“Victoria, I’m glad you received my gift."
There was silence on the other end of the line.
A silence loaded down with the sound of her breathing.
"All is well, katyonok?" I asked eventually. Her silence didn’t perturb me, but I would be reaching my destination soon and I didn’t want to rush her.
A small sigh escaped her. "I shouldn’t be calling you."
"The phone is for emergencies, Victoria."
"Emergencies?"
"In case you ever need someone to help you out of a dangerous situation," I told her quietly, wondering if she understood how precarious her current predicament was.
She pondered that for a second, then asked, "Why do you keep sending me gifts?"
I supposed I had my answer.
"Did you like them?"
I heard an audible swallow. "The head scared me."
"Unavoidable, katyonok." Her security was assured and so was my position. At least, momentarily. "I wished you to know that you’re safe."
"Couldn’t you have just called me or something?"
"You will see that my actions speak louder than my words."
"Oh." She cleared her throat. "The icon is beautiful. I’m not sure how you got the doorman to give it to me, but I’m thankful you did. I’ll treasure it."
I’d scoured the city for one that would be easily exchangeable in a reputable art dealership.
"I’m glad you like it."
"Why did you get me that though?"
"Freedom and safety. I wish you to associate those two things with me. You can sell that icon anywhere in the city and have sixty thousand, minimum, in your account.
“The burner cell, well, as I told you, if you’re ever in danger, you can call me and I will always answer. Always.
“As for Boris, he was going to force you to be his wife. I couldn’t allow that, could I?"
My candor had her growing quiet. I wasn’t surprised. Girls like her were kept in the dark, but in my mind, a young woman in this world should be out in the light.
That was the only place she’d ever be safe.
"Katyonok, all is well?"
She gulped. "Yes. I-I, why are you talking to me now? Is it because Papa’s dead? You didn’t speak to me before."
"No. Because I didn’t have a death wish," I said wryly. "You think he’d have allowed a lowly boyevik to speak with one of his princesses?"
She released a soft breath. "Oh."
"Yes. Oh." I smiled. "It is a pleasure talking with you, Victoria. We must do it often. You should call me."
"Do you really mean you’ll always answer?"
I hummed. "Yes." I knew she wouldn’t call me often, but giving her the option meant that, if she was ever in a position where she needed help, she’d think of me. "No matter where you find yourself, Victoria," I intoned, intending on ramming this lesson home, "whether you believe it will anger your sisters or your new brothers-in-law, I will always answer and I will always come to you if you need me."
"If they find out, they won’t be happy."
"The Irish understand my loyalty to you," I told her, trying to be diplomatic.
The O’Donnellys were well aware that I intended on making her my bride when she was of age. Even Camille knew that. Hadn’t we made a deal, her and I? My silence and aid for her sister’s hand in marriage?
She swallowed. "They do?"
"They do," I repeated. "Now, I must go, katyonok. I have business to attend to."
"Merry Christmas, Maxim," Victoria whispered.
"Schastlivogo Rozhdestva," I replied, waiting for her to cut the call, not me.
When she did, I smiled to myself and tucked my cell back into my pocket.
The Sparrows didn’t interest me at the moment. I’d have to talk about them when I arrived in Hell’s Kitchen and discuss that with the head of the Irish Mob, and the new Don of the Famiglia. For now, I pondered where I saw myself in three years’ time.
That was when I could claim my prize.
When this lowly peasant, born to a whore, raised on the Muscovite streets, reared in fire and bound by blood, could take a Bratva Princess as his own.
Fifty-One
Savannah
"We’re joined this evening by Savannah Daniels, daughter of Dagger Daniels, and the writer of the exposés that have taken the country by storm. Welcome, Savannah, and thank you for being here."
I shot Jason Newell a tight smile. "I’m not sure why you have to bring my father into it, Jason," I baited him. "As far as I’m aware, his music didn’t help me write the exposés."
His smile froze. "No, I suppose you’re right."
"There’s no supposing about it."
He cleared his throat, but I saw his brain whirring as, A, the producer probably yelled in his ear, while B, he tried hard not to glower at me for being difficult.
Deciding not to make his life easier, I waited for him to speak, and when dead air hit, I had to hide a smile.
This felt good.
Women were too often without a voice, and that was revealed in my exposés. Countless voices forever silenced, countless women sold and traded like commodities, countless bodies crossing borders to become the pleasure slaves of men with too much money and power in their hands.
If it made me militant, then so be it. Especially when I knew Newell had a rep as bad as Wintersen’s.
"So, Savannah," Newell eventually gritted out, "the exposés you’ve written have been utterly fascinating."
"Thank you," I demurred.
"How long have you been working on them?"
"Quite a while."
His jaw tensed. "How did you discover the New World Sparrows?"
"Through research and some sources that shall remain nameless." He relaxed when he saw I was willing to speak freely. "It’s quite interesting how the current political climate enabled this group to metastasize inside the country’s government, on both a federal and state level.
“I admit, the first time I came across them, I thought it was a conspiracy. Then, I met some of the real victims of the New World Sparrows."
Newell tipped his head to the side, his interest clear. "Real victims? You’ve never mentioned the specifics in your articles about how you came across this information."
"No. For a reason." I’d been waiting until I was invited onto a TV news station. "I’ve spoken with the women who were prostituted by the NWS for their own members’ pleasure, as perks of the job, if you will. Never mind to make the group richer and more powerful as members began cropping up in both low-level government positions and at the top of the ladder too."
"You’ve spoken with these women? What did they say?" he prompted eagerly.
I blinked. Wasn’t he listening? I’d literally just answered that. .
When I didn’t reply, he cleared his throat again. "Over the holiday period, you released key names that are integral to the running of this country—"
"—and the NWS."