Kaz couldn’t sleep, not when Violet had finally relaxed enough to go under tucked into his side, or the three hours he had lain there awake after, struggling to find peace in his thoughts.
They were out of time.
He knew that the moment she called him, nearly too afraid to put into words that Vasily had given her father more than enough ammunition to send him gunning down for Kaz. But he wasn’t concerned with what Alberto had planned for him, but rather his plans for Violet.
He didn’t doubt that her father was going to punish her for being with him. And considering the way the man treated her when she was in his good graces, he couldn’t imagine how he was going to react now.
As he knew, Vasily didn’t make idle threats. When he gave a warning, it was up to the person to understand that that would be the only one they got.
Hubris. Kaz had thought he would be able to maintain the relationship, as well as keeping it a secret from both their families. Even as careful as they had been, they still weren’t careful enough, and now … they were out of time.
Lost in his thoughts, he gently stroked Violet’s hair, finding peace within the movements. How many times had he done this very action, but took it for granted?
She, every part of her, was worth committing to memory, so in his darkest hours, he could have something that brought him calm.
After some time, however, Kaz must have fallen asleep as the next thing he knew, Vera was swinging the door open, startling them both awake as the wood hit the wall.
“You need to get dressed and leave. Now. I just got a call from a friend, letting me know he’s seen some of the Gallucci family in cars heading my way.”
This wasn’t very surprising. Even if Vera didn’t agree with the life they were brought up in, she still learned quite a few things, and one of those was having friends everywhere.
Kaz was on his feet in seconds, grabbing the clothes he’d worn the day before off the floor, and pulled them on. “Where’s—”
“Here. Have her put these on,” Vera said, shoving Violet’s clothes in his arms before turning on her heel and hurrying back down the hallway.
Violet was already sitting up, the sheet clutched to her chest as she turned terrified eyes on him. He didn’t know who of the Gallucci family would be showing up, ready to cause mayhem if it meant dragging her away from him, but he knew that whoever did show up, it wasn’t going to be good for either of them.
But even as the situation was dire, Kaz forced a smile for her. “Don’t worry about it. No one is going to die today.”
At least not where she could see …
“Let’s go.”
She was out of the bed, pulling on her own clothes as he grabbed his wallet and his gun, leaving his cell phone for last. There were a couple dozen messages, most from Ruslan asking what the fuck was going on, but as he was running low on time—and he was sure Vera had explained all or some of what was going on—he left them unanswered.
He grabbed hold of her hand, leading the way down the stairs, but as he was passing the windows, he paused at what he saw outside of them. There were cars already waiting, one blocking the driveway. The tinted windows hid the passengers, but if Kaz had to guess, there were at least two in each car, and if that was the case, they were outnumbered by at least six.
“Shit.”
Kaz’s gaze shot to Violet, recognizing the terror in her eyes as she stared down at the fleet of cars. They were an ominous sight, a reminder of their reality.
“It’s fine,” he said drawing her to the side, forcing her to face him and not what awaited them. “I’ve got it under control.”
“How do you want to handle this, Kaz?” Vera asked from her position at the base of the stairs, her arms folded across her chest.
She didn’t look the slightest bit afraid that her house was practically surrounded by the very same men she was brought up to fear. But while Vera minded the lines, she didn’t cower when she walked the streets of Brooklyn—if there was one thing she’d inherited from their father, it was her bravado.
“I haven’t thought that far,” Kaz responded as he and Violet walked down the last few steps. “But she’s—” He pointed to Violet, “—staying in here.”
“Then I’ll go with you,” Vera said, already reaching to pull the door open.
“No. You can stay in here with Violet. And call Rus.”
Kaz didn’t know where Vasily was, or whether he was planning a surprise visit, too, but he didn’t want to know. After all, he was the only one that could have possibly told the Italians where to find them—which was saying a lot, considering he usually went out of his way to keep their business away from Vera’s doorstep.
“I should be with you,” Violet argued. “They won’t shoot me to get to you.”
“Right now,” Kaz said. “I don’t know what they’re capable of. I’m not putting you at risk for—”
“This isn’t up for discussion, Kaz.”
Though he was tempted to argue this point with her, he just didn’t have the time. The last thing he needed was one of Violet’s overzealous relatives to step out of line and hurt Vera while trying to get to him—his reaction would probably have him apologizing to Violet later—but Vera had a mind of her own, and more, she could handle herself if the need arose.
Shifting his attention to Violet, he placed a hand at the small of her back, giving her a slight push away from the front door, and ordered, “Stay inside.”
“Kaz, they’re opening the doors …” Vera said, turning the lock, her hand on the knob.
“Be careful,” Violet whispered against his lips, finally drawing away though her hand lingered at his side, like she was afraid to let go.
Pressing his lips to her forehead, he stayed there for a long moment, wishing that he could take that look of fear from her face. The last thing she should be was afraid when with him.
The moment his back was to her, Vera looked to him, conveying everything he needed to know with one look. She opened the door for him, staying slightly hidden behind it, and as he crossed that threshold, he was careful not to look back. He hoped Vera would keep Violet safe and inside the damn house.
Most of the men that stood next to the cars, Kaz didn’t recognize, but as his gaze shifted over every man in turn, he paused at the car parked farthest to the south. One door opened slowly and out stepped Carmine. Unlike the last time they were in the same vicinity, today he looked rather smug as he casually strolled forward as though he had every right to.
There was no fear in him, not this time.
Kaz wasn’t entirely sure what to make of that.
Either Carmine had something up his sleeve, something that made him unafraid, or the man was a fool.
“I’ve come to collect what belongs to my father,” Carmine said, his tone never wavering.
Kaz sneered, tipping his head to the side just a bit. “First off, there’s nothing here that belongs to Alberto.”
“We both know that isn’t true.”
“True as the fucking blood I bleed.”
Violet wasn’t a possession to own, and her father wasn’t her master. Besides that, over his fucking dead body was he going to hand Violet over to someone who claimed to be there to collect her like she was property.
“Give that a few minutes,” Carmine said, chuckling. “And we might get to see that blood, scum.”
Kaz let that comment roll off his shoulders. He’d been told worse. “As I said, there’s nothing here that belongs to your father, so be a smart little prick, and go.”
“Not until you give me what I’ve come for, Kazimir. My sister—now.”
“No,” Kaz replied, unfazed.
If this was the only thing Carmine had to toss at Kaz, the fool was going to be surprised at the outcome.
“You’re not walking away from this one, Markovic,” Carmine said, never taking his gaze off Kaz for a moment. “If I were you, I’d get on my knees and beg for a bullet.”
“That’s because you’re weak, Carmine. Unlike you, I don’t get on my knees for anyone.”
Carmine smirked, his voice lowering just enough as to not be heard by the men feet away. “Seems there is a particular slut you’ll get on your knees for, huh?”
It was the “slut” that made Kaz’s eye twitch. He couldn’t ever picture calling one of his sisters that, but Carmine had done it easily, with relish almost.
Words rarely bothered Kaz, not when he had called himself worse during his darker times, but hearing Carmine say that about Violet? It made him snap.
Before he could even check the impulse, his fist was flying, landing with almost perfect precision across the man’s jaw, just as he’d been about to say something else. It was at the perfect angle that as soon as his knuckles met Carmine’s face, he felt the crack of bone.
Even Carmine couldn’t contain a grunt of pain as his head jerked to the side with the force of Kaz’s hit. He had barely drawn his fist back when he heard the unmistakable sound of guns being drawn.
But his attention wasn’t focused on the weapons aimed in his direction, but rather to the car where a door was being opened. Kaz knew, even before the first hint of the man’s dark head showed above the roof, that it was Alberto Gallucci. And though they looked quite similar, there was definitely a difference between father and son.
While Carmine played at being a boss, it was clear that Alberto was one. He had yet to even say a word as he took his time walking past the cars, but he didn’t have to use his words to announce that he was the man in charge. It was just a known fact. Though the men never took their eyes from Kaz, they all stepped out of the way as Alberto neared.
Kaz, on the other hand, was not impressed. ”I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure, Gallucci.”
“No, I’m glad to say we haven’t.” Alberto came close enough to be just a couple of feet away from Kaz, and barely gave his injured son a second glance. Lowering his voice just enough to not be heard by all watching, he said, “Not with you being an adult, anyway. Although I must say, I liked you better as a boy, before you thought to chase after my daughter.”
“I seem to remember that differently, then.”
Alberto rubbed his hands together, as if he was wiping dirt from them. “Oh?”
“I liked her quite well then, too, no?”
The Italian boss stiffened, but that was his only show of irritation. His face remained as cold and impassive as ever as he looked Kaz over once more, then his gaze swept to the house behind him. “I will give you one more chance to give my daughter to me and this all goes away, Kazimir.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I can assure you that if you storm my sister’s home like you own the place, you might not like what Vasily does.”
Alberto smiled then—small and dark. “I think you will soon come to find you have no idea what your father will do.”
Kaz felt the brief urge to reach for the gun at his back, but he beat it down. It would do him no good at that moment, given the weapons still trained on him.
“Two minutes,” Alberto continued, “and she had better be clothed.”
“I told you—”
Alberto held up a hand, stopping Kaz. “I may not like your kind, but there is one thing we Russians and Italians have in common in our business, and that is learned respect. You have, in the highest of regards, disrespected me, Kazimir. And you will either bring me what is mine, or I will take it from you.”
Kaz’s fist clenched with the need to strike another man. He had the feeling that hitting Alberto would not end as well as it had when he hit the man’s son.
“She’s not yours,” Kaz said cooly.
She was his.
Alberto sighed, passing another look over Kaz’s shoulder. It took all Kaz had not to turn around and make sure his sister and Violet weren’t watching from the windows where they could be seen.
“Topina,” Alberto called loudly, “venire. Now.”
Kaz didn’t move, he barely even breathed. He wasn’t sure what the Italian had said, but it couldn’t have been too threatening, considering it was only a couple of words.
When Alberto didn’t get the desired reaction from within the house that he clearly wanted, his calm mask slipped a bit when his gaze narrowed.
“Fine, Violet,” Alberto said, still loud enough to carry over the yard and into the dark house. “We will do this your way, ragazza. Il prossimo scatola apparterrà al suo cuore.”
“What did you just say?” Kaz demanded.
Alberto said nothing to Kaz, simply held his hand down to his side, and opened his palm to his still groaning son. “Take my hand and get up off the ground, Carmine. I have let you whimper down there long enough. Any more and you will turn into a sniveling puppy. Get up. Adesso.”
By the time Carmine was on his feet again, his broken jaw being cradled by his hand, Alberto’s attention was back on the front door of the house.
“Twenty seconds, Violet,” Alberto informed like he was breaking bread. “I have the knife already sharpened, dolcezza.”
Kaz’s brows drew together at his words, trying to understand what the man was getting at, but he didn’t have time to ponder it for long, not when Violet came running out of the house, frantic eyes on her father even as she stopped next to Kaz.
He didn’t think he had ever seen her look so torn.
But he didn’t reach for her … merely stood at her side. Whatever choice she made, he wasn’t going to force her hand either way.
“Violet,” Alberto said, his tone having softened as he offered his hand. “It’s time to leave.”
Her eyes shifted over the men, as though seeing them all for the first time. Kaz was sure that she would have tucked her head, walked away with them, and accepted whatever punishment her father saw fit for her relationship with him—at least until he felt her fingers slide against his, twining them as she held tight.
“I’m not leaving.”
Kaz was careful to keep his face neutral, though the surprise he felt internally was reflected on Alberto’s face as he turned to face his daughter, like he had never considered that she would defy him.
Alberto was still trying to maintain that calm demeanor though his eyes spoke a different story as he said, “Do not push me on this. Get in the car. Now.”
But even still, she remained next to Kaz, her hand in his.
She refused to move.
Not after he asked again, then asked once more.
One minute Alberto was content with merely asking, but in the next breath, all decorum fled as he snatched Violet by the arm, thick fingers digging into her flesh, enough to make her wince in pain as he attempted to draw her to his side.
Except, she had barely taken two steps before Kaz had his own gun in hand, the barrel pointed straight at one of the men in the state that he really shouldn’t pull a gun on.
He could feel everyone tense as they waited. A made man pulling a gun on their boss could potentially be a death sentence, but the enemy doing it?
He was practically asking to die.
“Let her go before me pulling this trigger is the last thing you see.”
Alberto wasn’t afraid, not that Kaz had expected him to be, but he thought he might have seen a touch of admiration in the man’s eyes. “If only you were Italian, my boy. Now, you would be wise to move that gun out of my face.”
Kaz’s arm didn’t even twitch as he repeated himself, saying, “Let her go.”
When Alberto’s gaze shifted just slightly, Kaz was too late to see the fist coming his way. Blood filled his mouth almost instantly, and he could feel the sting of his split lip. He could hear Violet screaming, the sound of it felt like it was tearing him apart—he only belatedly realized it was his name she was yelling.
The hits still rained down on him, but Kaz no longer cared, swinging his arm, he brought the butt of his weapon across the man’s face. But he didn’t linger to see his good work, instead he headed to the street, walking into the center where the car was now trying to pass.
Even with the tinted glass, he could still make out Alberto Gallucci, Carmine on one side, Violet on the other.
“She walks away, or you don’t,” Kaz warned, aiming at the windshield, making sure Alberto could see just how serious he was. “And before your driver gets any great ideas, know that I can still kill you before he even makes contact.”
Kaz was so focused on the man that he didn’t hear the sirens, or see the flashing lights, not until they were upon him, three officers climbing out of a squad car with weapons drawn.
“Kazimir Markovic! Put down your weapon!”
Kaz kept his gun exactly where it was, but did lift his gaze just far enough to take in the officers. He didn’t recognize them, and doubted they were his father’s men, who could be bought off for the right price … so how did they know his name?
It dawned on him quite slowly at first as he took in the scene around him, realizing how it made him look. He was the only one standing there with a gun at that very moment, and as quickly as he had been surrounded just moments prior, the men had already climbed back into their cars.
This time, Kaz did smile.
He’d been fucking played.
“Markovic, we will not ask again! Drop your weapon and put your hands where we can see them!”
Turning that smile to Alberto, he didn’t take his eyes off the man as he did what he was told, placing his gun at his feet before holding his hands, palms out for them to see.
“This isn’t over, Gallucci. This won’t ever be over.”
He could almost see Alberto frown as his words penetrated, but Kaz lost sight of him as he was grabbed and shoved onto the hood of the car, his arms wrenched behind his back. He thought he heard Violet’s cries as one of the officers read him his rights; he could almost imagine he heard her pleading for him, but as he was forced up, and pushed toward the squad car, he knew he would never be able to get that sound out of his head.
Officer Barnes, from the name on his tag, had a hand to Kaz’s head and was about to push him down into the car when they all paused at the sight of Vera running out the house. At first, Kaz thought she was coming for him, but then he noticed her attention was on something past him.
And more, her curses and words weren’t spoken in English.
But Russian …
Kaz turned to look over his shoulder, trying to see who his sister was yelling at, but knew with a gut feeling who it would be.
It didn’t make sense otherwise.
How could they have known he and Violet were at Vera’s place at all?
There were only two people that knew where Kaz would go if he was in trouble, it had been that way since they were children, but only one of those two people did Kaz know would not give that information to anyone.
He didn’t know how he had his fingers dipped in this one, but Kaz didn’t doubt that his father was behind this.
He only got a glimpse of Vasily before he was being forced into the car, the door slammed shut after. Already, the fleet of cars that belonged to the Gallucci family were vanishing out of view.
Kaz didn’t have time to reflect on that, not when the officers were climbing in the car themselves, it was only moments later when they were pulling off.
“You’re lucky the boss’s daughter was there,” Barnes said from the front seat, glancing back at him. “He went easy on you for her sake.”
Boss? Kaz was trying to piece together what the man was saying when it clicked. The reason why he didn’t recognize them was because they worked for the opposite side.
They were on Alberto’s payroll.
Shit. Why hadn’t he thought of that before?
The panic must have shown in his face because the one driving laughed.
“Don’t worry, Markovic,” the officer said looking away from the rearview mirror as he pulled onto the interstate. “You’re not going to die tonight.”