Raze & Reap (58 page)

Luka got to his feet and I stilled. Since he'd returned, Luka had made no attempt to hold me. He'd never showed any emotion toward me. I watched him approach. Kisa stepped back, a floored expression on her face.

Warily, Luka stood before me, rocking uneasily on his feet. Shock filled my veins as his big arms lifted. Unable to hold back my gasp, Luka wrapped them around me and brought me to his chest.

I held him. I held my big brother and took solace in his embrace. I'd missed this. As kids we were so close. He'd hold me all the time. For the first time since he'd returned, it felt like maybe, just maybe, my brother, my childhood hero, was rising from his darkness once again.

I soaked in his warmth and whispered sternly, “Luka, I believe it was meant to happen. Even if it won't be welcomed.”

Luka pressed a kiss to the top of my head and rasped, “What was meant to happen?”

“Everything,” I said back. “Your journey brought me Zaal. He's shown me what real love is.”

Luka's hold tightened. I felt Kisa's hand on my back. After a few more seconds, I withdrew from his arms. Luka was watching me with concern.

Subconsciously I reached for my necklace. I ran my hand over the Tolstoi name and laughed a humorless laugh. “You know,
babushka
gave me this as a talisman to find my true love. It was
dedushka
's. He gave it to
babushka
before he left for that trip to Moscow, as a way to keep him close to her heart until he returned.” I caught the gold of the necklace glinting off the beaming sun shining through the window. “I wonder what she would have said knowing that the love I found was the son of the man she hated most.”

Unable to take the pain this knowledge brought, I whispered a brief “Good night,” and dashed up the stairs.

Quietly, I cracked open the door, to see Zaal lying fast asleep on the bed. His huge body seemed to dwarf the king-size bed. My chest clenched in pain. He was mine. Every fiber of my being had claimed him as mine. My heart, my soul, my spirit. At this point, I didn't give a fuck what anyone else thought.

I stripped off my clothes, careful not to make a noise. Zaal was lying on his back, his long black hair hanging over his pillow. His muscles relaxed as he slept. He looked so peaceful. I hoped he would get the rest he craved.

Attracted to him like a magnet, I snuggled into his side, the heat of his body instantly warming me. My head lay on his chest and I listened to his steady breathing. It soothed me. Suddenly, as if needing to touch me, even in his sleep, Zaal slid his arm over my shoulder and pulled me close.

As I closed my eyes, I remembered everything Luka had told Zaal tonight. And I felt sick. His history was so sad, so violent. A wave of protectiveness embraced me, and lifting my chin, I stared up at Zaal's handsome face.

His eyelids fluttered in sleep, and running my finger down his stubbled cheek, I whispered, “Zaal Kostava, you've stolen my forbidden heart.”

 

15

ZAAL

“Boys, come here!” Papa's voice called Anri and me in from the garden. We looked at each other and smiled. I set off running, sprinting through the long grass.

I was fast, but so was Anri. I could hear him running behind me, picking up speed. I laughed as we rounded the corner and our house came into view.

Grandmama was sitting on the porch. She started laughing as she saw us approach. I pushed myself harder, then Anri was suddenly at my side. We looked at each other and started laughing. We both reached the porch at the very same moment.

I stopped in front of Grandmama. She put down her tea and started clapping. “My boys!” she exclaimed, and opened her arms for us. Both Anri and I ran into her embrace. She kissed us both on the head.

Footsteps sounded behind us and Grandmama pushed us back. Papa was waiting at the door and called us over.

We ran to Papa and he smiled wide. “Come with me, boys.” Papa led us into the house and through to his office.

A tapping on the wooden floor seemed to follow us. When I looked around I saw that Zoya was running our way, dressed in a pink dress and clutching her white stuffed toy rabbit.

“Sykhaara!”
she shouted with a giggle, and jumped into my arms. Anri reached over and ruffled her hair. “Where are you going?” she asked. Papa leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.

“I have something for your brothers,” Papa said proudly.

Zoya's face lit up. “For me, too?” she shouted in excitement.

Papa shook his head. “Leave me with your brothers. And if you're good, I'll take you to town tomorrow and buy you anything you want.”

She nodded her head. I placed her on the floor. She ran back to Mama who was watching us with proud eyes as she fed our baby brother and sister.

“Anri, Zaal, in my office.”

We sat in Papa's large office, on the sofa opposite his chair. Papa sat down in his black chair, smoothing out his expensive suit as he did so.

“Anri, Zaal. When I was your age, my papa controlled our clan. The Kostavas have always been strong. We've always been feared and we always will be.

“But years ago I made a decision for our clan that took us from Moscow and brought us back to Georgia. I issued a command that many took offense to and it cost us our standing in Russia, and with the rest of the Vor V Zakone.

“I still stand by my decision, but it's no secret it has damaged this family's reputation. This is our home. Georgian blood runs through our veins. But in order to rule strong, we need to be back in Moscow. And we need to claim our slice of New York, too.”

We both nodded, listening to every word our papa said. He spoke of our clan all the time. He spoke about regaining our place in Moscow after the murder of our rival's boss. Mr. Jakhua, another Georgian boss, and my papa were always in meetings. They always planned to overthrow the Volkov Russians. My papa hated the Volkov Russians. He said they were greedy and needed taking out.

Anri and I hated the Russians. Papa taught us
how
to hate them.

Papa leaned forward. “When I was eight, I began listening in on business meetings of the family. You are both eight, and there's no better time to start than now. You'll learn the family business, then when you're older and I'm gone, you'll both rule our clan.” Papa smiled and sat back proudly. “Two male heirs. I have two strong young men to carry the Kostavas back to greatness.”

Anri elbowed me in the side. I smiled as he nodded in pride.

Papa stood and opened up his safe. He pulled out two black boxes and gave one to each of us. Papa sat back down and pointed at the boxes. “All the men in our family get one at your age. It's tradition.” He waved his hand. “Open.”

I carefully opened the box at the same time as Anri. A gold necklace sat on a bed of velvet. I ran my hand over the emblem and Papa leaned forward. I looked up and he pulled his necklace out of his shirt collar.

“It's the same as mine. My father had one, too.” A smile spread on his lips. “Be proud to wear them. You're the future of this family. You'll fix my mistakes.”

Anri stood and clutched his necklace to his chest. “We will get revenge for you, Papa. When we're older we'll take back Moscow for you. We'll take New York.”

I stood beside Anri and did the same. “We swear it, Papa. We'll make them all pay.”

Papa stood, and with a hand on each shoulder, asked, “Who will you destroy?”

We took a deep breath, and recited three names we knew by heart, “The Volkovs, Tolstois, and Durovs.”

Papa smiled and threw his arms around our shoulders. He led us out of the door. Mama and Grandmama rushed over to help us put our necklaces on. They beamed with pride. My mama stepped back and put her hands to her mouth. “My sons,” she beamed, and ran her hand over the necklaces on our necks.

“Dinner. We celebrate!” she said, and scooted us all out into the yard.

Anri pulled on my arm and we snuck into a doorway. He laid his hand on my shoulder and said, “We are strong. We must remain strong to be the heirs Papa wants us to be.”

“I will,” I replied, “we will,” and Anri put his hands on my cheeks.

“We're brothers, Zaal. Until the end. We'll always be together. We're stronger together.”

He gripped my hand and we walked toward the table. The whole family was there. Two seats were free at the top of the table beside Papa.

Zoya saw us coming and ran toward us. She jumped into my arms. “Zaal! Can you sit beside me?”

I nodded my head. As the eldest brother, Anri sat beside Papa with me next to him.

“Come,” I said to Zoya, and sat her down on her seat. I slid in next to Anri. Papa made a toast. The servants brought the food.

Suddenly a loud crash sounded in the house. Papa clicked his fingers to the guards. “Go see what it is.”

But the guards didn't move.

My papa dropped his fork and rose from his seat. He glared at the guards. “Go and see what that was. Now!”

All of us were still around the table. The guards rolled their necks. They smirked at my papa, then they raised their rifles.

A crash sounded again. Suddenly, Mr. Jakhua, my papa's friend, entered the yard, with lots of guards following him.

A hand suddenly grabbed mine. When I looked down, I saw it was Anri's. I was shaking. Shaking so bad. Anri squeezed my hand and mouthed, “
Dzlier.
Be strong. Keep strong.”

I nodded as my heart began to race.

Then Zoya crawled into my arms, tucking her face against my neck. She whimpered. My papa stepped toward Jakhua. A guard suddenly jumped in front and pointed a rifle to his chest.

My mama cried out, my baby brother and sister beside her started screaming, too.

“Levan! What the fuck is going on!” my papa shouted. But Levan flicked his finger to his guards.

The guards rushed toward our table, and I froze. Zoya started crying against my neck. I held her close with one arm as Anri kept tight hold of my other hand.

The guards rushed to my mama and my grandmama and hauled them to their feet. Two guards took my baby brother and sister. They were screaming for Mama as they were dragged behind.

Anri jumped to his feet, as did I. I held Zoya in my arms. We tried to back away. Guards came for us. I gripped Zoya tighter, her arms locked around my neck. I fought for air as fear stole my breath. Then, out of nowhere, a guard rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Zoya.

Zoya screamed against my neck. Everyone was screaming, the sound deafening my ears. Dropping Anri's hand, I reached for my little sister. But the guard was stronger.

Her terrified dark eyes met mine and tears fell down her face. “Zaal!” she screamed. Her hand reached out for me to save her.

“Zoya!” I screamed back, but a guard grabbed me from behind.

The place was in chaos, my family screaming, guards shouting, and my papa fighting to get free. My head whipped around searching for my brother as my feet left the floor, the guard holding me in the air.

He was beside me, fighting to get free. “Anri!” I called. His brown eyes found mine.

“Zaal!” he called back, gripping on to his necklace. “
Dzlier.
Be strong. Keep strong.” Tears fell down my cheeks, but I forced myself to keep strong.

“Zaal!” Zoya called, her little arms trying to reach me from across the yard.

Jakhua stepped forward, stared at me and Anri, then clicked his hand to the wall against our house.

The guards holding my grandmama, Papa, Mama, Zoya, Dmitry, and Lena, dragged them to the long wall that stretched around the back of the house.

Anri and I were kept back. Jakhua walked toward us. I watched my papa's face pale. “No!” he shouted. “Get off my boys!”

Jakhua stood beside us and gripped our faces in his hands. He forced us to look forward and he hissed, “Watch, boys. Don't you dare move your eyes.”

Mama and Grandmama held our brothers and sisters against their legs, trying to protect them. But Zoya, kept her head facing us, all the time watching me.

Her pretty face was scrunched up and she called out, “Zaal!”

I roared and fought to get free. I wanted to be with my family. I could hear Anri doing the same. Trying to get to our family.

“You fucked us all when you murdered the Tolstoi, Iakob. And I don't plan on being stuck here in Georgia forever. The Volkovs have banned us from every good trade route, and it's all your fault. I should never have backed you in killing Matvei. I've made new connections with the Arzianis. They have enterprises in the U.S. and in Moscow. You, the Kostavas … you're done.”

My papa shook his head. My eyes focused on my family's terrified faces, my gaze lingering on Zoya's crying eyes. Then Jakhua lifted his arm, and a second later, dropped it. The guns began to fire.

The sound of my family screaming hit my ears first. Anri and my screams added to the chaos. Then the blood started to pour. Red liquid pooled on the pavement and ran down the back wall of the house.

My heart pumped too fast. My whole body shook as my family, one by one, slumped to the ground. Dead. All dead.