We sat at a table in the back of the restaurant where it was quiet. I didn’t need the whole world listening to our conversation. I was plenty paranoid as it was.
“What’s wrong, Max?”
“It’s Grigoriy.”
Inessa’s face fell and a look of smoldering anger flashed momentarily in his eyes.
“What is he doing? Threatening you?”
“If only.”
“Does this have anything to do with the trips to Moscow?”
“Yeah. I was summoned.”
“What did he want, Max?”
“To feather his nest, of course. What else?”
“And?”
“Well, he’s got me importing drugs.”
Inessa nearly jumped out of her seat.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” she half yelled.
“Shhh, keep your voice down.”
“Sorry. What the fuck, Max?” she said in a more controlled manner.
“The fucker’s been planning this for years, Inessa. I should have known he wasn’t going to let me simply leave for America without some sort of recompense. Now that my company is doing well, he’s claiming my success as his own.”
“Son of a bitch. I hate that man.”
“No arguments here. I tell you; my fucking life is a mess. I can’t sleep. I’m snippy as fuck, and I keep waiting for the cops to raid my warehouses.”
“What does Vlad have to say about all this?”
“He’s doing his best to keep it on the downlow. Vlad is such a loyal guy, Sis. I feel terrible to have to involve him in this fucking mess. The guilt is killing me.”
“What are you going to do, Max?”
“I don’t know. The truth is there’s fuck all I can do about it. If I refuse, Grigoriy will take it out on those closest to me. He all but said it in so many words.”
“Fuck Grigoriy! Let him try.”
“That’s very brave of you, Sis. But you and I both know that he’s not the kind to make idle threats. I’ve seen, firsthand, what he’s capable of. You were too young to know what was really going on.”
“I’m not a kid anymore, Max. I know you mean well, brother, but you’re not responsible for me anymore. You can’t destroy your own happiness because you’re afraid that Grigoriy will retaliate against me. I won’t allow it.”
“Don’t be naive, Inessa. What about Jeremy and Charlie, and Angel? It’s not just you and me anymore.”
“Fuck. I guess it was inevitable that the three musketeers would accumulate people along the way.”
“I forgot that we used to call ourselves that,” I laughed, feeling lighter at the thought of Vlad, Inessa, and me as kids.
“We were so clueless, weren’t we? I’ll give everything I have to keep my little Jeremy as innocent as possible for as long as I have breath in my lungs. You’ll know what I’m talking about when your child is born. The moment you hold it in your arms, you’re a goner.”