"I meant to call," I said, finding Erik's black BMW.
"What did Boris say?" Papa asked on the other line. "Are you alright?"
"He didn't do anything to me. We talked. Then he may have ordered his henchman, Konstantin to put a gun to mine and Nina's heads when I sorta started my refusal to do his bidding."
Multiple gasps.
"He didn't shoot us," I assured them. "Obviously, I wouldn't be talking to you if he did. He wants me for a job."
"What's the job?" Levin said, skeptically.
"You remember the Russian I mentioned?"
"Maksim," they all echoed which told me Mikhail had me on speaker.
I rolled my eyes. Of course they remembered his name.
"Yes. Boris wants me to seduce him. Keep an eye on him with my camera and report the photos back."
"I don't know," said Mama. "It sounds very sketchy. There has to be a catch to all of it. Why would he need you to seduce the boy?"
"I don't believe Boris is a man of estimating his ideals. He knows the family because Maksimillian's parents knew him. I'm guessing the father is his brother."
"So you go after this Russian?" Dedushka asked. His question came out like a croaking toad. Age caught up fast this year.
"He said their family has a old tie. The brothers had a falling out. And the guy, Konstantin? Boris mentioned something about having contacts in Russia. Almost like-"
I went silent.
"Like what?" Papa's weary carried through the phone.
"I'm not absolutely sure," I stated quietly. "Konstantin looked an awful like Aleksandr. And it can't be a coincidence he's from Russia too."
"But that can be possible," Mikhail debated. "He works for Boris. Most of his henchman come from there. He's never changed whatever crazy society they picked him off."
"I wouldn't rule it out," Levin advised. "Maybe I can hack into the school's library and see if I can gather any dirt on them. It might be a wide shot, but I can manage it under a minute."
"Isn't that a crime?" I debated all odds of this not going according to plan in my head.
"Don't you want to find out about your boyfriend? Or not?"
"For the last time. He is not my boyfriend. I tolerate him because he's Erik's cousin. The boy is a giant great pain in my ass."
"Right." I imagined he rolled his eyes.
"Hey. I barely know the guy."
"We're not blind, cuz," said Mikhail. "The man is all about Korina. Levin can vouch for me too. He's been tracking him and his brothers."
"What? Who said for you to do that?"
"I did," Papa answered. "After the confirmation Maksim is part of the Bratva, I had to take extremes to know my daughter was safe. He's very...watchful of you. It's scary, but I've seen that look before."
"The look you have for my daughter," Dedushka answered. "I have seen look before. Every Russian has one."
"Exactly what are we talking about, here?" I interrupted, my voice carrying through the night.
"Basically Maksim is possessive of you," Levin stated plainly.
"That's ridiculous."
"Is it?" He countered.
I had to think on it. I hated how right he was. Levin was more perceptive than I gave him credit for.
"It doesn't matter. Maksimillian is a target. He's a Gold Card, that's all."
In the language of a thief every con is constricted into a series of categories as a code to separate the upperclassmen, from the lower class that maintained a cheerful amount of money, but didn't own companies. It's like the three stages of winning a medal.
The Copper was an arrangement made specifically for cheating husbands to blackmail.
Silver is a step up, falling into seduction of travel agents; they mostly tend to have more in their pockets from around the world, or antiques that may turn into triple with our Pawnbroker contact.
And then there is the Gold Card. Above all this was the most important. From billionaires, to entrepreneurs, to the mayor, we are strategic to the penny, rolling seduction and blackmail together with stringing along the men(or women).
It's as productive as a cat and mouse chase. In the end the cat is drugged, waking up confused with their wallets and watches and car keys gone.
"And I understand that. But Boris expects me to convince Maksimillian we can be together."
"Pumpkin," Papa was using his gentle voice, a tinge of anger in the undertone. "You don't have to do this. I can't bare to see you go through that again."
"I can handle this, Papa. My heart is made out of steel. It's not like I have a heart to give. And If I refuse Boris, he'll kill you all. I have to be the one to sacrifice to protect you guys."
"And who will protect you?" Levin said making me pause.
"I can take care of myself," I said after a moment and hung up before the lie made guilt arise. Or they tried to talk me out of it.
I wasn't going to let them pay the price for my mistake.
If I failed it would mean bullets for all of them. If I succeed, then all I would sacrifice was my heart. It was the better choice. Right?
At least, I suppose, in my head there was good reason to why it seemed like the better choice.
°°°°°°°°°°°°
"You ready?"
I jumped at the sound of Erik's voice as he approached me. I looked over his shoulder to see the buses had arrived. I was too busy listening to my own thoughts I hadn't heard them pull into the parking lot.
I gathered myself to reply. "For the party?"
"My party tonight for the homecoming game win."