Chapter 17
N ash
I looked in my rearview mirror at Kaylani sitting in the backseat.
Bringing her along hadn’t been part of the original plan, but Nathaniel insisted, so here we were, one awkward truck ride later.
Myles hadn’t said a word since we got into the truck.
No matter how much he and Devin hated one another, this was not going to be easy. Sadly, it also made a good test.
“How much further,” Kaylani asked.
“Five tops. When was the last time you saw your brother?”
“Awhile. I prefer not to go home over holidays,” she said, and I figured there was an interesting story behind that comment, but we were closing in on the final turn to the warehouse.
Pulling into the driveway, I drove around back, and there were three black SUVs lined up in a row. Nathaniel Mikhailov stood outside with a dozen guards as he leaned against one of the vehicles.
“Were ya expecting this much firepower,” Myles asked. He shuffled nervously in his seat and grabbed his gun.
“You won’t need that. My brother isn’t the type to go back on his word. The guards go everywhere with him,” Kaylani said as we parked. As soon as we were stopped, she hopped out, and Nathaniel’s face changed with the sight of her. I watched him smile as Kaylani ran to him and hugged him.
“Such a contrast to our families, ya know?” I looked over at Myles.
He stuffed the gun in his jeans before getting out.
I’d never had a sibling, but I was just as happy about it.
I watched Myles do the dance to keep Lip safe and out of his father’s grasp.
I wasn’t sure I could take on a second person’s beatings, and at least this way, I wouldn’t have to make that call.
I waited until Myles had the large bay door open before driving up near Nathaniel. “Whatever one you’re using to take the trash out, you can pull in behind me.” He nodded as I drove into the long open space.
Hopping out, I walked over to Nathaniel and waited for the door to finish rattling into place. “Welcome,” I said and held out my hand.
Nathaniel gripped it tight, his dark eyes as unnerving as the rumors claimed. “I have to say that I’m surprised this deal wasn’t brokered through Lawrence. Any particular reason?”
I’d also taken the time to learn that Nathaniel didn’t get along with his father. Why, was a mystery to me, but it didn’t matter as long as I could develop common ground between us.
I smirked. “Speaking freely, my father is an arrogant asshole, and I prefer to make my own way. I’d like to establish a personal relationship with the Mikhailov family.”
“Do you plan on taking your father’s seat when he retires?” I smiled and let the anger in me shine through my eyes. Nathaniel’s lip curved. “Understood. I think we can establish a long-term agreement that is suitable for both families.”
I let go of his hand. “As I mentioned on the phone, my involvement must be kept out of it, otherwise I’m very interested in creating a prosperous venture for both of us.”
“We can work with that stipulation. I prefer to keep who I do business with quiet.” I walked toward the door that Myles had already unlocked.
The sound of shoes echoing behind me was the only other noise in the building.
“Kaylani, stay out here. Ivan, stay with her,” Nathaniel ordered before we walked through the door to the offices.
“I have to say that I didn’t expect your guest to be housed so close to downtown. ”
“I don’t normally catch and release. Until our friend here, I didn’t need an extended stay situation.”
“You never know when you’re going to need to keep someone as a guest. You should make that a priority, but that’s only a suggestion,” Nathaniel said as we walked into the office area where I was holding Devin.
I’d placed him in a large animal cage like what was used for the circus.
I found it fitting, considering. “Well, isn’t this cozy? ”
Devin was sitting in the corner. His jeans were ripped, and his body was bruised from the beatings I was going to miss giving him. Dried blood covered him, and I’d cut his Achilles tendons so if he did manage to escape, he would need to crawl.
“Hello, friend,” Nathaniel said as he squatted down in front of the cage. “You pissed off the wrong Mikhailov, Devin. I have a couple more animals that I’m looking after, and I think you’re going to fit in just fine. Serial killer, a pedophile and a thief oh my.”
“Fuck off,” Devin growled.
“You haven’t cut out his tongue? I might have to rectify that first,” Nathaniel said and then laughed as Devin pressed his lips together.
“I’m sorry,” Devin said.
“I’m sure you are, but I can promise you that you’ll be more so once I get you to Cali.
Stealing from me was a very bad idea, Devin.
My family is not understanding when it comes to thieves.
We take it personally. Especially when we have already brokered a generous deal with someone whose family doesn’t sit at the table, that is just spitting on the hand that feeds you. ”
“Don’t you mean biting,” Devin asked. I couldn’t see Nathaniel’s face, but I knew he would be smirking.
“No, in this situation, I will be doing the biting, and you will be a slobbering mess when I’m done.” Nathaniel stood and stared down at the man in the cage. “Boys get him ready for transport.”
“No, no, please don’t do this. I’m begging you, please,” Devin cried. “Myles, how can you let them do this to me? I’m family. I’m your brother.”
“Naw, yer not my brother. We just happen to share the same blood, but that dinnie make ye me bro’er,” Myles said, his voice thick with emotion as his accent got stronger.
“I hope they slice ye up wee and feed ya te the great whites, and even then, it’ll ne’er be enough for what you’ve done to me, ya prick. ”
“You’ll pay for this! Da will kill you when he finds out,” Devin screamed at Myles.
Myles turned and looked at me. Long ago, ghosts haunted his eyes. I understood those ghosts as surely as I did my own. “I need a minute,” Myles said. I nodded, and he walked out of the office.
Nathaniel watched him go. “That’s impressive.”
“What is?”
“His resolve. As much as my brothers and I fight, there is no way I’d hand them over to another family like this.
” The yelling started as Nathaniel’s guards unlocked the cage and had wrist and ankle bindings ready to go.
Devin hung onto the bars as he shrieked, but the men pulling on him pried his hands loose and pressed him face down onto the concrete as they secured him.
“Devin has tortured his brother for years. He has done things that can never be undone. Taken things that can never be given back.”
Nathaniel looked at the piece of garbage on the floor. “In that case, I have some very specific tortures in mind.”
“I love the way you think.”
M yles
I managed to keep my shit together until I was at the furthest end of the warehouse.
All the old emotion I’d suppressed for the last five years roared to the surface, and the air clogged my throat, making it impossible to draw a breath.
I bit my fist, trying to hold back the waves of pain threatening to take over as the tears fell.
Leaning against one of the metal support beams in the dark corner, I slowly sat down and placed my elbows on my bent knees. When Devin attacked me, I made the mistake of crying and telling Ma. If it weren’t for me, she would still be alive.
“ G et back here!”
I looked over my shoulder and spotted Devin, but he was far away.
I’d hidden in my special spot until I could make a run for it.
Tears stung my eyes, and my feet pounded against the ground as I raced for the house.
Every part of me hurt, and all I could think about was getting to Ma.
Da would still be out, and I didn’t want him to find out.
Da didn’t like crying, and he would call me names. Men didn’t cry.
Bursting through the door, I ran through the kitchen past the cook making supper, but she didn’t spare me a glance. My chest hurt from the hard run from the far side of the barnyard. My hands shook as I opened one door after the other, but I only found servants, or they were empty.
Racing up the stairs, I heard Devin yell for me as he came into the house, and my body shook. I ran straight for Ma and Da’s room and opened the door to find Ma folding laundry. I ran for her and then hid behind her skirt, holding her leg.
“Myles, what are ya doin’? Yer shakin’ like a leaf,” Ma said and laid her hand on the top of my head.
I could hear Devin on the stairs, and I looked up at Ma and whispered. “He’s gonna kill me. He has a demon in em.” Ma’s face paled.
“Hold very still and be quiet,” she whispered under her breath and then turned to face the open door.
“Where’s the lil shite at?” I wanted to run to the closet, but I could just make out my brother’s shadow in the doorway, so I listened to Ma.
“Watch yer tone wit me,” she growled and placed her hands on her hips. I could hear Devin sigh.
“Sorry,” he said, but I knew he didn’t mean it. He never meant it when he said it. Most of the time, it was the opposite.
“Alright then. Who ya be lookin’ fir? And why are ye all stirred up like a hornet’s nest?”
“Myles. We were playin’ a game, and he ran in the house,” he said. I wanted to call him a liar. What he was doing and what he wanted to do to me was not a game.
“Games are not ta be played in the house, ya know that. Now, I haven’t seen yer bro’er, but if ya don’t get yer dirty boots off me clean floor, I’m gonna take ya by the ear and clip ya,” Ma said, and I bit my lip as I looked down and saw that I still had my dirty boots on too.
“But Ma…”
“Din’t be whinin’ to me. Yer supposed to be doin’ chores before yer Da gets home. Now git, and if ya see Myles, tell him to come see me. He was to help me with chores in the house.”
“But he’s supposed to help me,” Devin said, and I could feel my Ma puff up. She seemed to grow twice as tall.
“Are ya talkin’ back to me?”