Don't Touch

-10-

"Shit!" Sean barked, punching the wall. "Those goddamn Russians are coming for our seats right around the transition. They're going to try to make us look weak early on."

Syd and Sean went back to his penthouse to discuss the news they received from Luca and Emiliano. Despite efforts from the Ivanov family, business in the Davidsons' region was doing great, but not without facing more difficulties.

"So, we just make sure business stays strong, right?" Syd asked, trying to hide the nerves in her voice. "Oh shit. Are they gonna try to kill us?"

"We're going to need to get more involved. The Rossis are good at keeping things in order, but showing our faces more often would help remind everyone that we're present and watching. Boost morale and shit and hopefully keep the Russians from pressing their influence too much. And no, we don't have to worry about them trying to kill us. At least not for now. It'd fuck up their plan."

"What do you mean?"

"If you kill a Council member and gets tracked back to you, your immediate family is dead and your extended family are pushed to the bottom of the hierarchy. If we die, the Rossis would be most likely take our two seats since they know our business best. But, what the Ivanovs are trying to do is prove that both our family and the Rossis are too weak to the run things and completely overhaul our region so that they can take over. It'd give them a better chance since they're the third strongest in our region."

"So... Couldn't they just try to kill us and the Rossi and pull some KGB shit to make it look like it wasn't them?"

"Nah, not that easy. For one, the Council has unlimited resources and even with whatever connects or history they have with spying shit, they'd probably still get caught. And on two, those seats have always been the Davidsons seats. We have respect and name recognition. If someone takes it because we died before making us look weak enough, they would never have absolute power the way we do. Respect and notoriety are a lot more valuable than money."

"Damn..." Syd muttered, putting her finger to her chin.

"Yeah, considering our business, when the Council was formed, they figured people would just try to kill for power, so they complicated the fuck outta the process."

"What will I have to -" Syd's phone went off, interrupting her question.

"Hey, Lali. What's up?"

"Don't answer all casually like that! You're the maid-of-honor and this is my bachelorette trip and you've been MIA half the time!" Lali shouted from the other side of the phone.

"I'm sorry, girl, I really am," Syd said gently. She felt bad that what was supposed to be a few days of celebration turn into her tending to business and disappearing from her friends.

"I know you get busy with work, but I was really looking forward to this trip being uninterrupted."

Syd groaned, hearing the pout in Lali's voice. "I know, I know. We still have two more days and I promise you that after today, I'll be with y'all the whole time. Y'all gon be sick of me." She laughed.

"Girl, never! And imma hold you to it. You said you'd be done with your work today around 5, right?"

"Yes, girl. I promise."

"I'll see you then. Love you."

"Love you too, girl."

"Awwww," Sean sneered. "You don't even tell me you love me and we're siblings!"

"Whatever, are we almost done here?"

Sean looked at Syd hesitantly before he picked up his phone and began typing. "You know what?How about you go back with your friends. We can finish this up when we're back in New York."