I PULL MY SUV up by the curb. Pavel waits for me in his van by the mansion gates. This transaction isn’t operating under the guise of darkness. The Macrillo family has most of Russia on their payroll. No one would dare to double-cross them.
We had a mutual respect for one another when I was top dog. We stayed out of each other’s business because while my specialty was drugs, the Macrillo family dealt in weaponry. We coexisted because we were never a threat or competition to one another.
But now, that respect is no longer.
Pavel reaches out of his window and presses the intercom, announcing our arrival. A moment later, the gates swing open. Nostalgia sweeps over me when the impressive white mansion comes into full view. The manicured grounds are immaculate, a must for any upstanding hous
