3
As Dru rode up the elevator the feeling in her stomach intensified. 'Reel it in Dru,' she told herself, 'it's all good.' She couldn't believe she was actually getting the jitters. 'Nothing to worry about, just drinks with old friends.' As she smiled and flirted politely with Grigori, she started to feel like herself again. Or, more accurately, the person she had to be tonight. The person she used to be. Besides, she had backup. 'Shit.' That thought almost made her jitters return. If Chance pulled a John Wayne tonight, everything she had worked for could get flushed down the toilet. But G had promised her.
"He can be a pain in the ass, but he's not gonna blow this one. I have full faith in you. You can handle him." G wouldn't set her up to fail. So far so good. He looked amazing in the Hartmarx, that was for sure. It wasn't off the rack either, it was custom. Off the rack probably wouldn't have hung right, with those broad shoulders and that wide chest. Looked like he was pretty muscular too….
The elevator opened into the foyer, and Dru could hear the sounds of a party coming from down the hall. She excused herself and Chance from Grigori, and turned to Chance when he was out of earshot.
"Follow my lead, ok? I take it you know how to conduct yourself here?"
Chance chuckled. "Oh ya, I'm fully house trained."
Dru glared at him. "Seriously, this isn't a game."
Chance smiled at her. "Of course it is." He began to head toward the sounds of the party.
"Where do you think…" she started after him. The penthouse was filled with the rich and impeccably dressed. Some faces Dru recognized, some she didn't. She began to work the room, saying her hellos to those she knew. She introduced Chance, and Guerrero provided him intel on the ear bud.
"Christopher Lyons, - Hans De Vries. Hans and I have known each other for years. He owns a property management company in the Netherlands." ('De Vries has a piece of the majority of the brothels in the Redlight District in Amsterdam. City councilors have been trying to indict him on money laundering charges')
"Bayani Ablasa, this is Christopher Lyons, a friend and associate of mine." ('Ablasa runs one of the largest mail order bride services in the Phillipines. Suspected of international human trafficking and ties to the drug trade.')
As she headed towards the back of the room Dru felt a hand on her shoulder. "Drusilla my darling, it's been far too long." Dru turned and found herself face to face with Ivan Ukanov.
In his early 40s, Ivan was darkly handsome and as fit as a man 20yrs his junior. His voice was deep yet melodic with its Russian accent, and when leaned in to kiss her he whispered in her ear. "RAdost' moyA." The kiss fell on what could still be considered her cheek, but was in close proximity to her lips. Ivan placed his hand on her shoulder, and ran it down her arm. "You look fantastic."
"As do you, always. Ivan, let me introduce you to my friend, the one I told you about. This is Christopher Lyons. Christopher, Ivan Ukanov. "
Ukanov turned to Chance and shook his hand graciously. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Lyons."
"Please, call me Christopher."
"Well Christopher, if what Drusilla tells me is correct, I'm sure we can do business together. I like to throw a little get together before entering into a new business venture. It gives everyone a chance to get acquainted. Please, enjoy the party."
Chance seemed completely at ease here, and this put Dru more at ease herself. He regarded Ivan casually. "Thank you, I appreciate your hospitality."
"May I borrow Drusilla for just a moment? It's been quite a while since I've had the pleasure of being in her company."
Chance gestured toward her. "Of course. I'll just get myself a drink." She watched Chance head toward the bar. She turned back to Ivan, and smiled a small but sweet smile.
"How've you been Ivan?"
Ivan moved closer to Dru and caressed the hair lying over her shoulder. "Very well, I must say. And yourself? You have kept yourself quite scarce the past year or so." With Ivan this close her her, Dru felt a mixture of emotions, some old and some new. Most tinged with disgust that this man was so close to her, touching her.
"I've been well. Just busy with other business."
"Is that the only reason?" He looked into her eyes. "I'd hate to think that I was losing you Drusilla. You know how I value your..friendship." Some of her hair was now wrapped around his fingers, and it felt as if his grip was tightening. 'Friendship,' she thought, 'is that what you called it when I was 13?' But outwardly she continued smiling, and raised her hand to his cheek.
"You could never lose me Ivan ,you know that. We will always be friends. I will always be a part of your life." His grip on her hair loosened and his body relaxed.
"I'm sorry my dear. You know how I get sometimes." Yes, she certainly did. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek again. "It's just that I've missed you."
She raised her eyebrows and replied jokingly "Don't let your future bride hear that!"
Ivan laughed and grabbed a two glasses of champagne from a passing tray. "Ah, yes. I was wondering when that would come up." Dru sipped her champagne and her smile turned more mischievous.
"Are you kidding? The illustrious Ivan Ukanov is finally settling down after all of these years? You thought I'd let that one slide?"
Ivan opened his mouth to speak, and then his eyes were drawn back down the marble hallway. A Large door, presumably to the bedroom, had opened, and out walked a young blonde, not a day over 22. She was dressed in a pink Valentino gown, and was practically dripping in platinum and diamonds. She looked more like she was going to the Oscars than a cocktail party. She was absolutely beautiful. Her green eyes scanned the room until she saw Ivan, and she flashed him a million dollar smile. Then she bit the corner of her lip like a child, and gestured him over.
"Ah, there is my princess, and it looks like she needs me." He turned back to Dru. "We will catch up later?" Dru touched his arm lightly.
"Of course. Go tend to your sweetheart." She watched as Ivan walked off, and followed the young woman into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. She looked around for Chance and muttered "Just had a visual on Ashley."
Guerrero passed the word on to Chance, who met Dru back where he had left her. "I saw her. Master bedroom."
Chance had observed the scene between Dru and Ukanov from across the room, while sipping his drink and helping himself to h'orderves from the sideboard. He had smirked inwardly when Ukanov called her "Drusilla," and couldn't wait to make fun of her about it later. Then Ukanov had planted that kiss on her, and all humor had gone out of the window for a moment. Watching that monster kiss her had ignited a spark of anger inside of him, but he wasn't quite sure why. Was it just a protective instinct? She was his makeshift partner after all, and Ukanov was a scumbag by all accounts.
Guerrero hadn't needed to chime in with a profile on Ukanov; Chance had already done his homework. Ukanov was the reason he was here. He was the prince of one of Russia's lower level organized crime families, second in command to his father, Yuri Ukanov. Over the last few years, with Ivan taking over more of the business from his father, the Ukanovs were moving up in the ranks. The family had a presence in Tel Aviv, Berlin, Miami, New York, and many other large cities across the globe, as well as ties to other families in the Czech Republic, New Zealand, and South Africa to name a few. The list had gone on, but Chance had just skimmed it. He got the picture.
The Ukanovs made the their money the way that most of the Bratva do, drug trafficking, murder for hire, prostitution, racketeering, etc. About 30yrs back they had gotten heavy into human trafficking, kidnapping and tricking girls into sexual slavery and moving them around the globe. Chance had detected that theme in the room. Most of the people here had their hand in some sort of prostitution. Ivan had perfected the operation, and most of the family's growth had to do with his ventures in this area.
When Theodore Fairbanks had come to see him about getting his daughter back, Chance had assumed she had been kidnapped and sold into slavery. He hadn't been prepared for what he had heard.
"Ivan Ukanov is engaged to my daughter."
