and Otto, Zaal’s, falling into step at our sides.
We approached the rear of the metal building; the area around us was derelict and run-down, a wasteland of dirt and filth.
As we reached the doors, a small man came running from the old wooden entrance. Avto. The old man scurried forward, holding his flat cap in his hands. Part of me wanted to allow Zaal to take the lead, but whether Zaal like it or not, he was part of the Bratva now. The people inside, and any man who followed Zaal’s leadership, had to know that the knyaz and Pakhan would be in every part of their lives.
“Avto,” I greeted. Avto’s eyes left Zaal and focused on me. “Knyaz,” he replied coldly, then focused back on Zaal.
“Lideri”—Avto swallowed, and shook his head—“I’m sorry, but as you stand here, you look just like your father.” Avto had spoken in Georgian.
Zaal tensed but then asked, “Are they all here?”
Avto nodded his head. “Yes, Lideri. Just under two hundred men.”
I nodded my head and said to Zaal, “That shows loyalty.” Avto swallowed when I too spoke in Georgian. I glared at the little man, and in that same Georgian I said, “Lead the way.”
Avto turned and hurried toward the entrance. As we walked through the doors and down a dusty hallway, I said, “Remember the housing offer. We will need your men close. It will give you time and a chance to see who is most loyal. Who to bring into your inner circle.”
Zaal nodded his head, then smirked my way. “You are sounding very much like Kirill, Luka. If I had closed my eyes, I think you could have fooled me into thinking he was beside me.”
I smiled and hit Zaal on the back. Holding out his hand, he stopped me and, only to me, said, “I was trained for the role, just as you were. I will never break my loyalty to the Bratva. I love my Talia too much to ever do that—”
“But?” I interrupted.
Zaal shook his head, smiling again. “But I am the Kostava Lideri. I will lead my people. Just as you will lead yours. And we make the decisions for our people together.”
Narrowing my eyes, I held out my hand. Zaal immediately shook it, and we commenced walking. We had only moved a few steps before I said, “You just sounded very much like Anri. If I had closed my eyes, you could’ve fooled me into thinking he was back beside me.”
Zaal sighed, but I saw the flash of pain in his eyes. “He was my brother. My twin. As much as I, he was meant for this moment.”
We walked together in silence. We stopped as Avto slipped through the archway into the main body of the warehouse. Zaal squared his shoulders, and with a firm nod to me and the byki he entered the warehouse.
I followed close behind Zaal. I watched with assessing eyes as his people came into view. Many older men stood in the abandoned space, but there were also a lot of younger men, young strong men who had been brought up well by their fathers. In seconds Zaal rounded the corner; their faces expressed their shock at seeing their Lideri. I stopped, Mikhail standing beside me, and let Zaal take the floor. He walked past his people, his huge frame towering above them.
My gaze wandered to Avto, who was standing back, watching Zaal take his place at the front of the crowd. Avto’s eyes were filled with tears, and even though he hated me, I felt sorry for the man. From what I could gather, Zoya, Zaal’s sister, was important to Avto. His entire life had been pledged to her protection.
A protection that had now failed.
The men all stared at Zaal. Many of the men bowing their heads in a show of respect. Zaal took a deep breath and, raising his head high, said, “Thank you for attending this meeting tonight.” He spoke in Georgian, and the people all began to smile. Finally, they knew their Lideri had returned.
Murmurs swept the group, many of the men expressing their happiness at him being alive.
Zaal held up his hand, and the men stopped talking. “As you can see, I, Zaal Kostava, of the Kostava Clan, am alive. Levan Jakhua took my twin brother and me captive years ago. I am sorry to say that Anri did not survive.” The men all bowed their heads in disappointment and respect for Anri’s memory.
“In fact,” Zaal continued,