Riot
Page 27
Inessa came in for a kiss. I placed my hand on the side of her neck. The kiss was deep and long. When she broke away, she said, “Remember in the cell, when I came to see you before Master found us, we wished for many things?”
I nodded my head. I hated being reminded of those times.
“Do you remember we wished to walk together outside the pit? To finally choose to be together?”
“Yes,” I said, and brought her hand to my mouth to kiss.
“Do you remember what else we said?”
I shook my head, but then said, “That we would have a family. That we would one day have a family, by choice.”
Inessa nodded slowly, then watched me as she grew silent. I searched her eyes, wondering what she wanted me to know, when my heart stuttered in excitement. I glanced down to Inessa’s stomach under her pink summer dress, then looked back into her eyes.
I opened my mouth and quietly whispered, “Inessa?”
Inessa’s eyes filled with tears and she laughed as my mouth gaped farther still. “Yes,” she replied, answering my unspoken question. She pressed her hand on her stomach. “You’re going to be a papa.”
Pure joy sailed through me. Reaching forward, I pulled Inessa into my arms, then leaned back. “I’m going to be a papa?” I half exclaimed, half asked. The wish we had wanted for ourselves was surprisingly hard to digest.
Inessa threw back her head and laughed. She was at her most beautiful when she laughed. “Yes!” she said louder, seizing the attention of everyone in the yard.
Valentin walked over first, leaving Zoya cradling a sleeping Alexei in her arms. “What?” he asked.
I looked to Inessa, and she nodded, giving me permission. Looking to my brother-in-law and best friend, I said, “I’m going to be a papa.”
Valentin’s eyes widened and a smile broke out on his face. “Nessa,” he said happily. Inessa jumped to her feet and wrapped her arms around her brother’s waist.
Zoya gave me a one-armed hug. “Get ready to join the no-sleep club,” she teased.
“I’m ready,” I replied. “I’ve been ready for a while.”
Luka and Kisa came next, followed by Zaal and Talia. Kirill, Ivan, and Vera came, too. Pushing through the crowd last was Maya. She targeted her best friend and ran into her arms. Maxim, her male, one of the young fighters who chose to move to New York, stood back and watched on with pride.
“Inessa,” Maya said quietly, “I am so happy for you.” Inessa leaned forward and kissed Maya’s previously scarred skin. Over the past few years, the Volkovs had paid for Maya to have reconstructive surgery. Although all the damage couldn’t be reversed, it was almost as it had been before. It had given her the confidence to live again. And fall in love. Maxim was one of forty-three males who chose to join our ranks. Due to our high numbers of highly trained warriors, our Bratva and Kostava Clan were unstoppable.
Maxim was young too, still only twenty himself. But he was a worthy male. And he adored Maya. He knew that Maya was a sister to my Inessa. And he also knew the consequences from all of us if he ever hurt her. He wouldn’t, though. I could see they were forever by the look in his eyes.
When the congratulations had died down, I saw Kirill tap Luka on the back. Luka took a deep breath and nodded. I was about to question what was happening, when Kirill tapped the side of his champagne glass with a fork.
We all turned to watch the Pakhan as he stood before us, Luka by his side. Ivan joined him. I frowned. I looked to Kisa and saw her subtly wipe a stray tear from the corner of her eye.
She was tearful in happiness. In pride.
“Seeing that we are already celebrating, I think it’s about time that we add another reason to be merry.” Zaal and Valentin walked beside me and we shrugged at one another, all three with no idea what was going on.
Kirill placed his hand on Luka’s shoulder. “I am getting old. And I have held the Pakhan position in our great brotherhood for too many years.” Kirill became somber. “I always thought this day would involve my son, Rodian. But, well, that dream never transpired as it should have.” Kirill nodded to his daughter. “I should have had my wife by my side too, but life didn’t work out that way for me, either.” Turning to Luka, he said, “When you were taken as a child, I gave up believing that we would have a strong leader.”
Ivan nodded in agreement. Kirill edged closer to Luka and placed a hand upon his cheek. “But then you came back. You came back changed, but stronger. You had so much to overcome when you returned that I worried you would never be the boy we all once knew. But you proved us all wrong. Instead, you developed. You became better. You rose with pride and honor. You became the best knayz there ever was.”
Kirill took in a breath, then addressed all of us. “You brought three males back from their personal hells. You did the impossible and united rival families who, in the past, wouldn’t have hesitated to kill each other in cold blood.” I saw Talia rest her head on Zaal’s shoulder in response.
Kirill met each of our eyes. “One week ago I decided to officially step down as Pakhan.” He put his arm around Luka’s broad shoulders and announced, “And I have appointed Luka as my replacement.” Kirill turned to Luka and said, “In the past few years, you have listened and grown as a Bratva brother. But more than that, you have become a better leader than I ever was. You have built this family to be an impenetrable force. You have doubled our income and you have made us great once again.”
Kirill took the Volkov Bratva ring from his finger and placed it in Luka’s palm. Luka swallowed as he lifted the ring and slid it on the third finger of his right hand.
He stared down at the ring for several seconds before raising his head. “Thank you,” he said to Kirill, his voice chock-full of emotion. He next turned to his father, who brought him into his chest.
I couldn’t keep the smile from my face as I watched him accept the honor he so richly deserved. As one, we all readied to congratulate him. Suddenly, Kirill held out his hand. Looking back to Luka, he said, “For decades the Pakhan has ruled with others. It makes his decision making easier. It makes him strong.” Kirill paused and issued an invitation, “Luka, if you will, please choose your Red Kings.”
My heart kicked into a sprint as Luka’s eyes fell on Zaal, Valentin, and myself. The four of us over the three few years had done everything together. We helped guide Luka and enforce rules. Valentin and I were Russians loyal to the Bratva. Zaal was Lideri, partnered with us Russians.
Stepping forward, Luka took a deep breath and said, “I won’t delay my choice. There is no choice. I have three brothers, males I would trust with my life … and my family’s life.” He pointed to Zaal. “Zaal, I know you lead your own people, but my circle would not be complete without you by my side.”
Zaal walked forward and shook Luka’s hand. “I am honored, brother,” he replied.
Luka then looked to Valentin. “Valentin, you are the fiercest solider I have ever known. But equally fierce as your strength and skill is your loyalty. It would be my honor to have you as a fellow Red King.”
Valentin didn’t hesitate. He walked straight to Luka and wrapped him in his arms. He silently stood beside Luka. I looked to Talia and Zoya. They were beaming with pride.
“Finally,” Luka said, focusing on me, “Ilya. Over the past three years you have proved yourself to be one of the strongest and most resilient males I have ever encountered. You have led the males from the pit in their new lives. You are respected and loved by everyone you meet. I would be honored if you would take the final position by my side.”
I blinked, unable to cope with all the events of today. Inessa laid her hand on my back to lift me from my shock. She smiled at me with such pride that I felt ten feet tall. I forced my feet to join Luka, Zaal, and Valentin. Luka hugged me and then looked at us all. He didn’t need words. We all knew why we were here.
The four of us had survived circumstances where most males would have fallen. We had forged new lives with our females by our side
s.
We had survived,
We had risen.
And we would never fall again.
LUKA
As evening fell, I stood from our place by the fireplace and signaled to my kings to follow. As I moved to walk into my office, Kisa’s hand threaded through mine. I leaned down to kiss her on her head, then our sleeping son in her arms.
She was proud of me. I could see it in her eyes.
I walked passed Kirill and my father; both nodded at me, signaling their approval. I crossed the hallway to my office and opened the door. I heard my brothers falling into step behind me. I hovered at the door, staring at the seat behind the mahogany desk.
“Go,” Zaal urged. “You have earned it.”
Taking a deep breath, I walked slowly to the leather chair, then pulled it out and sat down. I savored every second of this feeling. Zaal, Valentin, and Ilya sat before me, all beaming with pride.
“How does it feel?” Zaal asked.
I sighed. “Right. It feels … right.”
Pulling my chair farther under the desk, I laid my arms on the desktop and asked, “So, brothers … any new business?”
As Ilya began to brief me about a dispute with the Italians, I let my birthright find peace in my heart. This was the role I was born to fulfill. This moment is what I was destined to grasp. I had the strongest crime organization in the world. I had my brothers by my side and my perfect wife in my arms.
For now, we were safe, secure in our roles. We had all moved on from our pasts. But I knew, if the time ever came, that we four would call upon the savages we were raised and trained to be, the monsters we held at bay deep inside.
If anyone ever decided to fuck with us again, then as one:
We would maim.
We would slaughter.
We would kill.
Together, we would fucking raze hell.
ALSO BY TILLIE COLE
Scarred Souls: Raze and Reap
Ravage
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tillie Cole is a USA Today bestselling author of both Dark Romance and New Adult Romance novels. Born and raised in the North East of England, Tillie now resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Prologue: 901
1: 152
2: 152
3: LUKA
4: 901
5: 152
6: 901
7: 152
8: LUKA
9: 901
10: 152
11: LUKA
12: 901
13: 152
14: ILYA
15: LUKA
16: INESSA
Epilogue: ILYA
Also by Tillie Cole
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
RIOT. Copyright © 2017 by Tillie Cole. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Kerri Resnick
Cover photograph © Hayri Er / Getty Images
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-08628-0 (trade paperback)
ISBN 978-1-250-08627-3 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781250086273
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First Edition: March 2017