Where the Snow Falls (Seasons of Betrayal Book 2) (2 page)

“That he started a war, and I plan to finish it.”

“Violet.”

“Daddy.”

Violet Gallucci smiled falsely right along with the greeting she offered her father. She much preferred to address him by his given name—Alberto—now, but that wasn’t what would make him happy. More than anything, she had to keep Alberto Gallucci happy.

At least for a little while longer …

Alberto stood, pulling out the chair adjacent to his at the restaurant table for his daughter to sit in. Violet took the seat and pulled it up to the table as a server came with plates of stuffed chicken and pesto in hand, already sliding one in front of her before Alberto had even sat back down.

She wasn’t sure which annoyed her more.

That her father had called her to the restaurant to eat knowing she preferred to keep a distance from him lately, or that he hadn’t even allowed her to choose her own meal for the dinner.

Both were annoying, to be sure, and they each held a certain air of manipulation. One controlled her time and with whom she spent it, and the other decided what she could and could not partake in, even if it was just … food.

It was never just food with her father.

Not now.

A certain Russian had yanked off Violet’s rose-tinted glasses, and she just couldn't let herself forget, no matter how much her father demanded she do so.

Kaz
.

She no longer saw her father the same way she did as a child. Back then, Alberto had been almost a god of sorts to a younger her; she thought him invincible when he was put up against the world.

But the truth was a great deal dirtier than she had wanted to admit.

Her father wasn’t the hero she’d always made him out to be—he was just as much the bad guy as anyone else.

Violet had simply come to a point where she decided Alberto Gallucci wasn’t going to choose which bad man she would hand over her loyalty and love to in her life.

And it wasn't as if she had gone into this blind, after all.

Not where Kazimir Markovic was concerned.

“You could smile a little more,
dolcezza
,” Alberto said, flipping out a napkin to cover his lap.

“Could I?”

Alberto lifted his gaze, his head tipping to the side slightly as he watched her. Months earlier, years ago even, Violet might have shrunk under that gaze, terrified of disappointing the man who proclaimed to love her entirely just because she was a piece of him and nothing more. She would have been heartbroken to see his anger directed at her—as he assured he loved her unconditionally.

But his love did come with conditions.

Her behavior.

Her appearance.

Her image.

His legacy.

That was all it ever was, but he had always made sure to wrap it in such pretty paper that she never looked far enough beyond the surface to see what really lay beneath it all.

Violet learned that far too late.

Unfortunately for her father, Alberto forgot that Violet was cut from the same cloth. She came from him, after all. She was
his
daughter.

So maybe, he should have seen her pleasantries and fake smiles for what they really were—her own brand of manipulation.

A good child—his child—lived to please him, and nothing more. It was something he wanted so badly that he was willing to overlook the blank stares and dull answers only because he still wanted to see and hear it, if not a little lackluster in delivery.

Violet wasn’t living for her father now.

She was just waiting on somebody else.

At that thought, she passed a look toward the large, decorative brass clock that dominated an entire far wall of the restaurant. Plated on glass, it showcased the time. She did the math in her head, having already tallied the time it would take for Kaz to drive from his destination to his next stop.

Today was important.

He was out.

She wasn’t going to have to keep pretending she gave a fuck for much longer.

“Waiting for something?” Alberto asked.

Violet’s gaze snapped back to her father instantly. “Pardon?”

He cut into his chicken, never looking up from his task. “Your food is going cold, Violet, and instead of eating with me like I invited you here to do, you’re too busy watching the clock. Are you waiting for something?”

“Yes.”

Alberto did lift his head that time. “Oh? Do tell.”

A lie was already on the tip of her tongue. “New fad diet. You shouldn’t take your first bite of your heaviest meal before four-thirty in the evening. Something about the carbs and all from your last meal weighing down digestion.”

Violet nodded at the clock. “Three minutes to start, Daddy.”

“Little strange, isn’t it?”

She didn’t answer him.

She didn’t have to.

“What are your plans after this?” Alberto asked.

Violet shrugged as she picked up her fork and cut a piece of chicken. It was two minutes early, according to the clock, but her father didn't seem to notice the slip. “Going home, and I’m sure Tony will be close behind to let you know I get there safely.”

Alberto didn’t even deny her statement about the new enforcer who drove her to and from wherever she needed to go, never mind tailing her while she was out and about doing things. It wasn’t as if her father had given her a choice in the matter, and Violet wasn’t exactly in a place to argue.

However, Tony did make some things difficult.

Like today.

Violet’s hand ached with the urge to fish her phone out of her pocket and scroll to the contact list. All it would take was one single message—that was it.

I’m here. I’m ready. Come get me.

Anything of that sort would work just fine.

But she couldn't because she was never alone. Even when she thought she was, she wasn’t. She had learned that one night when she woke up from a dead sleep. After having spent the majority of the evening hours on the phone with Kaz, she’d decided to take a walk outside of her building and had found Tony waiting right beyond her front door.

She didn’t ask how Kaz had gotten access to a cell phone while locked up, and he didn’t offer the information. She simply had accepted the package left at the front desk for her one day, securely wrapped in packaging that didn’t allow for tampering without it being very obvious.

The package hadn’t been touched.

For once, her enforcer didn’t seem to care.

Maybe he had thought she had just ordered something online. It wasn’t—it had been a simple, pretty cardstock wishing her good tidings on the outside. But inside? Inside was a phone number, a date when to expect a call, and a familiar K signed right below it.

She only recognized Kaz’s signature, or rather, how he signed the initial of his first name because he always seemed to have something on the go or lying out where she could see it when she had gone to his place.

That number had been her lifeline for those first thirty days after her father had ripped her from Kaz’s side, and she watched from the media’s perspective as her lover was put behind bars on a bullshit charge.

And then he called.

And he called again.

Every night, if he could. And sometimes, a text in the day, if possible.

Violet had a quarter of her chicken gone before she realized it. She wasn’t hungry but chewing and swallowing was comforting in a way, even if the fact she was staring at the clock again lessened her desire to eat.

Kaz was out.

All she had to do was call him, and she could leave.

With
him
.

Violet passed a look over her shoulder and saw her enforcer sitting two tables over, sipping on a cup of coffee. Her father was still eating away, oblivious to her inner war.

All she had to do was send that message.

But it wasn’t that easy.

Violet stepped into the waiting elevator and tried not to give her irritation away when Tony slid in beside her without a word. She pressed the number for her floor and leaned against the golden rail as the doors closed and the elevator began to lift.

She couldn’t even walk herself through her own building and up to her apartment without Alberto’s appointed babysitter following right behind.

And lately—at least for the past few days—it seemed like Tony was sticking even closer than usual. Most times, he would wait outside places when she went in to do her business. But no, he started coming in right behind her for no apparent reason and with no explanation when she asked why.

Boss’ orders.

That was all she was given.

Violet had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly why her father had ordered Tony to stick closer. Kaz’s release was no secret.

Alberto was crossing his t’s and dotting his i’s where Violet was concerned.

And it was working.

With Tony’s suffocating presence, she wasn’t comfortable with even glancing at her phone if it buzzed for fear he would be looking over her shoulder. Sure, Tony stayed outside her place when she was home, but it wasn't that simple for Violet.

Four months.

She’d waited four months to talk to Kaz when he was on the outside and not confined to a fucking cell. When he was locked up, their conversation stayed on mostly safe topics and rarely ventured beyond what would happen when he was back in the city. Occasionally, that slipped into their conversation too, but just enough to let her know he was waiting on her.

Whatever she wanted to do.

Violet had the distinct feeling that if she made that call, or sent out a message, it wasn’t going to be enough. She wouldn’t be able to just talk to Kaz and leave it at that until they could figure something else out. She had no doubt in her mind that she was going to want to see him.

So until she could do that, she forced herself to leave the fucking phone number untouched.

The elevator had shifted a second before the doors opened with a loud ding. Violet shot a look in Tony’s direction, wondering if he was going to walk her down the short hallway to her door as he had done the past few evenings. Sure enough, he waved a hand as if to let her go first.

Sighing, Violet pushed off the wall and strolled out of the elevator. It wasn’t Tony’s fault, and her annoyance wasn’t his burden to bear. He was just following orders, and for the most part, he made his constant presence in her life bearable.

Violet was pretty sure Tony had better things to do than babysit her.

But the man never let on, and she didn't ask.

Halfway down the hall leading to her door—the only apartment on the highest floor—Violet said, “I’m home, Tony, so no need to tuck me in, too.”

Tony chuckled, stopping at a decorative side table with a bouquet of fresh flowers resting on the top. A leather chair sat beside the table. As far as Violet knew, most floors in the building had those personal touches in the hall to make the building feel less … apartment-like.

“I’m sure you can handle that on your own,
principessa
,” Tony replied easily.

Violet brushed off the ‘princess’ remark and kept walking even as Tony took a seat. “Is that where you’re staying tonight?”

“Until Con gets here and relieves me for the night, yep. Whenever the hell that is. Could be near morning, and by then, I gotta be back here anyway.”

Boy, that sounded
fun
.

“When do you sleep, anyway?”

Tony flashed her a cool smile. “When I’m dead, apparently.”

Violet thought her father was going a little overboard with the bodyguards, but who was she to say. She was the one who had broken the rules, after all. Alberto didn’t trust her with an inch.

And frankly, rightfully so.

The first chance she got, Violet was gone.

Digging through her purse, she found the apartment keys at the very bottom and pulled them out to unlock the door. Giving one last glance over her shoulder at Tony, who had his phone out and was now playing some annoying sounding game, Violet disappeared into her apartment and shut the door behind her. She turned the deadbolt back in place and kicked off her shoes before even turning around to face her empty place.

Except the second she closed the door, it was as if the air had shifted. Something felt different. Not wrong, or even off, just …
different
.

Maybe it was the fact her hallway light was on, and it was the last thing she had turned off before she left her place. Always, no exceptions. Or maybe it was the slight scuff of black on the light-colored hardwood floor of her entryway as if someone had spun on their heel a little fast and left a mark behind. That hadn’t been there either, and no one had been in her place with black-soled shoes for weeks.

But beyond those little details, something else caught Violet’s attention.

A lingering scent in her hallway she would recognize anywhere. Smoke, leather, heat, and spice.

Kaz
.

Violet dropped her bag to the floor with a thump, and she didn’t think twice about running to her bedroom, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. She didn’t want to hope and be wrong, but the anticipation that coiled through her had a smile on her face before she even reached the room.

There was a second, a moment’s hesitation, as she palmed the door handle and gave it a sharp twist, shoving it open as she walked in. Nothing was different, not at first glance. Her bed was left undisturbed, floor clean, but standing off to the side, leaning a shoulder against the wall as he stared out the windows at the city below was the one person she wanted the most.

He turned, shifting just far enough that she could see his face—familiar gray eyes and the slightest of smiles that grew as he turned to face her fully.

One second, she was still standing in the doorway, staring at him, and the next, she was across the room. She wrapped her arms around him just to prove he was real, that he was actually there. She wanted to feel the warmth of his skin, his heartbeat against her cheek.

But that wasn’t enough, not nearly, at least until his arms closed around her, and just like that … her world got a little smaller, she could breathe, and things felt right again.

Violet hugged Kaz tighter, not caring how he had gotten past the front desk without being seen, never mind how he managed to break into her place. She barely even considered the enforcer outside her door as she leaned up on her tiptoes to stare a grinning Kaz right in the eyes.

“
Krasivaya
,” he murmured.

Violet wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to say first, but Kaz helped her out by pressing a hard, searing kiss to her smiling lips. It was like hearing an old, favorite tune the way he pulled her closer, and she fisted the back of his jacket to keep him right where he was. The soft swipes of his lips moving over hers turned demanding in a blink, his tongue striking out at the seam of her mouth.

Violet didn’t even care that her fingers ached from holding onto him so tightly, or that her lungs burned with the need for breath as he kissed her deeper, his tongue warring with hers for a brief moment before his teeth nipped at her bottom lip.

So familiar.

So
good
.

She didn’t give a fuck what her father thought. Things that fit together as perfectly as she and Kaz did weren’t wrong.

All too soon, Kaz was pulling away. She pouted, and he chuckled at her crestfallen expression before pressing another quick kiss to her lips. Violet shivered when one of his hands came up to cup her chin in his palm. She felt his thumb slide across her lower lip and then over her cheek.

“I guess that answers that, no?”

Violet let out a shaky breath. “Answers what?”

“Things,” he said vaguely.

She didn't have the first clue of what he was going on about, but at that moment, she was too caught up with the fact he was there with her to care about the rest.

There.

… with her.

In her place.

Violet’s eyes widened, and she instinctively tried to take a step back from Kaz. He held her in place, refusing to let her move farther away from him.

“What?” he asked.

“You’re
here
.”

Kaz smiled, lax and easy. “We’ve established that, yes?”

God, why did he have to sound so damn good when she needed to think?

“No,” Violet said, her fingers unfurling from the back of his jacket. “Here, in my place.”

“Locks aren’t really an issue for me, Violet.”

“Good to know.”

“And you haven’t called,” he added quieter.

Violet swallowed back the nervousness beginning to form. “I couldn’t.”

Kaz waved a hand high. “There’s no one here right now.”

“So?”

“Would you have called me tonight?”

Violet found his gray gaze and held it, answering honestly. “No.”

“I was beginning to think you didn’t want to call me. And then you come in here, and kiss me like that, so maybe it’s not a matter of not wanting to, hmm?”

“I couldn’t call. Someone is always around.”

“But not right now,” he reminded her.

“There’s someone outside. Tony—one of my father’s men.”

Kaz’s lip curled up at the corner. “Muscle, which doesn’t mean a whole lot.”

“It means that I can’t get out of here without him being right behind me. It means you couldn’t come here if I did call.”

“I don’t—”

“And that’s what I would have wanted,” Violet interrupted, hoping he understood. “I wanted to go—or you to be here, and I couldn’t have that, so I was waiting.”

Kaz sighed. “I missed you. I was tired of waiting.”

Violet didn't bother to contain her pleased smile. “Missed me, huh?”

He stroked her lips and cheek again with the pad of his thumb. “More than you know, sweetheart.”

“And what now?”

She couldn’t even hide the sudden dryness in her voice. It had been far too long since she had been close to Kaz, never mind having him touch her. It made her feel a little fuzzy in the head. Stupid, even. She didn’t care—she wanted more.

“Right now, whatever you want,” Kaz told her softly.

Violet’s answer was instant and immediate. “You. I want you.”

Kaz flashed her another one of his sexy smiles. “I’ve been working on that.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. You know we’re going to have to leave for a while, yes?”

Violet nodded, not bothered in the slightest. She had figured that out long ago. No way would she be able to have Kaz and stay in New York, too. Her father just wasn’t going to allow that, and she wasn't willing to let Kaz go.

Alberto had promised to kill Kaz if he came near Violet again after that final encounter four months earlier. She refused to risk Kaz like that again, but she wasn’t going to walk away from him, either.

That left her with one option.

To leave.

Violet wasn't even sure if anything left in New York was worth staying for now.

“Where have you been the last few days?” Violet asked.

“Around,” he replied.

“I don’t remember you being this vague before jail, Kaz.”

Kaz laughed. “I’ve been tying up loose ends and keeping an eye on things that matter.”

Violet wondered … “Things like me?”

“Things like you,
krasivaya
.”

Fisting the front of his jacket, she tipped her head up and caught the underside of his jaw with a kiss, feeling his smile form as she did so. The coarse facial hair covering his cheeks and jaw tickled her skin.

“You need to shave,” she said.

“You sound like my sister. Don’t do that.”

“But you do need—”

“Don’t,” he said firmer, cocking a brow.

Violet let him go with a laugh, and Kaz finally released her from his hold. Despite how much she just wanted to bring him closer again, she took the bit of space to breathe and think clearly once more.