20. Natasha
20
NATASHA
K eeping my head down, I pretend to focus on the eggs I’m picking at as I wait for the messenger to finish murmuring to my father. From the corner of my eye, I can tell whatever news he’s receiving is unexpected, and I wait with bated breath as I wonder if it’s what I already know.
The messenger leaves with a polite nod to my mother, then Tatiana and me.
And the sinister grin that stretches across my father’s lips sends a trickle of fear into my stomach. I shouldn’t be worried, but I suspect he just received news about Killian’s conflict with the yakuza. And if he’s looking that happy, it means something bad must have happened to our Irish enemies.
“What is it, Papa?” Tatiana asks as we’re left alone to our meal.
“It would seem the Kings had a deal with Saturo Takumi and it came back to bite them last night.”
“What happened?” I ask, my voice sounding breathier than I would like.
Tatiana casts me a quick, questioning glance before turning her attention back to my father as we wait for his answer.
“From the sound of it, his men managed to survive the attack, and Killian killed all but one of Saturo’s men—brutally, I might add. He sent the last back to the yakuza with the Kings’ typical barbaric warnings, and of course, Saturo made the messenger perform seppuku for not killing the Irishman or dying honorably with the other men.”
My heart stutters as I picture the scene—Killian dismembering and killing the men who betrayed him. I’ve heard about his brutality, which makes me question why he would have spared my father’s men when he’s clearly still capable of such violence.
A bead of sweat trickles down the back of my neck thinking of my father’s good, loyal men who came back with a few ugly bumps and bruises, and regardless of Killian’s motivation, I’m grateful.
And despite myself, I’m also more than a little relieved to hear that Killian survived the trouble he left so abruptly to deal with last night. Of course, that’s only so I have the pleasure of killing him myself…
“No surprise there,” Tatiana observes dryly. “It’s a wonder Saturo still has men to spare when he’s as likely to sacrifice them or make them commit suicide as he is to spare them.”
Our father snorts his amusement, and my mother’s lips curl in silent appreciation of my sister’s observation. She’s not wrong. But while our Bratva is the most notorious family in New York and Killian’s might be the most ruthless, Saturo’s numbers are nothing to balk at. He’s right up there with Lucian Agosti when it comes to the size of his army—which makes him formidable in a different sense, even if he is wasteful of his men’s lives.
I’m tempted to bring up my thoughts on Killian and the different way he handled my father’s men compared to Saturo’s. But after witnessing my father’s outburst about Killian’s marriage proposal, I don’t dare.
Tatiana’s always been the level-headed one. The tactician. And she doesn’t mind indulging my curiosity.
So when she excuses herself to get ready for a meeting, I do as well. And I fall into step beside her as we head toward the stairs.
“What’s up?” she asks, glancing at me from the corner of her eye.
“Does something have to be up for me to leave breakfast with my sister?” I joke, but she knows me too well. I’m not fooling anyone.
And when Tatiana turns to quirk a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me, I give a sheepish smile.
“I guess…I was just thinking…I mean, tactically, I realize that brutality can be a necessity in our line of work, but Father has always seemed to walk the line between respect and fear without massacring large groups of men. So, I was hoping you might give me some insight into the Kings’ strategy. Why massacre Saturo’s men—and why not ours when they were taken prisoner earlier in the same day?”
My sister considers me thoughtfully and loops her arm through mine as she resumes her trek toward her bedroom. “I mean, you’re right about the necessity of violence. I’m sure our family did the same in our rise to power, but we’ve been established for generations, whereas Killian’s father was the first King to really make a name for himself. We’ve just held our empire for so long—and the respect inherent with it—that we haven’t had to make such a gruesome display in a long time. But that doesn’t mean we would be any less capable when the need arises. It’s part of the job title.”
“Right,” I agree, but it doesn’t stop the flutter in my chest when I think about how Killian spared the Sokolov men.
“We both get the job done, only Killian uses a hammer and you’re our scalpel.” Tatiana flashes me a sidelong grin, and I can’t help but return it.
I like the way she puts it. And I suppose, logically speaking, if Killian didn’t have someone like me to get rid of the problem before it got out of hand, his best defense would be a reputation that would deter people from taking advantage of him. I know our family steered clear of him for a long time because of how bloody the confrontations with the Irish mafia were known to become.
So again, why didn’t Killian go after my father’s men? He had them right there, in his clutches. They were sent to destroy one of Killian’s well-known pubs. And in the back of my mind, a reluctant part of me can’t help but ask why I seem to care so much. I’m trying to decipher the logic of a madman, a bloodthirsty barbarian who’s known for being hotblooded and quick to escalate.
As if hearing the thoughts I can’t help but persevere on, Tatiana tilts her head. “If I had to venture a guess about the logic behind Killian’s tactics with us, I would say they’re probably different because he’s hoping to win our territory through an alliance.”
That would make sense. Demonstrate mercy to indicate he’s willing to negotiate.
“It’s the same reason he’s been taunting Papa without actually instigating a violent conflict. Killian knows if he’s merciless, it will trigger a war he’s not prepared to fight, so instead, he’s nipping at our heels, hoping Papa will concede. Prove enough of a nuisance, and he might earn one of us as his bride just so Father can get the Irish off his back…It’s not the worst strategy. At least, that’s what I would do in his situation. It’s certainly more effective than any of the other moves men have made. And his renewed offer of marriage would back that up.”
My stomach sinks as Tatiana reminds me of the fact that this is all just one big strategy.
Killian’s playing a game of chess here, moves and countermoves so he can win the board.
And it makes me wonder if Killian’s deal with me might not have some underlying motive as well—if he’s using me like a pawn in the hopes that he can manipulate our family in a larger way than I initially realized.
I find the thought surprisingly hurtful.
Maybe it’s just my pride, but I resent the fact that Killian’s flattery—his use of pet names and his seemingly insatiable drive to not just claim me but please me—might not be sincere.
Tatiana stops as we reach the door to her room, and she turns to look at me.
“You okay?” she asks, studying me carefully with her knowing blue gaze.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I murmur, though I feel as if someone is twisting my stomach into knots.
My sister quirks an eyebrow skeptically, but when I flash her a fake smile and turn to head to my room, she doesn’t stop me.
As soon as I’m inside, I close the door. And now that I’m alone, I can truly absorb the meaning of my sister’s words. Somewhere along the way, I seem to have lost sight of the bigger picture. While I keep failing to kill my target, when I’m dragging my toes and succumbing to my desire for Killian, he’s more than likely using me to gain an advantage.
I bet he made the deal he did with me because he knew he could get under my skin. Try as I might to deny it, I’m not entirely impervious to his charms. And sparing my father’s men isn’t proof that he has sympathy for my family because he has feelings for me. He did it to further his goals.
I’ll show him for thinking he can use me.