Chapter 45
Katerina
A ringing sound wakes me. Groggily, I reach for my phone. A gasp of surprise pulls from me when I see its Petya, my brother.
“Hello?” I whisper, confused. Petya hasn’t reached out in months. The last time I saw him was at my wedding, and he was only around for a few minutes.
“Katya, I need to see you today.” The words are not only rushed but also spoken in our native language. This is urgent and secret.
“What’s going on, Petya? You’re stressing me out.” It’d feel nice to be speaking Russian after so long, if it weren’t for the direness of the situation.
“I can’t tell you over the phone. But I need you to meet with me. Today.” His agitation is evident in his tone. And I don’t miss how he didn’t alleviate my concern.
“Where?”
He rattles off a park far from Viktor’s home, and I agree that it’ll work. Right before we end the call, he calls out, “Don’t tell your husband. Come alone.”
My eyes wander to my husband. He sleeps soundly as I plot with my brother in my native language. My gaze remains on him, curiously eyeing the space between us. Since the vow renewals, I’ve woken in his arms every morning. I guess it’s lucky that we didn’t today, so I could take the call.
It feels wrong to hide something from him, but this is Petya. This is my brother. My only family. He’s not like Viktor. If he’s asking me to meet with him secretly, I’ll do it, and if it warrants telling Dominic, then I will. Afterwards.
“Okay. Nik will drive me.” Petya trusts Nik. I know this in my bones.
“Nikolai can come. But no one else.” Without waiting for a response, he ends the call.
Silently, I slide out of bed and make my way to the closet. The black set I put on is perfect for the park. I tiptoe into the bathroom and do my usual routine. As I’m sneaking through our bedroom, Dominic sits up in bed.
“Where are you going?” I’m thrown aback by his tone. It’s gruff and almost accusatory.
“The park.” It’s only a lie if you count it by omission.
“Sounds fun. I’ll come with you.” He raises a brow, as if challenging me. I internally curse my brother. Why did he have to ask me to lie to my husband? I hate this.
“I actually want some alone time and fresh air. How about we do lunch afterwards?” Over lunch I’m going to come clean to him, I decide. I won’t lie to my husband, at least not for long.
His eyes narrow as he looks me over. It’s like he can sense my dishonesty, but maybe it’s just guilt corroding my perception.
“Fine,” he grunts out, then turns his back to me.
His flippancy hurts me. I walk to his side of the bed and lean down to kiss his lips. He returns the kiss, but it feels cold and distant. There’s none of our usual passion. It worries me.
There’s a pit in my stomach as I leave the house.
…
Petya meets me on a park bench, sitting down nonchalantly. He’s the perfect picture of ease. None of his earlier worry to be seen.
“What’s going on?” I ask, needing answers. A large part of me is hoping he’s here to tell me Viktor died.
“How are things going with your husband?” He’s speaking in Russian again, and as I look around, I realize neither of us have any guards with us. It’s a dangerous thing to do.
His question registers and confuses me. Why does he care about my marriage?
“We’re doing well. Why do you ask?” My response is said in Russian as I realize we’re trying to be inconspicuous and not understood.
“How well?” he pries.
“What do you mean? What do you want to know?” I start to feel defensive of my husband. Why is my brother asking about him? What is he planning?
“Does he trust you?” Petya continues to dig, asking odd, invasive questions.
“Of course. He’s my husband.” Petya nods and looks content with the answer, but I’m skeptical of his reaction. “I won’t betray him. Not even for you. Petya. So, don’t ask it of me.”
This is where I draw the line. I’m loyal to my brother, but not as much as to my husband. I won’t let him ruin my marriage. No matter what.
“None of that. I need your help. And Montclair’s.” Petya leans back against his seat and looks around as if he’s birdwatching. It’s ridiculous to see him acting so calm while in such a serious conversation.
“Help with what?” There’s bite in my tone, but only because I’m defensive. What does he want from us?
“Taking over the Bratva.” He finally looks at me, and despite his sunglasses, I can see the urgency in his eyes. He needs us.
“I don’t understand.” Petya has always been next in line, but only after Viktor steps down. Why is he no longer waiting for that to happen?
“Viktor is no longer fit to be Pakhan. He’s gone too far. It will be difficult. His men are just as corrupt and are willing to die for their greed. But it must be done.” A torn look crosses my brother’s face. He doesn’t want to betray his father, but whatever Viktor did, it’s unforgivable.
“What’d he do?” It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Petya have ill feelings towards Viktor. It agitates me. What could Viktor have done that’s so bad that his perfect son has turned against him?
“It’s bad, Katya. It’s better you don’t know.” I scoff at his treatment of me. Because I’m a woman, he thinks he has to hide the worst of the trade from me.
“Tell me or I won’t involve Dominic.” It’s leverage I don’t have, but I’ll use anyways.
“Отец’s not the man you think he is.” Petya grips my hand, his eyes full of regret.
“He’s been selling girls from the motherland here.
His men have been working out of the ports.
There are hundreds of women he’s brought over.
All to be sold for sex. It’s unimaginable.
I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true.
I only just found out. He hid it well, but there were numbers that weren’t adding up. Katya, I just can’t believe it.”
I always knew he had no regard for women. Look at how he treated his wife and daughter. But this… this is unconceivable. Hundreds of women, forced into sexual slavery because of his greed. Fury I’ve never felt before consumes me. How fucking dare he?
“You understand why I must do what needs to be done? Why I must kill him?” My brother sounds destroyed. He never saw the worst of Viktor. He’s only known the respectable Pakhan. I try to put myself in his shoes, but I can’t. I can’t unsee Viktor as the monster I know him to be.
“You’re next in line. With him gone, you become Pakhan.” I state numbly.
“Yes. I need your husband’s help.” I can tell he doesn’t want to ask it. They’re sworn enemies. But if it means ridding the world of Viktor, especially after yesterday, I’m pretty sure my husband will support it.
“How can we help you?”
“I can only trust a handful of my own men. There’s too big a risk someone will tell Viktor. I need the Syndicate to help me. When it’s done, I’ll guarantee a peace alliance with no strings attached.” He’s desperate, but he’s also a good man. I know his word is a promise.
“I’ll talk to him. But under one condition.” This is my opportunity. “I’m the one to kill Viktor.”
His head whips back. He stares at me in bewilderment. “You? Why?”
“Petya, he beat me for years, and Мама before that. He has no regard for women. Even before knowing what he atrocities he’s been committing, I swore I’d be the one to end him. Don’t take this from me.”
My brother’s face drops. His eyes fill with regret. His back hunches as he sucks in a breath.
“Katusha, I didn’t know. I… I’m sorry I abandoned you. I am so sorry.” He grips my hand and squeezes it, trying to comfort me.
“It’s fine.” I don’t want to make a big deal of it. I didn’t tell him to make him feel bad. I just need him to know why I hate Viktor. Why I deserve to be the one to end him.
“Will you be able to follow through with it? Can you physically kill your father?” He’s not trying to accuse me. He’s making sure the mission can be fulfilled.
“He’s no father to me. I’ve been training for this day.” I promise him. Then I smirk. “And I’m not a stranger to violence. I stabbed my husband once because he called me fat.”
Petya barks out a laugh. “That’s my Katya. I always knew you were a fighter.” He ruffles my hair, and I punch his arm. I’m satisfied when he flinches in pain.
Petya’s phone rings. He checks it, squeezes my hand, then leaves, answering the call. I know this isn’t the end of this, but it is for now.
As Nik drives us home, I brainstorm how to tell my husband. I know he’ll help my brother. I just know it. My husband will be here for us.