“Lake Geneva? Why?” Kelly has pulled away from Evgeny, the police officer worried for her sister taking over.
“They have a house up there on the lake. Samson took it from some guy in a poker game.”
“What’s his end game?”
“Samson’s coming after you, you arrogant son of a bitch.” Tony manages a chuckle. Blood oozes from a corner of his mouth, and he has to spit out. “But that fucking crazy bitch Genevieve can’t have kids, so they’re going to wait until your woman has the kids, then take them and kill her. I told Samson she’s fucking crazy, but man, he’s crazy too. That’s when I left—he’s gone off the fucking deep end.”
“And you told no one?”
I’ve felt anger before, rage that threatened to burn me from the inside out. But I’ve never felt anything like this type of wrath before. It’s a darkness that wraps around me, around my very soul, threatening to destroy everything that’s not vengeance and shadow, fury and death.
I cannot become that soulless person I have seen others become.I have to get Sonya back. I want to be the man I promised her. However, I am stillpakhanof the Volkov Bratva, and I have to make an example. I won’t let this pass.
“Matvei, don’t.” Kelly starts toward me, understanding what I’m planning to do. She holds up one hand in a placating gesture, the other at her hip where her gun is.I don’t feel threatened; I know it’s a knee-jerk reaction. She’s a good cop, a well-trained cop. And I know what it will do to her to witness this.
“Evgeny, take her out of here.”
“What? No. No way.” Kelly starts toward me again, but Evgeny’s hand clamps around her wrist and pulls her back. “I can’t let you do this, Matvei. He told you what you wanted to know, and now we can go.”
There is an edge of desperation to her pleas.
“He also helped orchestrate her kidnapping when he knew exactly what Samson and Genevieve were planning. He’s an accessory to her future murder, and I cannot let that stand.”
“Please, man, listen to what she’s saying,” Tony wheezes. “I’m fucking done with Samson. That guy can have his fucking psycho woman. I’m done. I’m out. For good.”
I ignore Tony. Kelly’s eyes flick back and forth between him and me.
“You’re good at what you do, Kelly. Too good to ruin your career over this. I’m giving you the chance to walk away so you can say you don’t know and have it be the truth. This is what I do, this is my life. Whatever you may think about it, your sister is in danger. And I want to make sure everyone knows what happens when they put my woman in danger.”
Kelly and I stare at each other for a long time, the only sound the passing of a freight train a block over and Tony’s wheezing breath. Finally, Kelly stops straining against Evgeny andallows him to pullher away.She doesn't look back, even when Tony screams after them, begging her to save him.
I wait until I hear a door close in the distance before I look to my brother’s friend out of the corner of my eye. He’s sniffling, snot and tears running down his face, leg still oozing crimson that trails across the floor. Even if I don’t kill him, the blood loss will very soon.
In one swift motion, I bring my gun up, turn, and fire. Tony sags, his body slumping against the bonds still holding him in the chair, dead instantly.
I stare at the still and silent body, at the blood from his leg becoming a trickle that would soon stop altogether.
This is who I am. This is who I will always be, no matter how legitimate my businesses become. This is thepakhan’sway. Hopefully my children won’t have to learn about this life; perhaps they will escape the violence and darkness that has plagued my family for so many generations. I can only hope they will never have to let a part of themselves die, they’ll never know what it is to kill someone and feel almost nothing.
I know very well thatis almost my saving grace. Because whatever happens next might take what little soul I have left. But I would give it all up to save Sonya and our children.
When I join them by the car, Evgeny’s face is stoic as always. Kelly tries—but fails—to look me in the eye, even as she hurries toward me.
“What do we do now?”
“We go after her. Tonight, under the cover of darkness. Take them by surprise.”
Kelly watches me suspiciously, like she expects me to go off at any moment, run like a madman, and storm the proverbial castle, killing everyone in my path.
I stride to the car and stiffly get into the passenger seat, stifling the roar of pain begging to be unleashed.
What she doesn’t know is that inside, I’m screaming.With every fiber of my being, I want to drive there, guns blazing, and take Sonya away from that place.
But I know my brother, and I know it won't be easy. Samson can’t possibly think he’ll be able to keep Sonya hidden without me moving Heaven and Earth to find and rescue her.
We must act fast if we’re going to have any chance of taking Samson and Genevieve by surprise. But we also can’t go in half-cocked and entirely out of our heads with panic—that will only end in failure.
I must overcome. I cannot feel as weak and in pain as I do now.
