Russian Bastard

Chapter 4

Chapter 4Zeke

She was even more beautiful in person. The picture that his father showed them two weeks ago did not do her justice, he thought as he continued to run his fingers over the piano, playing the notes to the music. He had practically memorized the chords and keys to Beethoven's Bagatelles that he wasn't even paying attention to his fingers to play anymore, so his thoughts were free to wander.

His eyes roamed the room and once again, he saw the suspicious figures he had seen earlier. There were some men that he wasn't familiar with on the premises, men with passive and indifferent expressions. Five in total, he counted, scattered across the room. It was unlike those who were truly there for the event, either smiling and chatting excitedly or with calculated expressions of those who were thinking of whose connections would benefit them the most.

As his eyes continued to observe the audience, he caught sight of Tatiana.

His thoughts drifted once again to her beautiful face. Her eyes were a lighter green in person and they reflected almost a sense of innocence which was very misleading with how she was dressed. His thoughts went back to a moment outside on the grounds, when they were conducting normal security procedures. Every time someone bowed at her she seemed to stiffen.

He was trying to piece together why she would act in such a way when Bianca burst into the ballroom through one of the archways leading from the hallways, looking distressed.

When he played the last note to Beethoven's Bagatelles, he stood up, smiling and thanking the crowd as they applauded him. He glanced back at where Bianca was walking, deciding to go to her and ask her what was wrong when his brother suddenly showed up, grabbing her and turning her to face him.

Zeke looked on, confused, but kept a smile on his face since the eyes of the partygoers were still on him. He stepped down from the dais as the band went back on stage to continue playing. He began approaching Bianca and his brother only to stand rigid—in the middle of the room—when Francesco suddenly grabbed her face and embraced her in a passionate kiss.

He gasped slightly in shock, standing immobile before leaping into motion—powering through the people that separated him from the two and nudging guests aside. When he reached them, he pulled them apart, anger evident on his face.

"What the f**k do you think you’re doing?" he swore at them incredulously, looking between the two.

With his lips swollen, Francesco started to speak only for Zeke to stop him and pulled them both away and into the next-door hallway, hoping that no one noticed the two's passionate embrace.

He dragged them further into the corridor before shutting the double doors of the archway that connected the two rooms. He slowly breathed, trying to calm down before facing the two.

"What was that?" Zeke tried to ask Francesco calmly in barely disguised anger. "How stupid are you, Cesco?"

Francesco's face reddened in anger. "Do not insult me, mladshiy bratishka."

Zeke scoffed. "What do you think would've happened if that kiss lasted longer than those two seconds and people began to notice?" he demanded. "Father would've found out," he said with agitation. "And that's not even the worst of it, your mother would've found out." Father could be reasoned with but Gina was a whole other story. She was vicious and had this idea of a perfect family in her head. She wasn't beyond eliminating obstacles that were in her way of her perfect family.

At the mention of his mother, Francesco stiffened, glancing at Bianca who was standing next to him, breathing hard and avoiding their gazes.

"If she finds out, she'll hurt her. You of all people should know," Zeke said accusingly. They both knew what Francesco's mother was like. “The people you’ve loved…” he trailed off at the pained expression on Francesco’s face.

At Zeke's statement Bianca looked at him shocked, before turning to face Francesco. "Is that why you wouldn’t tell anyone?" she asked quietly, hope blooming in her voice.

Francesco hid his pain well before turning to face her, cradling her face softly in his hand. "Yes, moy milaya."

"This whole time…” Bianca drifted off, amazement and happiness shining through her eyes.

"I would never hide you—us— if I didn’t have a choice," he said to her softly. "I would proudly show you off to the world."

Zeke's heart broke for his brother. At twenty nine, he had never been in a relationship that lasted longer than a few months. Once he started having relationships that he was serious about pursuing, Gina would find out and end the relationship all together. It wasn’t long before accidents of the women he loved started happening and the woman he loved above everyone else was taken away from him.

He sighed, massaging his temple in distress. In all honesty he was happy for his brother and friend, but Gina always breathed down Francesco's neck and he was mad at him for putting Bianca in danger.

"What are you going to do?" he finally asked after the two shared their moment.

"I'll think of something,” Francesco said, still gazing at Bianca before turning to face him. "I hope you're okay with this," he added as an afterthought. Zeke looked at him, amused. It was painfully obvious he didn’t care about what he thought—he just cared about Bianca.

"I'm sorry for not telling you," Bianca said to him remorsefully.

He shook his head. "Trust me, you don’t need to tell me anything about your relationship," he playfully said in disgust. He didn’t need the mental image of his brother and his best friend lip locking in his head.

"But I am mad that you are putting her in danger,” he continued on, looking at Francesco accusingly. "We both know what Gina is capable of." He had his scar to prove it. They both knew what might happen to Bianca if Gina found out.

He shook his head as if to rid his mind of the horrible thought. "I'll think of something." He gazed at Bianca's face in worry.

Zeke was going to have to take his word for it.

***

Zeke walked back into the ballroom and upon seeing Tatiana chatting with Carmen Mon Cler, he decided to go up to her.

They noticed him as he came to a stop before Tatiana. "May I have this dance, princess?" he asked her, holding out his hand. She stood silently for a moment, staring at his face before she left her purse with Carmen and smiled at him, taking his hand. "Of course," she said.

As a classical rendition of Photograph by Ed Sheeran came on, he led her through a throng of people before coming to a stop somewhere in the middle of the crowd where they wouldn't be noticed. He wrapped his arms around her slim waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Was there a particular reason you asked me to dance?" she asked him, giving him a small teasing smile that made him shiver slightly as she looked up at him. She was by no means small, she was probably 5'7 but he had a few good inches on her at 6'2.

He shrugged at her, giving her a smile in turn. "Do I need a reason to dance with a beautiful woman?" he asked and, as if to prove a point, held her tighter.

She flushed slightly but she kept a straight face. He felt exhilarated knowing he affected her in some way as she stirred something in him. He couldn’t quite place the feeling but since the moment he laid eyes on her he was suddenly alive, more alive than he had ever felt in his whole life.

"You don’t look so bad yourself," she remarked, making him smirk. He wasn't naïve, he knew he was good looking, it was the reason why so many women flocked towards him. But it was the only thing they wanted to see—blinded to see, his looks and fortune. They never looked past to who he really was, just wanted the bragging rights to having been with him and most of them run for the hills when they see his scars, spreading bizarre stories about them.

They continued conversing quietly as they swayed to the music, lost in their own little bubble. He felt like he could stay there in the moment forever, listening to her soft bell-like voice and feeling her soft skin against his. It was only when he saw Gina across the room that he decided it was time to leave her.

As the song played its final notes, he slowly unwrapped his arms from her and gave her hand a small kiss. "Until later, mon ange," he said before retreating back into the crowd.

As he walked away, he saw Ivanov and approached him.

When he reached him, Ivanov spoke. "Dad's about to make his speech," he said. "He's going to say a quick hello to Tatiana before we go out back for the exchange."

Zeke nodded in acknowledgement as he saw his father make his way to the raised dais. He leaned back against the wall where he and Ivanov stood in a small secluded part of the ballroom where hardly anyone stood near.

"Welcome, dear friends…" their father began in a booming voice that reached every corner of the room. He saw Tatiana on the opposite side of the room, standing with two of her men next to the man he believed was Louis King, brother of Lexis King, an acquaintance of his who was to take over King Enterprises.

As their father continued his speech, Ivanov spoke. "How's Cesco?" he asked him casually, drinking from his glass as he looked up at where their father stood.

Zeke glanced at him briefly before looking back at their father. "You knew, huh?"

His brother shrugged. "Caught them once in the kitchen," he said. "And I saw that little slip they had on the dancefloor,” he added amusedly.

He gagged at the mental image his statement brought but repressed the thought. There were more important things to worry about.

Ivanov downed his drink before smacking his lips. "You should go," he remarked when their father ended his speech in a flourish. Zeke saw him make his way across the room and greet Tatiana. A few moments later, he saw Nina escorting her to where the exchange was going to be held, followed by her guards and the very tenacious Nathaniel Bass who was speaking into a phone.

"I'll find Cesco and send him out. Do you have the cash?" he asked as they slowly made their way through the room.

"I'll get it from William,” Zeke answered, spotting their father's first secretary who handled these kinds of appointments and held the money. He made his way towards the man blending into the crowd wearing an elegant suit in black.

Upon Zeke’s approach, William immediately understood his intent and led him through the hallways towards the south wing, opening the door to his office. William removed a painting from the wall and typed in a password into the keypad. When the safe opened, he took out the two black heavy-duty cases filled with money. He handed one to Zeke and handcuffed the other to his wrist. Zeke did the same and William gave him the keys to both the handcuffs.

Before walking out of the room, he double-checked the inside of his suit jacket, making sure his gun was loaded before hiding it once again. His small knife—safely tucked away—dug into his side reassuringly.

William noticed. "Are we expecting trouble sir?" he asked.

Zeke nodded warily. "We might."

***

Translations

Russian:

mladshiy bratishka - younger brother

moy milaya - my darling

French:

mon ange - my angel

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