Chapter 6

Kris parked just up the street from Gregori’s building and pulled a jacket over his outfit, and then came around and helped Raisa out of the car. He could feel her trembling in her hand. “Nothing to be afraid of, sweetheart. I won’t let anything happen to you. Just stay with me and you’re as safe as can be.”

Then he kissed her until her pulse pounded for another reason and fear took a back seat. Kris took her hand in his and together they walked up to the front of Gregori’s building and into the lobby, where a large man in a security guard outfit stepped in front of them. “Can I help you folks?”

Kris smiled. “Let your boss know the florist is here.”

“Yes, sir, I was told to expect you, but not a second guest. The woman cannot go up.”

Kris shook his head. “I believe you will want to allow her up. She is what I’m here to discuss with your boss. So step aside and inform the man I’m heading up.”

“Not until I check you both for weapons and get permission to let the woman up.”

Kris stepped in between the guard and Raisa. “You can pat me down, but you will not lay a finger on the lady.”

“If I don’t pat her down, she doesn’t go anywhere.”

“If you try to touch her, I will break your hand and tie you to your chair.”

“You’ll try, you mean.”

The man reached like he was going to grab Raisa and Kris grabbed his hand and twisted it until there was a loud snap and the man started screaming as his fingers lay on the top of his wrist, his hand having been bent completely backward. Then Kris put two fingers on either side of the man’s neck until his face turned red and then blue before the man dropped to the ground, unconscious.

Kris dragged him over to the chair behind the security desk and pulled four zip ties out of a pocket on his suit’s pants and tied the man’s arms to the arms of the chair. Next, he secured the man’s feet to the chair legs. After the man was secure, he took a set of keys off the man and, taking Raisa’s hand, went over to the elevator, inserted the key, and turned it to the right. The closest elevator doors opened, and they entered. Kris put the keys in the lock inside the elevator and turned it, causing a button labeled PH to light up. He pushed the button, and the doors closed and the elevator raced upwards. It came to a stop at the penthouse, and as the doors opened, Kris turned the key to the left, locking the elevator in emergency stop mode.

He and Raisa left the elevator and walked to where he could see Gregori behind a massive desk with Nestor standing to the side. “What the hell? You’re full of surprises, florist. I see you brought me my prize.”

Kris felt her grip on his hand tighten, and he gave her a reassuring squeeze. “You still haven’t learned, have you, Gregori? You didn’t call Igor to find out who I am, did you? Raisa is mine. You will never touch her.”

Kris calmly walked over to the two chairs in front of the desk and held one for Raisa to sit in and then sat in the other himself. “Not only will you not touch her, but if one of your men touches her, it will be the last thing they touch. I only disabled the fool downstairs for not listening, but my patience is gone; anyone who touches her now will just disappear forever.”

Gregori’s face turned red, and he shook his head. “Such big words from a flower boy. Let me make it clear, her brother has given Raisa to me. She is mine. If you insist on keeping me from what belongs to me, then I’ll just have Nestor here snap your neck like a twig.”

He nodded to the man standing to the side who moved to grab Kris and do just as his boss had said. But he stopped as Kris reached up and twisted his own wrist, causing a knife to appear in his hand, touching Nestor right in the center of his throat. At the same time, his left hand pointed at Gregori, holding a gun aimed right between the gangster’s eyes. “You should have talked to Igor. Then all this unpleasantness could have been avoided, Volkov.”

Kris looked over at Raisa. “Sweetheart, will you get my phone out of my jacket pocket, please?”

Raisa reached into the pocket and pulled out the phone. Kris smiled but kept his eyes on the two men he was holding with weapons. “There’s a button on the left side; can you press it please, my dear?”

She pressed the button and the voice of Friday said, “How may I be of assistance?”

Kris cleared his throat. “Call Vasiliev on speakerphone.”

“Calling Vasiliev on speakerphone.”

The phone rang twice and a deep, gravely voice came from the speaker. “Kris, my brother, why are you calling me this early?”

“I apologize Igor, but I need you to speak to an old acquaintance of yours who is trying to take the woman who holds my heart from me.”

There was a grunt from the speaker. “Who do I know who would do something so dangerously foolish, brother?”

“Gregori Volkov.”

“I can call him, but he will not listen, Kris. He is...”

“Listening to this call, Igor. Just try. I could end this quickly, but for the sake of my heart, I need to do it peacefully.”

There was a sigh. “As you wish. Gregori, are you there?”

“I am; who is this? There is no way this boy has Vasiliev’s number.”

“Just as stubborn as when you broke into my house as a child. You learned nothing I tried to teach you.”

“Igor? How is it that this one has your number?”

“You didn’t find out who you were going up against, Gregori? What was the first thing I taught you?”

“Know your enemy, but he is just a florist. A nobody.”

“Listen to me now, Gregori, and listen well. That man is not just a florist. Do you recall when my Vannya was taken away from me?”

“Yes, of course. The General had her taken to make you do a job for him.”

“Do you remember the way she was returned to me?”

“You said you hired a team of mercenaries to rescue her and deal with her captors.”

“There was no team. Just the man you call just a florist. He alone, with two guns and a knife, dealt with sixteen spetsnaz soldiers and brought my daughter home to me. He is the deadliest man I’ve ever met, Gregori, and you would be wise to let this woman go. Leave him and his alone before we plant you beside your father.”

“He took what I want and then insulted me. Now he sits in my home pointing a weapon at me and you say I should let that go? Have you gotten soft in your old age, Igor?”

“I told you, Kris, he will not listen. Would you like to call in the debt I owe you?”

“I had to try, Igor. For my love’s sake. No, I will handle what comes next. Will this cause a rift in our family, brother?”

“No, I owe you more than he is worth. Do what you must and know our family will not take offense.”

“Dasvidaniya, brother.”

“Dasvidaniya, Kris.”

There was a click as the man on the other end hung up his phone. Kris looked at Gregori. “Drop this now and I won’t destroy your empire. Leave Raisa and I alone and this ends here. But know this: if you even set foot near her, I will destroy you and your entire organization.”

“I’m not some old man, florist. You can’t win. I have more men than you can withstand.”

Kris laughed. “That’s funny, that’s what your partner, Carlos Madeneze, said right before I destroyed his cartel.”

Kris stood and, keeping his eyes on the two men, he put the knife in a pocket on his tactical suit and then indicated for Raisa to stand as well. He switched hands that held the pistol and pointed it between the two men and took Raisa’s hand in his. “We’ll leave you now to make your choice, but if you want a war, I will give you one, and I don’t lose at war.”