“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I hiss in his ear.
I hear movement behind me and quickly shift my position so that I can see what’s happening. I then press my knife into his neck so that blood starts to pool around the tip of the blade. I see Gangster Wannabe Two and Three staring at me with panic in their eyes. Yeah, you should be panicked. You came into the wrong damn bar!
“Back up or I will kill him right now.”
I slide the blade down his neck a little more, feeling the blood as it drips down my hand and onto the floor. They stop moving and Gangster Wannabe Three leans down to check on his friend on the floor and then helps him stand up. Dimitri casually strolls over to us and looks at Gangster Wannabe One with malice written all over his face. I’ve seen that look before. He wants to prove a point.
“You come in here starting trouble,” he says, as he gets very close to the man’s face, close enough to feel his breath. “Do you see now that you cannot touch me?”
I can feel the fear emanating off the man I am holding. He clearly didn’t know what the hell he was doing when he decided to start something with us. He is standing there, shaking, as he stares at Dimitri. No doubt he’s worried that Dimitri is about to take his life. And to be honest, I am a little worried about that as well. He is frozen in fear, so I shake him slightly knowing that Dimitri wants a response from him.
“Answer him,” I growl in his ear and push my knife further into his skin.
“Yes,” he says, barely audible.
“Do not approach me again,” Dimitri says coolly as he takes a step back. He then gets a wry and evil smile on his face, “And to make sure you don’t forget this, Bolʹshoĭ here will leave you with a little reminder,” he says to him and then nods at me.
I am not sure what he means and then suddenly, realization kicks in. It all happens quickly after that as I bring the knife to his face, pushing the tip into his skin and proceed to cut him from his cheek to his ear. He squirms and I let him go, hearing him scream on the floor below me. I step away from the writhing man and walk towards Dimitri who hands me a rag from behind the counter. I wipe the blood off my hands and then swipe the cloth over my blade, making sure it is clean before sticking it back into my boot. All the while, the four wannabe Gangsters hurriedly leave our bar, licking their wounds, and at that moment, I know that things have shifted for me and that my life is now on a very different track.
I shake my head, dropping the knife back into its position in the case. I wash my hands over my face a few times and roll my shoulders. That knife became my calling card. It got around quickly what I had done. Even Dimitri’s father had called me in to thank me and tell me how he wished I had been born Russian. I rub my temples trying to get some bearings but I just can’t. I know that Sonya cannot be permitted to live, not after what she did to Rachel and Michael. I won’t allow someone to hurt my family, and at that moment, I realize without a shred of doubt, I will need to kill her. That is the bottom line. She will not live to see the next twenty-four hours and I need to be okay with that decision.
Chapter 3
My driver pulls up to my home and I let out a deep breath. I will need to make one more stop before I leave. I absolutely need to see Estelle before I go. I run my hand up and over my face and then over my shoulder again. If something happens… I can't even allow myself to finish that thought. When you start worrying about dying then you will die because that’s when mistakes happen. It’s inevitable.
“I won’t be long,” I say to my driver as I step out of the car and head for the front door.
I make my way up to my room and immediately grab one of the carry-on bags from the closet and toss it on the bed. I don’t think I will need much. I look at my suits and grab my navy one along with a dress shirt and tie. I lay it on the bed and then walk back in the closet. Bringing my hand to my chin, I debate what might transpire when I get to Mexico. With a heavy sigh, I grab two pairs of jeans, a couple of shirts, and a sweater, and I toss them on the bed as well. I walk to our bathroom to get my toiletry bag that is under the sink and begin tossing in the necessities. I start carefully folding my suit so it will fit neatly in the overnight bag. I am so lost in thought that I don’t hear anyone approaching.
“I bet you wish you had your shit-kickers, don’t you?” Estelle asks from the door.
I couldn’t erase the smile on my face if I had tried. I know she is referring to my steel toe boots I used to wear in Chicago every time I left with Dimitri. She hated those boots with a passion and when we hastily left, they did not come with us. I glance over my shoulder and see her leaning against the doorframe. She is wearing a sharp A-line skirt with a silk blouse and is just as beautiful now as she ever was. She has a smile on her face but I know her well enough to see the worry that is there as well.
“I thought you hated those boots?” I ask with a smirk.
She lets out a deep breath. “I did hate them, but…"
She hesitates for a moment, walks over to the bed, looking at the clothes lying there and immediately starts to neatly refold them. I don’t say anything. I have learned to just stay quiet until she is ready to say what she needs to say. She is silent for several minutes as she folds and refolds my clothes.
“But there was always an odd reassurance that you would come home when you had those boots on. I know that probably sounds strange.”
I quickly pull her into my arms. I hold her tightly, then bring my lips to hers, and can feel the tears streaking her cheeks. I know this probably brings back all sorts of bad memories for her. Until we left Chicago, I often left her alone, overcome with worry for me. At the time, I didn’t see how the things I was doing with Dimitri were affecting her. Maybe that’s the reason Michael worries so damn much; she spent most of her pregnancy afraid that I would never make it home, that she would get that dreaded call saying I had been killed. Well, that nearly did happen.
“Es, I love you so much. But I need to do this. You understand that, right?” Estelle, please tell me you understand, I think to myself.
She nods and takes a deep breath before resuming her folding.
“How did you know where I was?” I ask curiously.
“After I got your message, I figured you would need to come to the house so I cancelled my morning. I needed to see you,” she says, not looking at me.
“I was going to stop by before I left,” I say, trying to reassure her that I wouldn’t have left without seeing her first.
She nods and then asks quietly, “What do you know so far?”
“Just that she is in Acuña."
She nods again but doesn’t say anything else as she listens to what I know, which isn’t that much. She folds the rest of my clothes, fitting them neatly in my bag and then sits on the edge of the bed looking at her hands, which are clenching around one another.
“I am going to meet with Michael for lunch. I want to fill him in on what’s going on.”
She turns and looks up at me. “I don’t want him going along,” she says adamantly.
“Oh God no. There is no way in hell he is coming with me again. I just want him to know. He asked me to keep him informed.” I pull her back into my arms. “I know that it is hard enough for you having me be in danger. I won’t put you through more by having Michael in danger as well,” I say kissing the top of her head.
She nods against my chest and I can tell she is crying again.
“I will end this, Es. She is the last link, the last tie to Dante. I won’t let her linger out there with the potential to harm either of them. I will finish it. I promise.”
She looks up at me, her eyes red and swollen from her tears, but there is complete love and devotion reflected in them as well. I inhale sharply and then glance at the bed, shoving my bag on the floor and lifting her onto it. She brings her hand into my hair, pulling me into a kiss that sets my body on fire. I shift my hips against her, hearing her moan at the feel of me pressed against her. I pull away from her, breathless, staring at
her loving and beautiful face.
“I love you, Es. I will be back. I swear to you that I will,” I say with determination.
She nods and brings her hands to my shirt, slowly unbuttoning it and pushing it off my shoulders. She gently runs her fingertips along my scar on my chest before moving her hands to my pants. I bring my mouth back to hers as my hands work to unzip her skirt. Every time we make love it is perfect. No matter what Dimitri thought, she was it for me before she even uttered a single word. I don’t know why I fought Michael’s love for Rachel so much in the beginning. It’s clear to me now that they love each other as much as Estelle and I do. She pulls away from our kiss and looks at me with an intensity I haven’t seen on her face in a long time, not since Chicago.
“Come back to me, Charles. I can’t…” She closes her eyes and shakes her head, unable to voice her fears.
“I will, sweetheart,” I promise, tenderly kissing her again. “I’m invincible, remember?”
She smiles, giggling softly as she leans up to kiss me again. She is my heart and soul, and I know that I am that for her. I make love to her knowing that this could very well be the last time we are together. If this thing with Sonya goes badly, then at least we both could touch one another once more before it was over.
Chapter 4
After making love, Estelle and I sat and talked about what the possibilities might be. I know that she understands what I need to do but that doesn’t mean she likes it. When I finally left the house, I told George to take me to the university. We are now waiting in the parking lot outside of the English building. I glance up and see that Michael is walking towards the car. He already looks nervous and worried. I sigh as he gets closer and I can clearly see that he has been anxious since I called earlier. My phone buzzes as George gets out, getting ready to open the door for Michael. I look down to see I have an incoming text from Elkins.
B: Is everything lined up?
C: Yes. I am having lunch with Michael and will be leaving Sacramento by 2:00, should put me there around 7:00
B: You’re not thinking about bringing Junior are you?
C: No. I am just informing him about what’s going on
B: Good, we don't need him messing this up
C: Watch it, Elkins
B: Fine, fine, fine. I have verified her presence. She has been staying inside until night time so I suspect she is still sleeping her pretty little head off
C: Alright. I am with Michael. I will text you when I know my exact arrival time
Elkins blames Michael for me getting shot and for Sonya getting away. He feels that he was impulsive and that he put us all in danger. He and I have gone rounds over this. I can admit that Michael messed up. He shouldn’t have barged in like he did, but would I have done anything different had it been Estelle inside? I doubt it. Of course, I would have gone in with my Glock and just shot both of them outright before anyone else could get hurt. But that isn’t Michael nor do I want it to be. I run my hand through my hair and then set my phone down just as Michael slides in next to me. I turn to him and smile, trying to relieve some of the stress and anxiety I see on his face.
“You look good, Son. How do you like teaching?” I ask, trying to keep things casual.
“I love it. Teaching three classes is definitely difficult but so far it is going well.”
“Good,” I say with a nod. I am glad he chose teaching; he seems extremely happy with the decision. “That’s good to hear. I’m glad you’re doing something you enjoy. Do you have a preference for lunch?” I ask him with a smile.
He is just staring at me, a worn expression on his face. God, I wish Estelle was here. I always tend to make him more upset rather than less. She is much better at diffusing his anxiety than I am. I frown, trying to figure out my next move.
“Just tell me what you need to tell me, Dad. The suspense is killing me,” he says quickly.
“Poor choice of words, Son,” I say as I arch my brow at him. He stares at me blankly and I just let out an exaggerated sigh before continuing, “Fine. Elkins found Sonya. I’m leaving this afternoon to meet up with him. I thought you should know.”
“You found Sonya?” he asks, furrowing his brows. “What’re you going to do to her?”
I look at him for a moment and then smile as I turn to the window. What am I going to do to her? Torture her? Perhaps. Kill her? Most definitely. She was an active participant in Dante’s plot to kill my son. That cannot go unpunished. I know Michael thinks of her as a victim but she is clearly not. She had a choice to betray Rachel. She had a choice to continue her involvement even when it was clear that Dante was insane. I don’t care that she ended up helping Rachel in the end. That doesn’t entitle her to a free pass.
“She deserves to pay for her part in all of this,” I say coolly, while staring out the window.
I hear him inhale sharply, which forces me to turn around and look at him. I can see the panic and sadness in his eyes. Up until everything happened he had never seen me like this, brutal and merciless. But now? Well, now he knows what I am capable of, which, to be honest, I am not comfortable with. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have let him see me like that but at the time it seemed like the right decision.
“You are NOT coming with me this time,” I say adamantly and then soften my tone, “I just wanted you to know that I was taking care of it. I didn’t want you to worry.”
“What if something happens to you?” he asks meekly, he reminds me of my little boy right now, not a grown man.
I smile and tap his shoulder. “Son, nothing is going to happen to me.”
He nods but he doesn't look convinced. And I see him glance at my shoulder, then look down and away. We ride in silence for a moment before he turns back to me.
“Is it okay if I tell Rachel?”
I shrug. “If you must. I’m not opposed to her knowing if you think she will be okay with it.”
“I'll tell her. I don’t want to keep this all to myself and I don’t want to keep secrets from her,” he says looking down again.
I nod my head in agreement and then pat his shoulder once more. “Son, don’t worry. I should only be gone for a couple of days and after this, it will truly be over. I won’t allow anyone to hurt either of you again.”
He nods at me and I am sure he knows that he cannot talk me out of this or try to reason for mercy for Sonya. That woman deserves what she has coming.
“How about Shultz’s?” he finally asks quietly.
I laugh and tap him on the shoulder again. “I haven’t been there in ages.”
He smiles at me and then turns to look out the window. His body heavy with worry and concern. It’s the same feeling I have gotten from him since everything happened. He carries it all, always has. I don’t know what to say to assure him that I will be okay, especially since it is not a guarantee, yet I feel that I should say something, anything.
“Son?” I say, watching as he slowly turns to me and I can tell that he is holding back tears. “I need you not to worry. I know how to take care of myself. Nothing will happen to me.”
He takes a deep breath and turns in his seat to look at me. “How do you know that, Dad? The last time...” He pauses and glances at my shoulder. “You have already been shot because of me.” His chest heaves as he continues, “If something else happened...”
I raise my hand and he stops talking. “Son, I am prepared. I will be able to handle anything that might come up.” I put my hand on his shoulder and lightly squeeze it.
“Dad, you can’t predict everything. No one can. I...”
“Son, please stop,” I say with a sigh. “You need to trust me, trust that I know what I am doing and that I can protect myself.”
He takes a deep breath and frowns before turning away from me and I know he isn’t buying into this. He is still worried and upset.
“Michael, look at me,” I say firmly and he turns to me. “I will be fine, and damn it, if I say it will be okay, it will be okay. Do you understand?�
�� I ask with an expression that I normally reserve for those I am trying to intimidate.
He frowns slightly and I sigh. This isn’t working! I run my hand through my hair and let out an exaggerated breath.
“Ya know, Michael, I have already promised your mother that I will be home and if I’m not she will wring my neck and well, that’s not something I want to have happen,” I say with a chuckle, trying desperately to lighten the mood.
He tries not to laugh but he can’t help it, then smirks as he shakes his head.
“Let’s eat, Son,” I say as we pull up in front of Shultz’s. “Tell me how things are going with you and Rachel.”
The minute I mention Rachel he gets this wide grin and his eyes sparkle again. Yes, I will keep him talking about Rachel. That will lift his spirits and hopefully ease some of his worries and fears. If I wasn’t sure before I certainly am now. I won’t let Sonya interfere with his happiness. Whatever it takes!
Chapter 5
I close my eyes and lean back against the seat as George drives towards the airport. Having lunch with Michael was wonderful. It’s been a while since we spent time together like that. From what he has said, he and Rachel seem to be doing well. I must admit that I have seen a change in her since the incident with Dante. She seems more settled. Of course, I can understand that. I know that being with Estelle changed me for the better so I have no doubt that being with Michael will change her as well.
Brothers Forever Page 2
