Dirty Passions An Interracial Russian Mafia Romance (The Lion and The Mouse #5) - Kenya Wright Page 0,78

did a lot.

When I first bought the properties, both four story buildings had been a dilapidated mess. Graffiti had covered all sides of the properties. And it wasn’t lovely murals. They were gang tags and jutting colorful penises with curse words coming out the tips. Boris explained that the landlord had ceased with investing in any form of renovations. They were cracked brick and far lower to the ground than the other buildings on the block. They had rusty, mossy roofs and when it rained the gutters overflowed. Therefore, no one dared rent out an apartment. Rats, roaches, and homeless drug addicts served as tenants.

Now the buildings were scrubbed clean and back in service. The surrounding fence was now repaired. There were no more cracked or broken windows and the ledges had been painted. A massive mural decorated the front of the building along with small flower gardens near the entrances.

Holy shit. They did all of this in a month?

I couldn’t wait to get out of the car and get a better view of the art.

My driver left the front of the limo and opened the door.

I scooted out.

Max came out next.

Boris arrived, hurrying from one of the vans. “Here we go.”

With a closer view, I studied the mural. A huge white wolf stared back at us and hovered over a small city. A black mouse sat on top of its head.

Boris wiped beads of sweat off his forehead. “What do you think?”

“I’m impressed so far. When I bought these buildings. . .I was sure it would take you all a year to get it back in order. The windows were cracked, prostitutes stood outside, and graffiti was all over the place.”

“And. . .” He pointed to the mural. “What do you think about that?”

“I love the mural. The white wolf is enchanting. What is it about?”

“It’s a famous Tatar legend called, Ak Bure.”

“Tatar.” Max nodded. “What ethnicity is that by the way? I was just telling Em about some Tatar strippers.”

Boris frowned. “The Tatars are a Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Tatarstan, Russia. They speak Tatar, a Kipchak Turkic language. They’re usually Muslim.”

“Are there a lot of Tatars in this district?” I asked.

Boris nodded. “And they’re not all strippers, Max.”

“Hey, man. I didn’t say all that.”

I looked back at the mural. “Tell me more about the mural.”

“In Tatar mythology, Ak Bure is a symbol of unity, nature, and protection. The white wolf protects the town and is the host of the forest. Everyone who shatters the calm of the forest and makes caustic remarks will be punished. The wolf sings about the unity, truth, and love for nature.”

Max pointed to the white wolf’s head. “And he hangs out with a mouse?”

Boris smiled. “No. The mouse was added due to Emily. I guess the artist saw her as the protector of this district too.”

“Wow.” A little uncomfortable, I ran my fingers through my hair. “That’s an amazing tribute. I don’t know, if I’m the protector. Do you know the artist? I want to tell him or her thank you.”

Boris nodded. “I’ll make it happen.”

“Alright we have a lot to get to. Let’s check out the place.” Max gestured to the entrance.

Boris led the way. “My mother is still overseeing the construction, but for now both buildings together house seventy-five homeless people every night.”

“That’s pretty damn good. When will there be more?”

“By the end of the month, it will house a hundred and fifty. The problem is the cots and manpower with clearing out more spaces.”

I made a note to give them more money, but only after all the craziness was done.

Max looked around. “This is dope, Em. I wish we could’ve done something like this in Harlem.”

“One day, we will.”

Boris took us down the hallway. “The kitchen is in the back. In the morning, they eat and then have to head back to the streets. After that, my sister manages a small staff that stacks the cots, wash the bedding, and cleans the bathrooms and floors.”

“God, this is so much work.” I shook my head in disbelief. “I have to thank them for doing this. Not everyone could commit their lives to this project.”

The smell of food filled the air.

People stood in a long line up ahead.

“My mother and sister have blown me away. I didn’t realize how passionate they were about helping people.” Boris beamed with pride. “After breakfast, the cleanup is completed, and the next kitchen staff comes on. Every day soup is served for lunch. Dinner