“You’re excused. I said I’m leaving now and you haven’t even eaten breakfast.” Valeriya eyed him playfully. “I would hate to put you out.”
“I thought that’s what you said.” Sitting down on the bed, he slipped on his jeans and put on his boots. “Again, it’s no imposition.”
“No bath or shower?” she asked. “I pegged you for being the overly-clean type.”
Quickly, he put on deodorant. With his arm hiked up where she could get a better look of his veined bicep, he quipped. “Gee, it’s hard to turn down with such fine amenities, but no time.” Slipping on a gray T-shirt that hugged his wide frame, he rolled his shoulders and slipped on his gun holster. Putting his guns in their proper place, he ran a hand through his hair and popped a piece of gum in his mouth. “Ready.”
“You’re going?” she asked, touching her chest. “With me?”
“You’ve got me all to yourself for the next three days,” Gabriel said with a million watt smile. “I can help you deliver whatever it is that you need and get a better understanding of what is going on around here.”
“This is not a game. It’s dangerous out there. You could get killed,” she said, face tight. She thought of her brother, freshly laid only a mile away in the family cemetery.
“That’s what the guns are for,” Gabriel said, not at all worried about her warnings. “Look, I know this is your first war, but it’s not mine. In my industry, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t have to consider getting killed. But as you can see, I can handle myself.”
“Lucky for you,” Valeriya said, waltzing past him. His arrogance irritated her, mostly because she believed that he was more than ready for anything that happened. “You better eat well. We have a long day in front of us, rich boy. If you are going with me, you are going to work.”
Gabriel grabbed her arm. “Hey.”
She quickly snatched away. “Why do you keep man handling me?” Looking him up and down, she frowned. “What right do you have to touch me?”
He laughed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Valeriya, I don’t want to play any games with you. I think last night proved that we are both pretty honest people.” Invading her private space as he stepped closer to her, he touched her face with his chilly fingers. “I want to get in your good graces.”
“For this account, yes, I know,” she said, face unreadable. But inside, she was melting and angry at herself for the physical effect he had on her.
“No, not just for the account,” he answered. “I want to get in your good graces, because I like you. So let’s cut the act. You tell me what I have to do and I’ll do it.”
She stepped closer to him and slinked a hand up his chest, feeling those muscles that she so long to have wrapped around her. “For the start, work hard and stop having other people do the work for you.” Turning around, she led out of the door. “Now, let’s go. We’re running behind.”
***
Hearing that Medlov and his man servant were going on the drops that Valeriya was making today, he opted out. There were other things to get in order and other distribution points in the area. He would do them all alone if he had to, but he would not be in the same room with that man unless it was absolutely necessary. Besides, with Valeriya out of the way, he was finally able to talk to one person in particular without her prying.
After the teams working today had left, he headed upstairs to the third floor, making sure to stop at random stops to act busy and check to make sure that he wasn’t being followed. When he arrived at the meeting room on the third floor, like had been suggested to him last night at the dinner by a concerned party, he knocked and let himself in.
“We have to make this quick,” Olek said, walking in and locking the door behind him.
“Did anyone see you come up here?” Faddei asked, coffee mug in hand. He ushered Olek to the table in the back of the dark room with only a small battery operated light to illuminate the space.
“No,” Olek said, looking around.
“Good, good.” Faddei seemed more nervous than usual. “So you were not able to talk her down, which is why I wanted to see you. I would have discussed it last night, but when you came down to dinner you looked perturbed and what I have to say will take a clear mind.”
Olek pulled out a seat and sat down. “She won’t hear anything I have to say and I’m supposed to be her lieutenant. It’s like talking to a brick wall.”
“When women get power, it goes straight to the head,” Faddei quipped. “But that is not for long.” He sat down across from Olek and scratched his brow. Cradling his cup, he licked his lips and smirked. “How would you like to be the new captain?”
“How is that possible?” Olek asked.
“You know how,” Faddei said, staring Olek in the eyes. “That woman is going to undo all that we have worked for. And the people will blindly follow to failure because she was able to get the Medlov men here with those guns and all this fucking food.” He pushed over a biscuit to Olek. “People eventually stop listening with their ears and watching with their eyes when they are starving. The stomach takes over all of the senses. This is how she is winning them over.”
“So what is going to change?” Olek looked nervously around again, afraid that someone might hear them plotting.
“A deal has been struck with the Russian separatists.”
Olek’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You are talking to those devils?”
Faddei raised his hand in protest. It wasn’t what it sounded like, but he was expecting to draw some anger from Olek. “They got word to us. They know that Alexei is dead. They also know that Valeriya is in charge.”
“Do they know that we are here in this place? If so, we need to evacuate immediately and find some other place for our headquarters.”
“They have no idea where we are. One of my men was approached by them yesterday morning when he was coming out of the hospital. It was scary business for him, but he came back in one piece with news that we can use to our advantage.”
Olek was silent, waiting for Faddei to go on. This conversation of usurping Valeriya’s power was starting to sound like something far worse than sabotage.
Faddei needed to plead his case wisely, and he knew that. “Valeriya is a dangerous symbol for these times and that’s a problem for them. It’s a problem for all of us. If she is taking up her brother’s banner and moving on, it says to the Ukrainian forces that the women and men should do the same. Women should do the same. In that we should move on, I agree, but her leading us it also says that we are being pushed around in our country by a minority group…Black women. In the history books, do we really want her face plastered across our cause?”
Olek swallowed hard. “Does it matter whose face is on what as long as we win?” He had never been one for petty politics and was not moved by a few people’s idea of what victory should look like.
“Yes, it matters.” Faddei threw his head back. “We are not the Ukrainian army. We are a small group of militia whose only purpose is to protect our people while others truly fight this war. We aid the sick, feed the hungry, give our people guns to protect their homes and businesses, find safety for those who otherwise would not have any. It is because of our stance, a more neutral necessary place, that we have survived this long. It’s why the people give us money and fund our operations.”
“I’m aware of how we have survived, brother. But your explanation still gets me no closer to understanding what the Russian separatists want with her?”
Faddei shook his head. “I thought I was being clear. They want her out of the picture.”
“Dead?” Olek asked, incensed.
“No, not necessarily. Just not leading us, not creating troubles, not encouraging more attacks. She has always wanted the people to revolt. She has encouraged Ukrainian young people to fight. The reason that Alexei did so well was because he focused on keeping the people safe. Valeriya is something else. She is a rabble rouser. She encourages violence and has
not only spoken out against the Russians publicly, but also the Nazis and our own Ukrainian guards. With her, the lines are more blurred. There is no safe space.”
“You know how I feel for her. Why would you approach me with this? What? Do you expect me to sneak into her bed at night and kill her? Slit her throat? Because she speaks out against poor leadership, racism, sexism…” Suddenly, he was disgusted.
Faddei tilted his head and lowered his voice. “I saw the way that the Medlov man looked at her. You have no chance of ever returning to her bed as long as she has a working relationship with him. And based on how he looked at her, he has no intention of ever offering you another opportunity to get close to her.”
Olek pushed back from the table. He would not take one more second of this asinine conversation. “You have no idea what you are talking about.”
“I have every idea. That woman is an opportunist, and we cannot afford to place our future in her hands. I’m not asking you to kill her? I’m asking for you to put her in a place where she can be strategically wounded and forced to give up her position. Think about this for a second. You can nurse her back to health, we can move forward with our cause and our people and she will be safer.”
Olek looked down at the floor, trying to process what Faddei was asking. “How do you strategically wound someone?”
“A shot in the arm, the leg, something less than a death shot.” Faddei knew that he was breaking him. All it would take was a little more encouragement and he would have him in his clutches. “If we do this, we save so many.”
To play the devil’s advocate, Olek made a point he thought Faddei might be missing. “And you think Gabriel Medlov is going to allow that? You saw what he delivered to the Nazis. It wasn’t exactly some low-level hit. He blew up their fucking building while we were all sorting water bottles.”
It was all figured out except one part. Olek. They needed his buy-in to get her in position and keep others from being harmed. “No, I agree. Doing anything to her while he is here is a bad idea,” Faddei said. “He leaves in three days, according to the word in the hotel. It happens after. Right after to be exact. The Russians don’t know that Gabriel Medlov or any Medlov is here or has facilitated the delivery of guns and other munitions. We don’t want that information to get out, and we don’t want to lose our only connection with the Roman family in the states. So this has to come off flawless with none of us implicated. It has to be done when he leaves, but the Russians want a showing the day, so it must happen right after he departs. This keeps us safe, da.”
“We are safe nowhere, and this game that you are considering is dangerous for everyone, not just those who want power and political attention,” Olek said, clenching his jaw.
“Do you think I’m the only one who is going to follow through with this?” Faddei snapped in a graver tone. “Other captains – they will remain anonymous for now- think this is the best course of action. It’s going to happen with or without you. The difference is that you could become captain of her men, lead them well, take care of her and keep her in her place. It’s not a lot to ask.”
“And if I don’t agree to do this horrible thing?” Olek asked.
“I think you know that this is information you can’t unhear,” Faddei said, putting his gun on the table as a warning. “Personally, I like you. I think of you as a better leader. I will take on the charge of being the head of this revolution, but you will be in a better capacity to oversee all of the people who are already depending on you. However, if you don’t do this…horrible thing, then you and I both know that you have no place left in this revolution and no place left in this country.”
Olek looked down at the gun and smirked. They weren’t offering him a choice. They were giving him orders disguised as a choice. “So you’re offering me life and leadership or death.” He shook his head. “You fucking sucka.” In silence, he folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. What choice did he have? “And you won’t kill her?” he asked sincerely.
“Absolutely not,” Faddei promised. “The Medlov man will be gone. We’ll have our guns and a united, strong cause. She’ll be injured but in your care and safe. And lives will be saved. We will continue to praise but at the same time control how much damage she is doing in the community by creating an up rise without a full strategic plan.”
Olek got that part, but one part, he didn’t. “So why do you need me?”
“Well,” Faddei scrubbed a hand over his chin, pleased that they were headed in the right direction with the conversation finally. “We need you to deliver her, away from the hotel and our munitions and families, to a place she is not very secure in, or has very few contacts around. And in that place, a designated sniper will be there to make an unlucky shot. When you save her, it will look like an attack that you foiled, and you will be her savior instead of this new man? I will be appointed as head of the revolution and you can take up your spot as captain.”
“How are you sure that the Russians won’t just kill her and me, once it’s set up?”
“The Russians won’t be there. One of our men will.” Faddei huffed.
“One of our own has agreed to this?”
“Yes, more than one. I picked the most qualified. But like I said, she will not be killed. Look, I’ve known her and her brother since they were little people. I’ve known her longer than you. I followed her brother, so it’s not a matter of race, but you have to believe me as your elder and a leader, I know what is best for this country and these people.” Frustration started to get the best of him again. “I will not kill her. She still will be a part of the revolution. She is very smart. Her consultation will still be highly regarded, but maybe…” Faddei shrugged, “as your wife or something like that, she will make a bigger impact. Plus, it’s a more feminine roll, eh? Something the people can respect and admire.”
The words and possibilities drew Olek in further. “I told her it would be wise to let someone else lead.” He hated her at that moment for putting them all in this position.
“And you were right,” Faddei agreed. “Do this thing. Save her life while you still can.” He offered his hand to Olek. “Can I count on you, brat?”
Olek looked at the man’s hand for a moment and then shook it reluctantly. “Keep her safe. Nothing that will handicap her or leave her in permanently injured.”
With a smile, Faddei put his other hand on his and leaned in. “I promise. My man is very reliable.”
Chapter Ten
Strong is a Relative Word…
It was a balmy 91 degrees outside with not a cloud in the sky. The sun beamed down relentlessly on everyone and everything alike, making the hot afternoon almost unbearable. Traveling through the bumpy narrow roads of Western Donetsk, Gabriel sat in the passenger seat of the box style, early model Land Rover drenched in sweat as it traveled across town to yet another stop. He was exhausted from all the lifting and pulling, hungry from only the egg and scotch that was his breakfast and dying to get some lunch in him.
Valeriya wasn’t lying when she said they would work today. They had already made four stops, including one to an elderly lady who lived alone with a busted hip. Unfortunately for everyone involved, her cat had died three days ago, and she lived on the fifth floor of a depilated high rise that seemed to never have a working elevator. So no one had come to tend to her or the dead, rotting carcass of the animal.
The odorous stench was enough to gag a maggot, but Gabriel had helped Valeriya and her men diligently clean up the mess, feed the woman and stock her pantry. The other three stops were to local clinics and businesses, giving out a ton of bandages, can goods and antiseptics along with guns to keep thieves from looting.
It had been an eye opening experience for Gabriel. He was not the Red Cross type, no bleeding heart to speak of, and no history of philanthropic spirit. So, watching her toil over boxes and create solutions to other people’s problems was taxing. Why did she care so much? In all, it had left him feeling quite h
ollow inside to know that someone had a heart as big as hers with so little means did so much to help others while he had such great means and only tended to his own selfish aspirations.
“One more stop and then we go back to load up for the evening shift,” Valeriya said from the middle of the back seat, sandwiched in between her brother and Nadei, as she wrote in her notebook. “We need to bring back more batteries for the next group. Don’t let me forget.”
“No problem,” Andriy said, looking out of the tinted window as he sat beside her. He looked comfortable with the work, used to it.
“Where are we headed to now?” Gabriel asked the driver, Sam, as he slid his baseball camp down on his head.
“An orphanage that Valeriya watches over,” Sam answered, slamming down on his horn and his brakes as a car pulled in front of him. “It’s just on the outskirts of town, if this fucker ever gets out of my way!”
Valeriya smiled, feeling proud of herself for working the hell out of Gabriel and Nadei. “What’s wrong, rich boy, are you tired? Want to go home?”
Gabriel shifted in his seat and looked back at her. The sweat and headband had only made her sexier. Her face was covered in a mist of perspirations, lips bare, eyes wide. And her thin shirt did little to hide the faint imprint of eager nipples. “It takes a lot more than this to get me tired, darling,” he shot back. “I was thinking of something a little more physical.”
Valeriya cut her eyes at him. “You might get what you asked for sooner than you know.”
“Really?” Gabriel asked with a wicked grin.
“Da, the home we are going to requires a great deal of work.”
“That’s not what I was talking about,” Gabriel jested. “But okay.” Turning back around, he slipped on his shades. “Have it your way.”
“Is he always like this?” Valeriya asked Nadei as she scooted closer to her brother to give him more room.
“Like what?” Nadei asked flatly. He was tired of being stuffed in the tight space doing plebe work. It wasn’t exactly one of his strong points, and it showed over the hours as his grimace became more pronounced with each and every box lifted.
Gabriel's Regret: Book 1 (The Medlov Men Series 2) Page 14
