To the normal pedestrian, sure. But I was raised in this world. I saw the security cameras, dogs tied up to the gate. So, I knocked.
What brought you here?
Dmitri had taken a deep breath. I have served dozens of men, all who think they’re greater than the last. I have watched them make the decisions of cowards and torture their loyal men. I was not made to be a passing thought, an ink stain on a page.
What were you made for?
I was made to serve an empire. I am not a novel; but I am an important chapter. I am necessary to the story. That is what I was made for: to serve and build and bring glory to those I deem worthy for it.
How do you figure I am worthy?
He met my eyes in blazing force, the color so bright they could’ve been their own sources of light–the sun be damned. You did not kill your brothers or disrupt the peace of Russia. Instead, you came here and grew. You have acquired power slowly, but it is power that does not disappear. You are building an empire to rule for centuries, for your children and grandchildren. I want to be a part of that.
I smiled and held out my hand. Welcome, Dmitri. May we build an empire together that both our sons can rule and one our grandsons can inherit.
Dmitri hadn’t been listening to me, however. His eyes had gone to the top of the staircase, where Tatiana had been coming down from.
Oh, Kostya, she had laughed. Who have you brought into our house? Artyom will kill you.
He held out his hand, his attention trained on her with such tenacity I might’ve not even been there. Dmitri Gribkov, miss.
Tatiana had laid her hand in his, as delicate as a butterfly landing on a leaf. Please…call me Tatiana.
They had been married a year later. Anton had come not long after.
In love, I had always thought when I spotted them together. They are two people in love.
I had been wrong. We had all been wrong.
“Brother,” I breathed. “Let me bear this pain for you.”
“No,” he sighed. “It is my job to endure it. I am her husband, her other half. I cannot let it touch our son. I can’t let Anton feel this.”
I didn’t release my grip. “Nothing will touch him.”
“Our sons are safe now. But not forever. No one can stay safe forever.”
It was a horrible thought, but Dmitri was right.
No one could stay safe forever.
That was where Artyom found us. He was breathing heavily like he had bolted to us as soon as he heard I was alone with Dmitri. Once upon a time, he wouldn’t have been so worried, but I was not the same man I once was.
Where is he? The man I met nearly three years ago.
Her words haunted my brain, affecting me more than I would like to admit.
The man who gave me a library and joked with his family. The man who was respected by his men before he was feared.
I want to know where he is.
I didn’t know where he was. I had eaten him alive the day Elena had left me, swallowing him and all his weaknesses whole.
All that was left was the Tarkhanov monster and his full belly.
11
Konstantin Tarkhanov
The orchard stretched before me, each tree a naked, awkward figure with ice dripping from the branches instead of ripe red apples. Cold air swirled around us, racing over the frozen ground and whistling as it stung our noses and cheeks.
The weather may be brutal, but it was the tension that made the world feel a few degrees colder.
I stood in front of the lab, hands in pockets, and assessed the damages.
During the night, we had been attacked. Not robbed, not swindled. No, our enemies hadn’t taken any of the merchandise, instead choosing to destroy every piece of thousand-dollar equipment they could. Windows were shattered, product was ruined, and the security cameras lay scattered around me.
A few of the Vory had been shot, some dying instantly while others were fighting for their lives in the hospital. None of the workers had been there during the night–a small mercy.
We hadn’t even had breakfast before the call came, alerting us of the attack. No alarms had been triggered; no warnings signs had been seen. That indicated who it was immediately…only one person knew enough about my security to outsmart it.
“Titus?” Artyom said from beside me.
“Clearly.”
He thinned his lips but didn’t respond.
“Why haven’t we updated our defenses?” It wasn’t much of a question.
“You haven’t asked, sir.”
“Must I?” I worked my jaw, feeling my muscles twitch in irritation.
I was to blame. I had changed security around the estate and our other assets, but not the orchard. Maybe it had slipped my mind, or maybe I had been too arrogant to think Titus would stand a chance. Another reason could be I was too far gone in my grief and madness to rationalize where our defenses were weakest.
Either way, this attack was on me. My men’s deaths were on me.
Another sin to add to my hefty collection.
The attack was curious… Why wouldn’t they take any of the heroin? Why leave millions of dollars of merchandise in the snow?
The hair on the back of my neck suddenly stood up.
“Clear out,” I said.
Artyom didn’t argue or ask why. Just barked, “Let’s go now.”
The roaming Vory immediately began to disperse. Some disappeared into the cluster of trees, while others grouped around Artyom and I, eyes protective. Even the large bear-killer dogs by their legs tensed, tails wagging.
I turned and began to walk away from the space. Slowly, methodically. The ground crunched beneath my feet.
“Kostya?” Artyom’s voice was quiet.
I didn’t look at him. “You don’t think it’s strange that all our merchandise is accounted for?”
Realization struck his features and he quickly scanned the area. He ordered a few of the men to go up ahead and see if anyone was lurking by the cars, waiting to catch us.
One of them came back immediately with a warning.
"There's two Feds waiting," The Vor warned us. "They got cameras and shit."
I smoothed down my coat. "Very well." I jerked my chin. "Olezka."
My torpedo didn't need a command or order. The tone in which I said his name told him all he needed to know.
"Boss?" Artyom asked as I continued forward. "Let's go around the back."
"There's no need, Artyom."
The man shared looks with each other. They were looks I had seen plenty of times in the past three years. It translated to: boss is insane and we're all going to suffer for it.
"Those who wish to hide from the Feds and their camera may go around the back," I said out loud. None of them moved. "As I thought."
The Feds hadn't done an impressive job of trying to camouflage. They watched from the front seat of a car, windows up to preserve warmth. As we walked to our vehicles, the flash of their camera glinted.
I paused, hands in pockets and surveyed them.
The entire world seemed to still as I assessed them. Even the wind paused its endless howling.
Then I began to move.
My men shouted in alarm as I strode over to the agents. Before they had the chance to lock the doors, I wrenched it open and pulled out the driver. Both of them pulled their guns, but I didn't pause.
"Well, what do we have here?" I asked.