot be so easily overlooked.
Rodion showed up late, but he showed up. He paid homage. That’s all I needed.
“What do you think Papa would say if he were here?” Yulian asks suddenly, breaking the silence.
I glare at him. “I thought we were done talking.”
He grins sheepishly at me. “Sometimes, I wonder. That’s all.”
“I don’t have to wonder. I know what he would say.”
“Which is?”
“‘You’re doing everything all wrong.’”
Yulian purses up his lips. “You think Papa was hard on you? He gave you everything. His entire legacy.”
“And if you were the firstborn, he’d have done the same. It had nothing to do with his opinion of me.”
“He respected you. Even when we were boys, he looked at you differently.”
“Is that what you saw?”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I notice things?” He waves a hand in disgust. “For fuck’s sake, you’re the only don in history who doesn’t take a single ounce of pleasure from his position.”
“You want me to drink and indulge and fuck my way through life?”
“It wouldn’t hurt. Maybe you’d smile more.”
I shake my head. “I never trust people who smile too much. They look like idiots.”
His smile drops into a glare when he realizes it’s him I’m talking about. “Christ, you’re such an asshole, Anton. I have no idea why every woman fawns all over you.”
“Every woman except her,” I mutter without thinking.
He smirks at me. “It’s weirdly attractive, isn’t it? When women don’t give a shit? Especially when they should. Does she already have you pussy-whipped?”
“Hardly. I’m just… curious.”
“About what exactly?”
“Curious to see how long it’ll last.”
“Is that the real reason behind the job offer?”
“Maybe this is my way of having some fun. Ever thought of that?”
He sighs. “You’re such a disappointment.”
“You want to be don instead?” I ask, chuckling.
He shrugs. “Wouldn’t mind a crack at it, to be honest. I think I’d be pretty great.”