Dimitri smirks and shakes his head, trying not to laugh. “No, she just wants to screw you. Don’t you Natalia?”
“Very much so,” she says bringing her mouth to mine.
I start kissing her right there, long and hard, not caring that we are in a crowded bar. After several minutes, I realize that Dimitri hasn’t said anything either and when I glance at him he is making out with some girl as well. Huh! I didn’t even hear her walk up. We both go at it hot and heavy for a good ten minutes until Natalia whispers breathlessly in my ear that she wants to leave. Yeah, that sounds good to me.
“Mladshiĭ,” I say looking over Natalia’s shoulder.
He doesn’t say anything but hums and I can see that his hand is no longer visible and the girl on his lap is squirming and moaning loudly. I kind of chuckle until Natalia begins moving on my lap and playing with my hair, pushing it out of my eyes. She brings her mouth to mine again and starts kissing me and I know I need to get the out of here so I can get me some proper birthday sex. I stop kissing her but hold her tightly against my body as she continues to move against me.
“Mladshiĭ … we’re leaving. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Wait,” he says, stopping what he is doing and hearing the girl on his lap moan and pout. “Shhh, give me a minute,” he tells her and then looks at me. “Open your gift.” He motions to the present sitting on the table.
I reposition Natalia and take the gift, ripping the paper off it. I then open the box and look back up at him. He is smiling and arches his brow at me. I swallow and look back in the box, running my hand over the sleek metal and pull it out. It’s a brand-new Glock 17. They are being produced in Europe but I didn’t know you could get them in the states yet. I run my fingers over it lovingly, caressing the barrel and moving my finger over the trigger. This is a nice gun!
“Holy Shit! Mladshiĭ, how did you get this?” I ask, completely stunned.
He laughs. “Do you really want to know?”
I laugh and shake my head. “No, I don’t,” I answer as I bring the gun up and pose with it like James Bond. “I look pretty bad ass, don’t I?” I ask Natalia.
Natalia runs her hand over my pants and grins. She starts speaking Russian again, telling me that I look sexy and dangerous as she runs her tongue up my jaw. When she tells me that she wants me, I am done. I bring her mouth back to mine, kissing her again.
“Let’s go,” I say against her mouth. I look over at Dimitri who is back to making out and feeling up the girl on his lap and from the sounds she is making I think she is about to get off.
“Я буду видеть вас завтра, брат, спасибо за подарок,” I say, thanking him for the gift and telling him I’ll see him tomorrow.
“Завтра,” he mutters but doesn’t stop what he is doing.
I stick my new gun in the waistband of my jeans like the bad ass I think I am and wrap my arm around Natalia. We don’t even make it passed the car before we are going at it. I end up having sex with her against the car door and then again in the backseat before finally heading home.
~*~
The next morning, I find myself at Navy Pier. It is still a little cool outside but I don’t care, it is my absolute favorite place to be, next to the bar of course. No one ever bothers me here so I’m able to really think and try to sort stuff out as best as I can. I am going to miss being able to do that when I leave.
“Bolʹshoĭ,” I hear Dimitri say from behind me.
I turn and smile. “Hey, Mladshiĭ.”
“So how was Natalia?” He asks knowingly and I get a huge grin on my face.
“She was hot, that’s how she was!” I say laughing. “How 'bout you?”
“I had fun, man. Did you see me get her off at the table?” He asks laughing.
“Yes, everyone saw that! But that was the point, wasn’t it?” I say a little more serious than I was intending.
“What do you mean?” He asks curiously.
“You know, to let everyone know that you are bad ass Dimitri Komarovski, future mob king, who screws whoever he wants, wherever he wants,” I say raising my hands in the air dramatically.
He frowns at me. “That’s not funny, Bolʹshoĭ,” he fumes, pushing me back and making me lose my footing.
“Fine. Obviously you can’t take a joke,” I reply with a smirk.
“That’s just not funny. You know how I feel about all this,” he says, walking to the ledge and looking over at the water.
“I’m sorry, man. I know. That was a crappy joke,” I say remorsefully and walk up next to him.
He looks over at me. “So what’s going on?”
I sigh and turn around so that my back is against the ledge of the pier. He turns to face me, keeping his hand on the top bar of the ledge. Watching me and waiting for me to say what’s on my mind. I don’t say anything right away, just stare at the ground as if I will find the courage there to say what I have to say.
“I have to leave in July,” I finally say, not looking at him.
“Why?”
I don’t reply at first; just kick at some imaginary pebble under my shoe. “Harvard.” I glance over at him. “I am already enrolled. I don’t have a choice.”
He frowns and turns to face the water again, not saying anything.
“I’ll be back though,” I continue, watching him.
“Why can’t you go to school here?” He asks, looking down, watching the water hit the pier.
“For the same reason you can’t do anything aside from becoming the future mob king,” I answer with a shrug.
He nods and I turn back around looking down at the water as well. Neither of us says anything for a long time. There is nothing either of us can do. Our lives were planned way before we were even born. Just like Dimitri’s dad took him aside and told him what he would be doing with his life, my father did as well. Except he wasn’t telling me that I was to head some Russian mob family, nope he was telling me that I would follow in his footsteps and the footsteps of all the other Livingston men and be a financial analyst for the biggest firm in Chicago, make lots of money on the stock market, convince people to invest their money and eventually marry an appropriate debutante that will breed further Livingston men that will also be sold into indentured servitude as I have been.
“So we have four months, huh?” Dimitri finally asks, bringing me out of my melancholy thoughts.
“Yeah.”
He turns and looks at me. “Well, let’s make it the best four months imaginable and get into all kinds of trouble,” he declares with a sly and deceptive grin.
“Well, you know I’m in,” I reply with a laugh. “And I’m sure that it will sufficiently piss my father off before I have to leave, so it’s a win-win for me.”
“Exactly!” He states laughing. “Now let’s fire off that new gun of yours. I know just the place we can go.”
“Cool,” I say with a huge smile on my face.
Chapter 12
June
6 Years Later
I spend six years at Harvard getting my MBA, much to my father’s delight, which annoys the hell out of me. The first couple of years, I came back over the summer but spent all that time with Dimitri getting into trouble so my father put a stop to that by forcing me into summer employment at a local firm in Cambridge. A thousand miles away and he is still controlling my every move like the puppeteer that he is. I hate him for keeping Dimitri and I away from each other. It’s been four years since we’ve seen each other. We talk regularly though. Thank God my dad hasn’t figured out a way to control that.
When I get off the plane, it feels like I can breathe again. I’m home! I make my way through the airport and then get my suitcases from baggage claim. As I step outside, I look around and see my dad’s driver, Terrance. I frown. He didn’t even have the decency to show up at the airport and greet his only son, the one who gave up six years of his life to go to the school of his choosing.
“Mr. Livingston, it’s
good to have you back. Your father regrets not being able to come himself, business has kept him away. He asks that I bring you home,” Terrance states, grabbing my bags and placing them in the trunk.
“Whatever. Take me to the bar,” I tell him annoyed.
“What bar, sir?” He asks, pissing me off because he knows exactly where I want to go.
“Don’t be coy, Terrance. Take me to see Dimitri,” I say angrily as I slide into the back seat.
He takes his seat behind the wheel. “Sir, your father was very explicit about me bringing you straight home,” he informs, watching me from the rearview mirror.
“Well, he isn’t here, is he?” I look at him for a few moments and then open the car door. “Fine, I’ll take a cab there,” I say, throwing my foot out of the door.
“No, sir. Wait, I will take you,” Terrance concedes.
Terrance doesn’t say anything and I swear he is taking his good ole' time getting into Chicago. What does he think, that I will change my mind? Reconsider my dad’s wishes, wait, not wishes, commands? It’s been four long years since I have seen my best friend and there is no way I am going home before I do. The minute Terrance pulls up in front of the bar my heart starts pounding with excitement.
“Don’t wait for me. I’ll find my way home,” I say, stepping out of the car and watching him eye me. Yep! Go tell dad. I know that’s what you’re going to do.
I don’t even get to the front door before Dimitri comes storming out and pulls me into a tight bear hug and then rests his forehead against mine, smiling like he just got the best present in the whole world. He kisses both of my cheeks and then wraps his arm around my shoulder and walks me into the bar.
“Мой брат вернулся!” He announces and everyone starts clapping and raising their classes to us as we make our way to our usual table.
“This is for good, right?” He asks as the waitress brings a couple of shot glasses over and a bottle of Kauffman.
“Hell yeah. I’m not going anywhere,” I say, unable to stop smiling.
Dimitri nods excitedly. The waitress, Alena, smiles at me and starts running her fingers down my jaw and then leans close to my ear but all I can see are her boobs, which are directly in front of me.
“It’s good to see you home, Bolʹshoĭ. Maybe we can get together later,” she whispers seductively as she plants a light kiss on my earlobe.
She turns to me and I smile before reaching my hand up and pulling her mouth to mine, kissing her unexpectedly. Alena and I have hooked up before and she is definitely a great lay. I might just take her up on that offer. Dimitri laughs as she walks away.
“You’ve been back one minute and you are already have women throwing themselves at you.”
I laugh and then get serious. “How are you? How is everything?”
He nods. “Good. It’s better now that you’re home.” Then he laughs. “You look different,” he says, reaching over the table and grabbing my face between his hands.
I laugh. “Well, they wouldn’t let me keep my hair long but hell, you look different too.”
He has filled out in the past four years. His dark hair is shorter now and well groomed. He has well maintained facial hair, which is hiding some of the scars he has on his face and he is dressed better, in a pair of black slacks and a button-down shirt, which has several buttons opened. He doesn’t look like a kid anymore. I guess neither one of us does. I had cut my hair at Harvard as I was told I needed to look more professional, so it is much shorter and slicked back. I am now clean-shaven and am also wearing a pair of nice slacks, a white button down shirt and a grey tie that has been loosened.
“Я упустил вас брат,” he says sincerely.
I smile. “I’ve missed you too.”
We spend the next several hours drinking and catching up. He lets me know that his father has put him in charge of collecting his debts and that Stephan and Viktor have been working with him. He said it has been fun because he gets to beat people up and let everyone know that he is indeed tough and that they should fear him. He asked if I would go with him tomorrow and, of course, I said yes. It’s weird hearing him talk about fighting and hurting people but I guess that was inevitable and the fact that his father is giving him so much more responsibilities means he finally trusts him.
“CHARLES!” My father’s voice booms in the room.
I close my eyes, wishing I could vanish. My father is an intimidating man, much like Dimitri’s. He shows no fear to anyone and has often told me that he didn’t get where he was by being weak. Dimitri’s father may be a mobster but my dad is just as bad, he just does all of it legally. He walks over to our table and glances between Dimitri and I before turning to me with a scowl.
“You couldn’t wait five minutes before you were in here with your hoodlum friend, could you?”
I turn to Dimitri who has a smile on his face and mouths the word ‘hoodlum’ and points his thumbs at himself, which makes me chuckle. I turn to my father’s stern face and smile.
“I’m an adult. If I want to have a drink with my friend I have every right to do so,” I say with a smug look on my face.
Before I have time to react, my father back hands me and lifts me up from the table. “Don’t you dare disrespect me like that. Now, go!” He says, tossing me in the direction of the door.
I glance at Dimitri who is now standing with his fists clenched. Stephan and Viktor at his side with their hands in their jackets. I close my eyes, knowing that with one word from Dimitri my father would be dead. As much as that thought might appeal to me, I can’t have that happen. I look at Dimitri and shake my head slightly. I stand straight, raking my fingers through my hair causally and running my fingers down my face nonchalantly, making sure my jaw isn’t dislocated.
“Не делайте ничего, брат. Я увижу тебя завтра,” I tell Dimitri not to do anything and he nods, relaxing his stance as my dad narrows his eyes at me.
My father hates that I speak Russian all the time because he doesn’t know what I’m saying which of course is exactly why I do it. My eyes dart around quickly and see that everyone is staring at us. Dimitri, in particular. I grin mischievously at him.
“Apparently, the warden here has other plans for me,” I say with a chuckle as I continue to look around the room, trying to salvage my reputation and ease the tension. “In fact, I think my parole may have been revoked!” I joke and quickly glance at Dimitri, hoping he understands.
Dimitri watches me, assessing. He finally smiles and then laughs heartedly, which triggers laughter from the other people in the bar. I close my eyes and nod as I turn towards the exit. My dad places his hand on my shoulder to lead me out but I push it away, straightening my tie as I walk through the door. As I get to the car, I shoot Terrance a dirty look before sliding into the vehicle. My father slithers in next to me and I turn to stare at him.
“Your mother has been in such a state. There are people at the house waiting for you,” he says, turning to me with an angry glare. “I thought getting away would rid you of this rebellious streak you have but I see that it hasn’t,” he says with a huff and then tries to soften his tone. “No good will ever come from you being around Dimitri, Son. Why don’t you see that?”
“Dimitri has been my best friend my entire life and I am an adult now, Father. You can’t continue to dictate my life. Why don’t you see that?”
He doesn’t say anything right away, just stares into my cold eyes.
“Everyone from my office is at the house. Your mother has planned a big event to celebrate your homecoming. Don’t embarrass me,” he finally says, looking forward.
I continue to stare at him and then look outside the car window, recognizing that this conversation is now over. I’m twenty-four and yet he still thinks he can control my life. Next thing I know he will have picked out a wife for me as well. We don’t say anything else the rest of the way home and by the time I get to the house the tension between my father and I
could be cut with a knife. But I do my duty and run around this stupid party that is supposedly in my honor, even though I don’t know anyone here, and introduce myself to everyone, as a good son is supposed to do. What a joke.
~*~
The next day, I find myself at the pier looking out onto the water, trying to wrap my head around everything that happened last night. How could he come in the bar like that? Embarrass me in front of everyone and then expect me to wander around shaking hands with all the stupid people he had at the house. What pisses me off the most though, is that I did it. Why didn’t I just go into my room, or better yet, why did I leave the bar in the first place?
“I thought I might find you here,” Dimitri says, coming up next to me, “You okay?”
I nod but don’t look at him. “I did my job and played the obedient and well respectful son of a powerful man,” I say, looking down and then glance over at him. “I hate him so much.” And as soon as the words are uttered out of my mouth, I feel my eyes moisten.
“I know,” he says as I look back at the water. “Come on, Bolʹshoĭ. Let’s go beat someone up. It will make you feel better,” he states with a smirk and when I look at him he hands me something wrapped in some sort of cloth.
“What’s this?”
“An old friend,” he answers with a smile.
When I open the cloth, I find my knife and laugh in excitement. I had to give it to Dimitri to hold because my mother found my gun when she was snooping in my room while I was at college. My father confiscated the gun and spent two hours lecturing me how disappointed he was in me. Well, that was nothing new. But that incident is what had prompted my sudden employment in Massachusetts. I didn’t want to take any chances with my knife so I had Dimitri keep it safe. I wasn’t about to lose it! It feels good to see it again.
“I have missed you my friend,” I say, caressing the flat side of the blade and then kissing it.
Dimitri taps my shoulder. “Let’s go, brother.”
Brothers Forever Page 7
