The ride to my parents’ home is silent. I’m thankful for it. Honestly, I hope my mother isn’t awake when we arrive either.
“It will all work out the way it was meant to, Kiska, you know this,” my father murmurs as we drive down the Los Angeles freeways.
I snort. “Yeah, I hope it doesn’t take ten years.” My father flinches, and I know that it’s a low blow, but tonight, right now, I don’t give a fuck.
Once we arrive at my parents’ home, I grab my bag and walk inside. My father doesn’t attempt to stop me, of which I’m grateful. On an even brighter note, nobody else in the house is awake yet. I run to my bedroom and lock the door behind me. Sinking to my ass and burying my face in my hands.
He took me away from my Konny.
I love him so fucking much.
I sob. I cry. And eventually, I wear myself out, curling into a ball on the floor of my childhood bedroom.
“BOSS,” THE BYKI STARTS as soon as I walk through the door of the apartment.
My eyes shift to the sofa, and I only see Zoe sitting in it. She looks pale, her body curled in the corner and her eyes wide on me. Lazar looks about the same. What in the fuck happened here? My heart starts to race inside of my chest. All I can think is that somehow Entin got in here and took my woman.
“What in the fuck happened?” I growl.
The Byki shakes his head before he speaks and when he does, it’s my turn to pale. “Kirill Barshev came in here. I knew who he was on sight. He made it clear he would be taking her. He’s a Pakhan, I couldn’t go against his wishes, especially since he’s her father,” he explains quickly.
“Kirill took her, Kirill, marched in here and took Kiska?” I breathe, unable to fully fathom his words. He only nods.
I watch as Bronislav hurries over to a frightened Zoe and she jerks against his touch. “You’re in the mafia?” she whispers. Bronislav flinches, and I curse. What a goddamn clusterfuck of a night this is.
They begin to whisper to each other but my focus is back on the Byki. “He took her?” I rasp.
“He did,” he nods.
I don’t bother saying anything else. There’s nothing else to say. My woman is gone. Her father swooped in and snatched her up right under my nose. Maybe I should be thankful that she’s all the way across the country and seemingly out of harm’s way. I’m fucking not though. I want her here with me, here where I can touch her and kiss her and see that she is indeed safe and sound.
Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I make a call to Sergei.
“The fuck?” he barks into the line.
“Your fucking son-in-law came to Kiska’s apartment and walked out with her. Took her while I was in a meeting. Took her back to California,” I explain.
“What are you going to do about that? You know it is his right, she’s unmarried,” he states. I growl as my response. “Would you like my opinion, for what it’s worth?” he asks, sounding far too smug.
“Fine. What?” I snap.
He laughs before he speaks. “Take care of this weasely little fuck. Then, get your woman.”
“How? He won’t just hand her over, you of all people know that,” I murmur.
Sergei laughs again before he speaks. As though this shit is all just a hilarious game to him, like my reason for breathing isn’t on the line here. “Petition her father for a contract. You’re who he wanted anyway. So take her.”
“I never wanted…”
“Fuck what you had planned out in your head, Konstantin. Don’t be a little suka. You choose her, do you not?”
“Yes, but…”
“Nyet,” he interrupts again. “You have chosen her and she you. So, go through the traditional channels to get what you both desire. If you cannot swallow whatever that is that is causing you to hold back, your pride or whatever, then you do not deserve her. That little fucking contract is nothing more than a mere piece of paper. Stop being a goddamn cunt.”
Sergei slams the phone down, and I’m left with nothing but dead air.
“He is not wrong,” Bronislav mutters next to me.
“I know,” I admit. “Yakov will be here in just a few minutes to pick Zoe up for the safe house,” I state.
“She’s ready, though she doesn’t have any clothes,” he states.
Lifting my chin, I look over to him. “They’ll have stuff for her, they’re good women with big hearts. She is in good hands.”
Bronislav walks away from me and over to Zoe, no doubt to reassure her that all will be okay. A few minutes later there is a knock on the door. I turn around and watch the Byki open it, allowing Yakov entrance. He looks over to the sofa, then to me, confusion written all over his face.
I shake my head as I close the distance between us, explaining to him that only Zoe will be joining them. I tell him what happened to Kiska, and that Kirill took her back to California because of this turmoil with Akim. Yakov curses and grasps my shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.
“You will get her back,” he nods.
I lift my chin. “I will. Sergei has already told me that I’ll have to petition her father for a contract. I guess at this point I can hope that he’s feeling generous and will allow it.”
Yakov narrows his eyes for a moment before he speaks. “He will. He likes you, Konstantin. He knows you are a good man, and a good Bratva man. He’s not one to make brash decisions. He will listen to you, and he knows Kiska’s heart. If you are who she chooses, then he will take that into consideration. He loves her greatly,” Yakov offers.
I hope that not only does he take her wishes into consideration, but also that I am who she wishes. If she doesn’t choose me after all of this, then I don’t know what I will do. I love her. I have never loved before. Her being across the country from me has my heart ripping in half. I don’t think that I could handle a rejection from her or from her father. She is mine. Meant only for me. The other half of my soul.
A few minutes later, Bronislav and Zoe are standing next to us, she’s got her dance bag on her shoulder, and her big eyes are looking up at me. She looks frightened, but also in awe. “You’ll bring her back?” she asks.
“I will bring her back,” I state.
Zoe nods. “Bron and I are going to be married as soon as this shit is all done with. I expect Kiska at my side. So you really don’t have a choice,” she states before she walks right past me.
“She can be a bit demanding,” Bronislav admits as he follows behind her. I can’t hide my chuckle, and neither can Yakov. They leave me alone with the Byki and Lazar.
“Boss,” Lazar finally mutters.
I hold up my hand. “Do not be upset over this. It was her father, he had every right to take her. Now, you can help in getting rid of her cocksucker fiancé with me though,” I grin.
Lazar breaks out into a huge smile, and he nods enthusiastically. “You do this and do it well, I will talk to Timofei about making you a member,” I state.
Lazar’s eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. I tell the men to meet back here tomorrow at nine in the evening. We have three fucking assholes to kill.
As much as I want to be the one to slit Akim’s throat, I’ve decided that I’ll be killing Viveka instead. She has betrayed me, betrayed my trust and our friendship. I should be the one to end her life. I will not take joy in killing her, and yet, I know that it must be done and I will not feel guilty about it either.
My eyes open and I immediately close them again. They are dry and achy from my crying jag, plus I can already tell they’re extra puffy. There’s a soft knock on my door, and I let out an exhale as I stand from my place on the floor. My body aches from sleeping on the hard floor, but nothing aches quite like my heart. I feel like a country song gone wrong.
My heart races thinking about the people that I’ve let down at my school. The holes on stage at my absence, it makes me sick. I know, without a doubt, that I won’t be allowed back. I’ve completely abandoned my teammates. I’m sure that there will be no excuse
great enough that I could come up with to make things right. My heart aches at the thought. My dreams shattered, and all of my hard work for nothing.
I try not to let everything consume me. Just because my dreams of love, and dancing, are over, doesn’t mean my life is over… right?
Wrapping my hand around the knob, I pull my door open. I expect to see my mother standing on the other side, but I’m surprised with Haleigh instead. “Can I come in?” her soft voice requests.
Nodding, I stand to the side and allow her to pass by me. I close the door behind her and press my back against it, my eyes focused on her as she sits on the edge of my bed. “Your parents love you,” she murmurs.
“I know they do,” I admit.
It is a fact that they love me, and I would go as far to say that they truly adore me, even throughout my teenage years. I haven’t always been the most pleasant person. Although living on my own and falling in love with a man has changed me, right now I still feel very much like a child.
Haleigh nods. “Kirill wishes only to keep you safe,” she says. I nod, agreeing with her again. “Maxim has expressed his disagreement for your match with Akim from the start. It is something they have butted heads about quite often.”
My mouth opens slightly in surprise at her words. “Maxim thinks he went ahead with it, hoping that Konstantin would decide to accept the proposition as his first choice for you. When he didn’t, your father had already started dealings with the Entin’s. Akim comes from a good family, his father is a respected Pakhan.”
“He could come from the best man in the entire universe, but Akim is vile,” I state, repeating the words I told my father.
Haleigh nods. “Yes, well your father has discovered as much. Which is why you’re here and not in New York.”
“Konstantin would keep me safe,” I whisper.
Haleigh reaches out, and I slip my hand in hers. She gives me a reassuring squeeze. “It will work out, Kiska. I believe that it will.”
I nod and watch as she stands. She envelopes me in a gentle hug before she walks away and slips out of my room. Her words are so close to my father’s that I wonder if all of this is just some huge mind-fuck. I decide to take a long shower. I need to get the stink of my performance and travel off of me.
Then, I need to have a serious conversation with my father. He’s not acting himself, the decisions he’s making don’t feel like him. There has to be something larger at work here, and I can be patient and accepting if I know what it is that’s coming. What I can’t do is sit around in turmoil, wondering and waiting for something terrible to happen to me.
Once I’m completely showered and dressed I make my way out of my bedroom. I need food. I can’t remember the last time I ate. The house is loud, and I can’t deny that I missed this. I can hear my little sister and brother arguing over the television, and my mother’s raised voice as she tells them to stop.
I slip past them, not wishing to deal with them quite yet, but wanting a few minutes alone with my mom. She’s standing in the kitchen, her blonde hair in a thick ponytail and wearing tight jeans with a tank top. She’s still as gorgeous as she was when I was a kid. It’s as though she hasn’t aged a day, like time has stood still for her.
“Do you hate me, then?” she asks as she turns to face me.
I shrug. “No, I don’t hate you,” I whisper.
Her eyes fill with tears and she rushes toward me, wrapping me up in a hug. “You’re too skinny,” she whispers in my ear. I watch as she backs away from me and wipes her eyes.
“I love him,” I whisper back to her, my own eyes filling with tears. I’ve cried enough tears to last me a lifetime, and I’m so done with them at this point.
My mom nods. “How does he feel about you?” she asks.
My mother is strong, she’s capable, but she is going to need all of the information before she offers even an ounce of advice. It’s the way she’s always been with me.
“He said he loves me. That he would figure out a way to get the contract voided. That I am his, that he’s chosen me as his own, that I belong to him. That he is not deserving of me,” I admit.
My mom lifts her chin, and I notice that it’s wobbling. “Then since you are his, you belong to him, don’t you?” she asks. I smile as my answer, instead of verbally saying anything. “We’ll wait, Kiska girl. We’ll wait for this drama with Akim to play out and if it’s meant to be. If you are truly his, then it will happen.”
I want to believe her. I truly do. But today, I’m hesitant. I don’t say that to her though. Instead, I ask her for something to eat and then go into the living room to see my sister and brother. I spend the afternoon with them and my mother. I decide not to dwell on my anger with my father.
However, I wish that I had my phone so that I could call Konstantin and check on him. I wish that I could contact Zoe too, at least to apologize for the way I told her who her Bronislav really is.
I FEEL LIKE I’M spiraling out of control. I haven’t seen Kiska in almost twenty-four hours. At least when I pushed her away for those two weeks, I knew where she was and I saw glimpses of her here and there. This time, she’s across the country, and I have no clue how she is. Her father hasn’t once answered my calls, and when I call her cell, it goes straight to voicemail.
“You need to get your head in this shit,” Bronislav warns. I shake myself out of my daze and lift my chin in agreement. I do need to get my head in this game.
Yakov signals to me as we walk into the building together. Dominik and Timofei are with one of Tim’s snipers across the street. They’ve broken into the apartment complex and are waiting there, just in case shit goes down.
We ride the elevator in silence, thankful that we don’t have to worry about cameras or any other kind of forensic evidence since this building is already Bratva owned and occupied. It’s going to make cleanup a fucking dream. Entin really is a dumbfuck.
Once we arrive at the apartment door, I take my knife out of its sheath. Bronislav lifts his gun with attached silencer, and Yakov shows his knife as well.
Lazar and the Byki from earlier are outside of the apartment entrance, just in case. We let out a collective breath before Yakov unlocks the door. It’s dark and quiet inside of which I’m grateful. I didn’t really want to see Entin being fucked by his boytoy again.
Without making a noise, we make our way to the bedroom. They’re all three in bed. Viveka is turned with her back to Akim. He’s spooning her, and Josef is spooning him. Yakov walks over to Josef at the same time I make my way to Viveka. Bronislav stands at the side where their feet are, reaching over their bodies and points his gun at Entin’s head.
We all look at each other and nod once. My eyes connect to Yakov’s and he nods as his knife heads toward Josef’s neck. I wrap my hand in Viveka’s hair and lift her head. Her eyes pop open, widening before she opens her mouth. I slide my blade across her neck and watch the blood pour out at the same time there is a pop from Bron’s gun.
They’re dead.
The three of them are gone, laying in a pool of blood.
“Find their phones and electronic devices,” Yakov instructs as he pulls his own phone out of his pocket. He flips on the light to the bedroom, and I hear him tell Dominik and Timofei that it’s done.
Everything sounds like white noise as I stare at Viveka’s bloodied lifeless body. She’s naked, her eyes wide and her mouth open in surprise. She never expected me, she never anticipated or could even fathom that I would end her life—I’m sure.
“You okay?” Timofei asks as his hand wraps around my shoulder.
My body jerks in surprise. I hadn’t heard him come into the apartment. “Yeah,” I lie.
Nobody says anything as we go about finding their electronics. Bronislav hands me Viveka’s phone and without a word I unlock it. I don’t want to look at anything on there, so I just hand it back over to him.
We spend the next hour combing through their shit. Akim fucking bluffed as far as we can tell. It�
�s still possible that he hired some rogue people or used his father’s men, but until we talk to his father, we won’t know for sure.
“I’m calling Akim’s father right now,” Yakov grunts.
He puts his call on speakerphone, and the ring fills the air. I can’t help but stare at the open bedroom door knowing that Viveka lay there dead. I shouldn’t feel guilty about murdering her. She betrayed me and threatened Kiska.
It doesn’t stop my heart from aching at the fact that I killed her, the girl I vowed to protect as a young boy. The girl who had probably lived more nightmares than I could fathom. Maybe now she’s at peace though—hopefully anyway.
“There had better be a good reason you’re calling me at this hour,” Akim’s father growls into the phone.
Yakov clears his throat before he introduces himself. “Do you know if your son brought any of his or your crew, with him to New York?” he asks.
“New York? He’s not in New York. He’s in Vegas.”
All of us look from one another to the next in surprise. “I’m sorry, Artur, he is not. He came to the city, to see Kiska dance,” Yakov half lies.
Artur makes a noise in the back of his throat before he speaks. “My son, what’s happened to him?”
“Did you know he had plans to overthrow you?” Yakov asks, avoiding Artur’s question.
“I did. My men are loyal, no matter how much sway Akim thinks he has, he doesn’t have all that much in the end,” he explains. “I thought by contracting him to the Baryshev girl, he would have something else to focus on and stop plotting. What’s happened?”
“Did he bring people with him on this trip, Artur?” Yakov asks again, a little firmer this time.
Artur clears his throat. “Nyet, he did not. He went with his friend Josef, nobody else.”
“Akim came here and demanded we give him guns. His plans were to take over your organization with them, he was amassing a small army, or so he thought. He also planned to take Kiska with him. He wanted to marry her immediately instead of upholding the three-year contract. He claimed he had snipers, not only on my wife and children, on Dominik’s, and Timofei’s as well.”
Chosen by the Badman (Russian Bratva Book 9) Page 18