Chapter 28 #2
“We’re not alone,” she whispered, taking a deep breath.
There was no indication Mikhail had arrived.
Until he was there, appearing out of the shadows.
“Hello, brother.” Mikhail’s voice held the strain of someone who only understood hatred. I knew that because I recognized my own voice in his.
Both Saige and I turned our heads, studying him without breaking the embrace. Of course he had a weapon pointed in our direction.
“Mikhail. We were expecting you.” I kept my voice even. There was no reason to panic.
“You were? Such a smart man. I’m sure you do everything Kazimir tells you to do like a good little boy.”
I pulled away from Saige, reminding her with my eyes to be cautious. Not only did she have a gun inside her purse but also a knife strapped to her leg. And I had no doubt she would use one or both if necessary.
But I refused to put her in that position.
“You know, brother,” I emphasized. “You were always your father’s son. I wasn’t.”
“Woe is me, brother.” His laugh was full of self-pity laced with rage.
Just like mine had been for so long.
“Everyone believed I’d been responsible for imprisoning Kazimir because of my hatred. And I did hate, but not my own brothers. Just the man who sired me.”
“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you because I don’t.” As anticipated, he moved closer to Saige.
I’d yet to raise my weapon, instead unbuttoning my jacket and sliding my hands into my trouser pockets. Keeping him off guard was the key.
“Your brother cared for you when you were sick, but you didn’t give a shit.”
When Mikhail stopped, Saige seized the opportunity.
“He loves you very much, Mikhail. You’re his family. You’re his brother. You’re Stash’s brother and nothing can change that.”
The cracks were getting wider. He lifted his arm so the barrel was directed toward her face. “Shut up. You’re nothing but his whore. Maybe I’ll make him watch while I show you what it’s like to be with a true man.”
While I knew to keep my calm no matter what he said, my reaction was based on how much I cared about her. In two seconds, I had the weapon pointed at his head and had taken three long strides toward him.
“Back away, Mikhail.”
“Stash,” she whispered. “Don’t you see he’s hurting? Mikhail wishes he could take everything back and be a part of the family again. Right? Don’t you want to see your niece and nephew? They are so adorable.”
“I’ll be happy to allow you to meet them, Miska,” Kazimir said from behind.
As planned, the Pakhan walked closer with Kirill, Dimitri, and several soldiers moving through the doors and standing in a semicircle.
Mikhail turned slowly, peering at Kazimir. I could see from where I was standing, he was continuing to falter, his arm shaking. Not much. Just enough to showcase his distress.
Just like Saige had suggested. Now it was about pushing him.
Kazimir didn’t have a gun in his hands, moving closer while holding his arms in the air.
“Would you like that?” he asked.
“Stop. Don’t try and pretend like you give a shit about me.” Mikhail took several deep breaths.
“I do care about you. I’ve missed you very much. When you were sick, I would have burned down all of Moscow to make you better.”
“Stop.” He repointed the gun at Saige’s head, moving even closer to her.
My entire body was tense.
“You have no idea what’s coming. Soon, you’ll learn what it’s like to betray one of your own.” Mikhail’s laugh was as bitter as mine. He didn’t understand the meaning of betrayal.
“I didn’t betray you, Miska. Life did. it betrayed us both with the loss of our mother.
There’s nothing you could do to me to take away that pain or the agony of losing you.
You’re my brother. Nothing changes that for me.
” Kazimir’s voice was strong, but I could tell how awful the moment was and knew the memory would linger for a long time.
“I don’t feel the same. In fact, the new leader of the Armenians is about to be elected.
Did you know they elected the scum who would lead their pack of misfits?
I have them under control and the first order of business will be to hunt down your men.
Yours too, Dimitri. You’re no better than anyone else in this damn family. ”
“Think about what you’re saying, Mikhail. They’ll always be your family.” Saige’s pleading voice was just another reminder of his strong hatred. I could feel it.
I took a step closer, but that only prompted him to come within two feet of her.
“If you want your whore to live, I suggest you stop moving.” His eyes bored into mine. My God, in seeing myself in him, I was reminded of how horribly I’d treated my mother.
Very slowly, I lowered my weapon.
“She’s not my whore, Mikhail. She’s the woman I hope to marry and begin a family with.
Family. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Now, I don’t know if after tonight she’ll want to have anything to do with me, but I’m not going to give up.
Your father loved you. I can say that because I finally figured out that he had the capacity to love all his children.
The love of my life taught me that. The same family you want nothing to do with. I feel sorry for you.”
In truth, I was speaking about myself as well. What a fool I’d been.
He laughed, the ugly sound pushing me to the point of no return, a place where the terrace would face a bloodbath.
“Oh, I care about my family. Let me tell you how,” he said finally.
“I have everything I need. Tomorrow, the FBI will be at your door. Charges have been filed against you. Against all of you. Not only will I swoop in and claim what’s rightfully mine, including buying up all your stock after it goes public and after every one of you is imprisoned, I’ll also have the power to control this entire city, backed by a very wealthy Russian oligarch. ”
“I hate to burst your bubble, Mikhail, but Anton won’t be doing business with you. Not since he’s aware you murdered his daughter. My best friend. A woman whose life was lost in trying to warn me against you.” Saige purposely inched closer.
He turned his head toward her, a calmness rolling through him.
“In addition,” I continued, “the news article was a fake, the FBI standing by for your arrest as the co-conspirator of a tightly woven blackmail scheme.”
“And,” Dimitri threw in, “the corporations on the list you found by accident are actually our very first stock owners, although we like to call them business partners.”
At that moment, he was distracted by the sounds of a news broadcast. Kazimir held up an iPad, the breaking news adding the icing on the cake.
“This just in. There’s been a gangland style shooting at a popular local Armenian eating establishment,” the reporter began while standing in front of several vehicles with flashing lights.
“Vardan Zagarian, said to be the heir apparent to the Armenian Crime Syndicate has been murdered along with several others.”
There was no joy on Kazimir’s face, no expression of satisfaction. Just a blank look as the final pages in an ongoing thriller were about to be read.
“You’re finished, brother. For good,” Kazimir said softly. “The police are waiting just inside to take you into custody. That way you can experience prison as I did.”
Mikhail’s reaction was much quicker and more thought out than any of us had planned.
Before any of us could react, he grabbed Saige by the arm, yanking her in front of him, pressing the barrel of the weapon against her temple.
She didn’t scream, didn’t react, merely searching for me with her eyes.
Everyone advanced, but I threw out my arm. “You don’t want her, Mikhail. You want me. No matter what happens, my death will make you feel vindicated. I took your place. You took it back. You can die a full-fledged Chertov brother without my interference.”
His breathing remained labored and he wasn’t budging.
I lowered my weapon after shifting my hold, crouching down and placing it on the floor.
“You can only get one of us, Mikhail. You know that. Choose wisely. She’s not your enemy,” I continued, sweat rolling down the back of my neck. I was going to kill the motherfucker.
“Stash,” she muttered.
“Shut up!” he snarled while pressing his face into her ear. I had no idea what was being said, but whatever he was telling her, her body stiffened and her eyes grew wide.
When he lifted his head, he also pointed the gun toward me.
“Don’t! Don’t you do that,” she exclaimed. “I love him. You might not have the capacity to love anyone, but I do. Don’t take him away from me.” She wiggled in his strong hold and I was closer to losing my shit.
I’d do anything to protect her. I threw my arms out further.
“Don’t,” Kazimir hissed.
“It’s alright, Kaz. I know what I’m doing.” I took a step closer. Then another.
In those few seconds, I was able to see the level of despair in a man who’d once adored his family.
And maybe for a few seconds, still did.
With a strange smile crossing his face, he shoved her away and before I could dive for my weapon, he did the unthinkable.
He shoved the barrel into his mouth.
Pop!