home. However, I did come to the realization that I’d been lucky to have a friend like you, a man determined to help me stay alive.”
“That was important to me, Sacha. I mean, Nikolai. That was something your father would have wanted.”
“Perhaps.”
I walked off into the darkness, the gun still in my hand. I was finished with betrayal.
Rain.
I’d always loved rainfall, the silent drops falling slowly to the earth creating a serene environment. However, the dark and tumultuous clouds that had formed overhead indicated a severe storm approaching. Even the wind was whipping across my face as I headed up the grassy knoll. When I reached the top, I took a deep breath, staring off in the distance for a full minute. This was a place of reverence, a quiet time meant to reflect.
As thunder rolled in the distance, I was reminded that this would be the last time I’d set foot on such hallowed ground. The location was devoid of other mourners and I’d never felt so alone in my entire life. While it had been years since I’d visited the final resting place of my father, his gravestone wasn’t difficult to find. Sadly, a combination of graffiti splashed across the thick stone as well as dead flowers adorning the ground beneath were yet another reminder that my father had been as hated as adored.
I wasn’t a religious man, had never accepted faith as a healing concept. But today I gave the sign of the cross in my honor to the fallen man. He’d provided me with a home as well as a good life, at least as much as he’d known how to provide.
When I knelt down, it was the closest I’d felt to him since his death. A single shiver shifted down my spine. I could almost feel his presence. After pushing aside the withered flowers, I placed the single blood-red rose in the center, touching the petals. No words came to my mind, no statement that seemed appropriate. I’d attempted to exact my revenge, yet I’d failed.
I closed my eyes, allowing the moment of reverence to continue. Then a single sound erupted my few minutes of peace.
However, it was one I’d been planning on.
After taking a deep breath, I rose to my feet, turning around slowly. It had been years since I’d seen Sergei Petrov, the last meeting he’d had with my father almost ending in violence. The smirk on his face indicated he truly believed he’d won the war. To him, losing dozens of his soldiers meant nothing. All human life was expendable.
I wasn’t surprised to see Michail by his side. I folded my hands in front of me, shifting my gaze from my brother into Sergei’s eyes. The years hadn’t been good to the older man, the wars he’d continued to fight aging him significantly. Yet he stood with a wry smile on his face, as if he’d beaten me.
As if he was ready to end my life.
The silence and tension between us were palpable, but I refused to offer the first comment.
“Ty ochen’ pokhozh na svoyego ottsa,” Sergei finally said, laughing after stating the words.
Yes, I was very much like my father, but not in the way the bastard could understand. He was about to find out. “And you’ve betrayed your people.”
He took a step forward. “English. It would seem you’ve thoroughly enjoyed your time in America. That has made you soft.”
“Quite the contrary, Petrov. Living in the United States has given me the kind of perspective I needed in order to become a formidable leader.” I could tell my brother was antsy, his body tense.
Continuing his laugh, Sergei took two long strides in my direction. “You are no leader. Then again, you aren’t Federov blood.” He made the statement as if it was news to me. “At least your brother is a wise man, turning over the Federov territory in exchange for a secured place in my kingdom.”
Although I wanted to laugh, I resisted providing any reaction.
“I learned a long time ago that the bond of a family wasn’t about blood but about honor.” I kept my words succinct.
“Wisely spoken, albeit foolish. That is not the way of the Bratva.”
It was my turn to chuckle. “The way of the Bratva is all about honor, Sergei. I would have thought a man of your stature would know that. Sadly, you have no qualms about betraying your people. You had my father killed because he took what you believed belonged to you. Isn’t that