Kaznachei’s Pain

by Mason, V. F.

Oh my God, their drama didn’t end?

  Yuri took the phone from me and removed it from the loud speaker, kissing Artur lightly on the forehand as I smiled at our son, who frowned at his father before his attention travelled elsewhere. “Frankie? This is Yuri. I’m not going to ask what happened. Just know, if you want to come, you are welcome.” He stayed silent for a minute as she said something, and then Yuri spoke again. “One of the byki will be waiting for you. I’ll ask the plane to deliver you to Irkutsk. He won’t come. I promise.” He hung up the phone, muttering, “Unless you give him permission to.”

  Apparently, it was Cosa Nostra’s turn to get hitched and face all the ridiculous problems that came with it.

  He tossed my phone into the sea, as I shouted, “Why did you do that, Yuri?”

  He gave me Artur, and I automatically placed him on my hip as Yuri spun me around to stand in front of the steering wheel and pulled me to his chest. “Everyone else can wait,” he murmured and cleared his throat as I closed my eyes, completely happy to be with my family in one of the most beautiful places. “I love you,” he said, and I smiled, whispering back, “I love you too.”

  “I didn’t think I wanted or needed love. I hated love. It was a weakness that had the power to destroy.” Blinking a few times, I wanted to provide him some kind of comfort, because I wasn’t sure where he was going with this conversation. But he didn’t let me.

  Instead, he pressed his cheek against mine and continued to talk, each word making me melt and swoon inside. “But then you came into my life and changed everything about the word love. No words will express my emotion, but I would always choose you.” A beat, and then, “A lifetime with you won’t be enough, but I figure it’s a start. Will you marry me?”

  I had a second to blink in surprise, but then he was freaking kneeling next to me, holding a blue velvet box with a simple diamond ring that sparkled as the sun glistened on it. “I… well…” His brow rose at my hesitancy, so I finally found a coherent voice to give him a proper reply. “Yes, and I would never change anything.”

  And as he placed the ring on my finger, we kissed in the sunlight, and I knew I’d never be happier than in this moment.

  Life, after all, had the ability to surprise you in the most unexpected places.

  Three years later

  Melissa

  “I can’t believe I have to do this.”

  “Quit bitching, you look hot.”

  “I look like an idiot!” Konstanciya exclaimed, pointing at her light blue chiffon dress that stopped at her knees. “Why do I have to wear this while Melissa wears this white masterpiece?”

  Rosa’s jaw about dropped to the floor. “She is the bride, you goof!” Konstanciya frowned but then laughed as she winked at me, and I shrugged.

  “Don’t move. Just one more touch,” the makeup artist advised and applied the last layer of red lipstick to my lips and clapped her hands. “You look stunning.”

  “It’s true,” Victoria pitched in and I stood up, swaying from side to side as I studied my reflection in the mirror. I almost couldn’t believe the gorgeous redhead in a strapless, white silky dress with a V-shaped back and classy pumps was me.

  “I knew it’d be perfect for her.” Frankie wiped away an imaginary tear from her cheek with the tissue. “You remind me of the stars in the twenties.”

  Indeed.

  My hair was fashioned into a long waterfall braid that showcased the richness and beauty of the flaming locks. I refused to wear a veil and Yuri agreed with me. Although in Russia, it was sort of a must, because apparently it served as a tradition of good luck for the bride… I really didn’t want to be superstitious.

  Yuri told me I could wear a rag and he’d still marry me. I grinned, sighing, and Konstanciya shook her head. “Look at her, probably remembers some romantic shit Yuri told her.”

  “You are such an ass sometimes,” Rosa muttered, but the woman shrugged, not caring in the least. “What? I’m just not like you.”

  “Is that why you were crying the other day when Kostya bought you guys a house?” I asked, glancing one last time at the mirror and spun around to face my friends. “You even told him it was the best day of your life.”

  The girls whistled and winked at me as Konstanciya’s cheeks heated up; she hated when someone knew she could be a girly girl too. “It’s not just a house, okay? I’ve dreamed for a year to buy it.”

  “Don’t worry, babe. No one is gonna talk about it. You can keep the appearance of having a tough exterior,” Vivian murmured with a conspiratorial tone, and we all laughed as Konstanciya sent us a death glare.

  “Ha ha, fuck you, guys.” Before she could add anything else, a knock sounded on the door and Rosa opened it up to see Dominic, his knuckles raised about to knock again. “Dear God, but you are stunning, krasavica.” His eyes hooded as they landed on his wife, but he quickly shifted his attention to me. “We are ready if you are.”

  “Yep.” He nodded and then patted his arm so Rose hooked her hand over it and they emerged, and the rest of the girls followed to join their men at the altar.

  As I stepped outside and walked a few feet, I met the cutest couple ever. The boy wore a suit that reminded me so much of his father, with a white orchid in his front pocket while he held the hand of a slightly shorter young girl as she tugged on her pink fairy dress. “It hurts, Artur,” she nagged, tugging on the veil on her head made out of flowers trying to adjust it better, but I could see light scratches on her forehead.

  Planning a wedding took so much time, along with me moving to Russia, and then Vivian gave birth. And before we knew it, it took us three years to finally have it. I was ready to give up so many times, as I didn’t need the celebration, but Yuri was adamant about it.

  He wanted to marry me for everyone to see.

  I leaned forward to get the thing off Octavia’s head, Radmir and Vivian’s daughter, when Artur rose on his toes and snatched it away, rubbing her skin gently as she grinned at him. “Here, doesn’t hurt now,” he murmured, and I blinked, already seeing the bond forming.

  The two stayed glued at the hip from day one and I had a feeling even after twenty years nothing would change. “Let’s go then, munchkins.”

  They stood in front as Octavia took a deep breath and started to throw flowers on the floor as Artur walked next to her. He decided to be with her because she was nervous and no one argued, even though the wedding planner complained about it all the time.

  But then everything faded away as I focused my attention on the blond man waiting for me at the end of the aisle. He looked at me with so much love sometimes I couldn’t believe it was true.

  So with love and happiness filling my heart and soul, I went to the love of my life finally, ready to make an honest man out of him.

  Yuri

  The dance finished, but Melissa still held on to me, wrapping her hands tightly around my neck as our foreheads pressed together. “Happy?” I asked, and she nodded, and how could I fucking not kiss those lips of hers?

  Crushing my mouth on hers, I drank from her, tasting the champagne on her lips as she pulled me closer while everything around us went away. Squeezing her waist tightly, I longed to strip that silk from her gorgeous body and fuck her into oblivion until she wouldn’t remember anything but to moan my name.

  “Papa?”

  At the sound of our son’s voice, we let go and she giggled against my mouth, as I muttered, “Can’t wait for the honeymoon.” Then I glanced down at Artur, who grinned at me widely. I picked him up, threw him in the air, and caught him. He squealed happily, and then took a deep breath. “Yes, son?”

  He puffed his chest but then motioned with his head for us to step away from Melissa. We shared a curious look, and she waved at Victoria then took off in her direction as Artur spoke. “Papa, remember you told me I can have whatever I want?”

  “Yes, within reason.”

  He blinked few times and then frowned. “What does that mean?”

  “It mea
ns it can’t hurt other people.” Melissa was better at this kind of conversation; whenever he was in one of these moods, I always felt like a tongue-tied idiot.

  His face cleared. “It doesn’t hurt anyone.” He paused and then whispered, “I want to marry Octavia when I grow up.”

  Fuck.

  I so didn’t need this kind of problem. Artur tugged on my vest, clearly not pleased with my silence. “She wants to marry me too. I proposed.”

  “You did?”

  He nodded eagerly and leaned closer, whispering, “I told her we can get married once we are eighteen. That’s what Uncle Gleb told us.”

  “Uncle Gleb is smart.” I searched with my eyes for my best friend and found him sipping a drink while watching his twins twirling on the parquet. He caught my gaze and chuckled, saluting me with his glass.

  Fucking asshole. I’d look at him when his son decides to go for some girl. Then my gaze moved to Radmir, who glared at me, or rather gave my son a death glare as his daughter kept on telling him something.

  Not a hard guess what.

  I shrugged, grinning, but he just raised his brow and patted Octavia’s back.

  “So can I?”

  Artur snapped my attention back at him, and while I looked into his pleading face, I had no other answer but “Yes. As long as she wants it.”

  He raised his hands up, screaming, “Yay!”

  They were kids. Twenty years from our wedding, they would laugh about it and remember the good old times.

  At least I hoped for it.

  I placed Artur back on the floor as he rushed to Vivian, and then I saw Dominic walking toward me with a tray of four vodka shots. All my best friends stood around me, and we each picked up a shot. “Let’s drink this shot for…”

  “The happy couple?” Gleb supplied, but surprisingly Dom shook his head and then pointed at the restaurant hall filled with laughter, kids, our wives, and family while everyone had a good time.

  “For our life. Not bad for four lost boys, right?”

  Images of our life flashed through my mind and probably theirs: the rigid training, the shit that happened before Bratva. The killings, the dealings, the traveling. Everything that allowed us to be the men that we were in that moment.

  We weren’t good men, yet life granted us happiness that had no boundaries. And although problems would never leave us and none of us could be sure if we lived long enough to see another day… deep down, I knew none of us would change it.

  Because this life gave us a family.

  Twenty Years Later

  Melissa

  “This is ridiculous!” the voice screeched, and I huffed in exasperation as Rosa and I exchanged looks.

  “Yours or mine?” She shrugged and listened tentatively but then exhaled heavily. “Mine.” We stepped outside Pakhan’s house where we’d come to celebrate Dom’s birthday, and everyone else followed.

  There in the bright sunlight stood Jake and Lily, Rosa’s daughter, as they argued once again.

  These two should either marry each other already or do something, because all this sexual energy floating in the air around them seriously annoyed their fathers. It was entertaining to watch though; that was why no one ever missed it.

  “It’s not. What you want to do is dangerous!” Jake shouted, and Dom frowned, wanting to step forward, but Rosa stopped him and shook her head.

  He listened to her while the couple continued to argue. “I’m a prosecutor.” She pressed her hand to her chest. “I fight for justice, unlike you.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? And you just graduated, so please, leave this talk about being a prosecutor.”

  “You think I don’t know you help the Bratva get their men out of trouble?”

  “May I remind you that every one of your family and friends is from the Bratva?”

  She crossed her arms, lifting her chin. “It doesn’t change anything. He didn’t deserve it! How could you have protected him, Jake?” she hissed, and for a second Jake paused, glancing at Dom, who with one look told him to keep his mouth shut.

  No one shared the Bratva dealings with us, but it wasn’t hard to guess that if he wanted someone out of prison and Lily considered it unfair, the Bratva wanted to deal with it in their style.

  “It’s none of your business what I do. And why all of a sudden such interest in the case? Is it because of Hunter?”

  Oh no. He had to go and mention Lev’s son.

  “My son is a moron,” Vivian muttered, and I held back a laugh, because indeed his last question sent Lily into a rage. She blinked a few times and then did the unexpected.

  She slapped Jake in front of everyone.

  We all froze as she said coldly, “It’s none of your business.”

  “Lily—”

  “No! If you help men like them, then I don’t think we have any kind of future.” With that, she spun around and stalked past us into the house while Jake stood there, at a loss for words.

  No one was surprised though, as the clash was inevitable. They operated on different sides of the law with Lily firmly believing in her truth only. I wasn’t sure how they would handle their relationship if it ever reached that level.

  “The show is over.” Dom clapped his hands and pointed at the barbecue a few feet away. “Let’s go.”

  Yuri kissed me on the neck as his arms wrapped around my waist, and I stilled, closing my eyes. Twenty-four years together, and the man still had the ability to make my toes curl. “What did I miss?” He was doing the yearly accounting sheets, so he probably sat through it all in his office.

  “The usual.” He chuckled, and then he rocked me in his arms as he murmured, “Ours seem to behave.” I followed his gaze to the couple lounging on the grass as they studied something in the sky.

  Ah, young love.

  The puppy love didn’t go away as everyone hoped, and Artur and Octavia became a couple.

  “How was work?”

  “Good,” I replied. “We finished a training class today, so I handed out a few certificates.” Since working for any kind of law enforcement was impossible, I decided to open a self-defense school where people of different ages could come and learn to protect themselves as much as it was possible in civilian life.

  The thing took off, and I couldn’t be happier, because it also provided me with a lot of time to spend with Artur. Life wasn’t always easy, especially living in a foreign country, but I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

  Artur studied engineering at Columbia University, and he had some plans with David, Gleb’s son, but they wouldn’t share the details. We just knew they all planned to reside here.

  At this point, I just hoped it would be semilegal, although I’d learned through the years to ignore my agent past and just let the men be.

  “Love me?” Yuri murmured, and I turned around, hugging him close while giving him a soft kiss. “Always.”

  “That’s good, because I think I’ll finally be able to take you on that cruise you wanted.”

  My eyes widened, and I practically jumped with joy. “Truly?” We wanted to go for a long while, but his status as kaznachei didn’t allow for long absences. “But how is this possible?”

  “I discussed it with the guys and we decided to make some changes.”

  Changes? But then I shook my head and hugged him close, too happy to dwell on the thought.

  Yuri could handle it.

  Yuri

  Everyone laughed and ate, while soft jazz music streamed from the speakers in Dom’s backyard.

  Melissa rested her head on my arms as I swung us on the swing with my foot, the serenity of nature bringing peacefulness and calmness. Breathing in her scent, I rested my chin on her forehead and thought about the last twenty years.

  There was love, happiness, but also heartache and fear. We lived on dangerous edges, providing the best possible protection for the family.

  And as much as I loved my life, the time had come to change all that.

  I was tir
ed of not spending all my time with my wife, not doing things she wanted, and I knew the guys felt the sting as well. We had to slowly prepare for the inevitable.

  Stepping out so the second generation could come in.

  I studied our kids who stood far away, either laughing or showing each other weird videos. They all hugged and drank together, and most of them loved each other as their own. Yes, there was different kind of love there too, but they needed time to figure it out.

  But also freedom, and for that we couldn’t live like an ax was hanging over them.

  Artur dropped onto the swing next to me, shaking it a little, and Melissa started.

  “She was resting,” I scolded, but he just grinned and placed his arm on the back of the swing. “You’re just mad because she is no longer lying on your shoulder.”

  “That too.”

  He smirked and put his head back, sighing. “God, but I love this kind of weather.”

  “Any particular reason you decided to lounge with us while your girl is there?” I pointed at Octavia patting David as she furiously explained something to him while he just nodded absently.

  “Nope. Just felt like it.” He opened an eye and looked at me. “Why? I’m already annoying you?” he teased, and I grabbed him under my arm, twisting his hair.

  “No.” Then I hugged him close, holding my entire world in my hands. “Glad you did, actually.”

  “Dad, you’ve become such a sap over the years.” Looking at my son who grew into this smart, confident, but also happy young man, I couldn’t believe I raised him.

  Turned out love could do wonders. I enjoyed the serenity of the moment, but not for long as they continued to talk.

  “He is also romantic,” Melissa pitched in, and I groaned.

  “Way to ruin the mood, Mom. Anyway, I love you guys, yeah?” He stood up facing us, and I exchanged looks with Melissa.

  Finally, she said, “You usually say that when you did something bad.”

  He took a breath and told us.

  Oh dear God, my son had a death wish.

  The second generation couldn’t come soon enough, as I was too fucking old to deal with this shit.