Caius POV:

My phone rang and I picked it up surprise to see it was Ivan Romanov , leader of the second most powerful Russian Mafia and unfortunately for me , the man who contributed to bringing me into this world.

Ivan Romanov isn't someone you wanted to cross or get on the bad side of. I didn't know the exact story of my father's upbringing or who his parents were but, from what little I managed to overhear , he was raised in a world of violence ,utter brutality and power.

His father, my grandfather was a notorious smuggler and killer and his wife my grandmother, died under mysterious circumstances but, I had a feeling those circumstances may not have been so mysterious. Ivan was thought that survival meant dominance from a young age and being exposed to so much violence , gore and evil eventually dehumanised his mind and him as a person .

Being the charmer that he is, Ivan knew how to lure people to him and how to take control . He wasn't human , at least not mentally, he was a machine , a weapon and he often told the story of how he sized his father's empire at 19 , killing, torturing and manically slaughtering any one who opposed to his ownership or posed any threat to his power, and his father my grandfather was the first person he murdered, stabbing him over 200 times and even drinking half a cup of his blood , for celebration as he stated.

After taking control of his father's empire , Ivan changed it , making it even more powerful and dangerous than it was before. His father only practiced drug trafficking and export but, Ivan took it further adding his brutal , twisted and sadistic touch. He started organ transport and weapons , not just guns but, weapons so dangerous they had to be transported with armed men and watched under 24 hours security surveillance , until they were received by the receipeint.

Was I afraid of my own father? No , after having spent almost all my life at his side and having being heavily involved in the family business, as he so like to call it so as it to make it seemed some form of normal , I have become immune to fear , whether from him or fear in itself.

I held my first gun at 8 years old , my first victims were a 10 year old boy, his 39 year old father and his 29 year old mother , and my father Ivan Romanov, ensured I finished the task . I can still smell the raw, rustic, metallic scent of the blood strong in the air and on my face and clothes, I had been drenched in it and forced to sleep in it too.

"Привет, сын. Давно не виделись, не так ли?"

(Hello, son. It's been a while, hasn't it?")

The tone of his voice,  cold yet mocking as if sensing my disapproval of hearing from him carried through the speaker of the phone, and despite the distance between us , I felt the control he had over me , the power he knew he held and I  knew I can't escape him or it, unless I am dead of course , that caused a small smile , maybe I should try that.

"Недостаточно долго"

(Not long enough) I replied and I could almost see that sly, manipulative smile on his face.

"Что тебе нужно?"

(What do you  want) I asked , deciding the sooner he got to the point of this call, the sooner I could end it.

"Не нужно быть таким резким, сын. В конце концов, прошло два года, не так ли? Отец просто хотел узнать, как дела у своего сына. Это проблема?"

(No need to be so quick son, after all it's been two years has it not? A father just wanted to check in on his son, is that a problem? ) he asked,  his tone mocking.

Chuckling, I decided to play his game so I said , "Ты не человек, склонный к сентиментальности, Романов. Почему бы тебе не перейти к делу?"

(You are not a man for sentimentalities Romanov. Why don't you get to the point? )

"Всегда такой резкий, Кайус. Семейный бизнес скучает по тебе, знаешь ли. Должен сказать, мне довольно одиноко без моего шедевра рядом. Скажи, ты все еще практикуешь свое искусство?"

(Always so curt Caius,  the family business misses you, you know. I must say it's been rather lonely not having my masterpiece by my side . Tell me do you still practice  your art? ) , He asked and I felt the blood froze in my veins,  there it was , the man I knew .

He wasn't calling to check in on me , of course not , he could give zero fucks if I was alive and well . He wanted to provoke me , to get underneath my skin , to test whether I was still that man, the machine he built , to listen only to him and carry out his instructions, to manipulate,to kill and destroy,  a machine that feels nothing, no emotion, completely and utterly his to control.

With clenched teeth I asked,

"И почему это вдруг стало так чертовски важно?"

(And why is that suddenly so fucking important?)

He chuckled on the other end as if he found my anger amusing,

"Просто хотел убедиться, что ты не потерял сноровку, сын. Красный, особенно тёмно-бордовый, всегда был твоим любимым цветом для рисования."

(Just wanted to make sure you haven't lost your touch son. Red especially dark crimson  is your favourite colour when painting.  )

I exhaled slowly deciding not to allow his taunting to get into my head because I knew that that was what he wanted , he wanted me to get angry , to prove to him that he still manages to get some form of emotion out of me .

Instead I said ,"Перейди к делу, Иван. У меня нет времени играть в твои игры."

(get to the point Ivan, I don't have time to play your games . )

"Ты должен быть дома в эту пятницу, Кайус. Твоя сестра Дарья выходит замуж за Михаила Волкова, главу предприятия Волкова, который также владеет и управляет большинством судов, экспортирующих товары из России, а также является владельцем подпольного черного рынка. Мне не нужно напоминать тебе, Кайус, как важно, чтобы мы показали единый фронт, особенно ради Дарьи."

(You are expected home this Friday Caius . Your sister Darya is getting married to Mikhail Volkov, leader of the Valkov enterprise who also owns and operates majority of the ships that exports gooods from Russia as well as the owner of the black market. I don't need to tell you Caius how important it is that we show a united front , especially for Darya .)

Of course this was what it was about, how could I forget my sweet half sister Darya? The princess of the mafia and Ivan's golden child and future heir. Whereas I had to be forced into becoming apart of the Romanov empire and brutality and eventually losing all form of human characteristics,  Darya embraced it .

She loved blood and  pain and got an absolute thrill out of inflicting it and seeing other people suffer , it was like a drug for her . When she was younger she used to request for a child to be  brought to her every year as part of her birthday gift and that child would endure unimaginable hell and utter brutality all throughout the night,the morning ending with them dead covered in scars and a very satisfied Bria smiling with an evil gleam in her icy blue eyes.

She was the public face of the Romanov empire whenever dad isn't available,  attending high society events and mentaining alliances. She plays the role of the dutiful and devoted , sweet daughter but, I know that her true loyalty is to her own ambitions.

I can't say it comes as a shock that she was getting married , after all  despite the black heart she had , if she had any , she was beautiful. One poisonous bloodclaat snake inna grass ,but she  pretty and she have everybody wrap round har likkle finger , everybody except fi me, cause mi si right through har likkle sick duty mind and eh game dem weh she play.

I have no doubt this marriage was just for alliances,  because Darya nuh capable a love , unless yah money or yuh like pain . Mi shoulda pull eh bloodclaat trigger when mi did put eh gun to har head , kill Romanov precious  likkle princess.

I replied,  "Я оставил ту часть своей жизни позади, Романов, и у меня нет никакого интереса участвовать в twisted играх Дарьи или её манипуляциях."

(I have left that part of my life behind Romanov and i have no interest in playing any part of Darya's twisted games or manipulation tactics. )

"Это не был вопрос, Кайус. Я жду тебя дома в эту пятницу. Мне не нужно напоминать тебе, как далеко я готов зайти ради счастья своей дочери, правда?" He stated,  his tone cold and flat , leaving no room for arguments.

(It wasn't a question Caius, i expect you home this Friday. I don't need to remind you just  how far I am willing to go for my daughter's happiness,  do I ?")

Of course , this a exactly weh mi a talk bout, she have him wrap round har finga, willing fi do anything she wah , kill anybody if dem cross har or even suh much as mek eh breeze off a dem touch him princess, and eh worse part bout it , mi cah escape eh nuh matta how far mi guh or how mi try fi tell mi self seh mi nuh as sick inna mi head as eh rest a dem .

"Это последний раз, когда я переступлю порог этого дома, ты понимаешь? Я не позволю..."

(This is the last time i will set foot inside that house , do you understand ? I will not allow....") I started to say but, he cut me off as he said ,

"Ты не принимаешь решения, сын. А теперь у меня есть довольно срочная ситуация, требующая моих навыков и внимания. Пятница, не позже."

(You don't get to make the decisions son, now i have a rather pressing  situation that requires my skills and attention.  Friday, no later than that " .) and with that the line went dead as he ended the call.

Mi fling eh phone inna eh wall and eh bruck up instantly,  pieces  a fly all bout. Mi need wah spliff or mi aguh fuck up sumuh or smaddy. Inside a mi car , as mi start eh engine , mi eye dem land pon har bracelet weh deh inna eh cupholder and mi smile , eh spliff cah wait.